BRADFORD Council has been urged to approve plans for the first stage of a multi million pound enterprise zone “without delay.”
Last month work on the multi million pound Gain Lane Enterprise Zone began.
When completed, the scheme will have created 316,500 square feet of commercial space and is expected to bring around 550 jobs to the area.
Construction work creating new access to the seven hectare site is underway, and now a planning application to construct the first two industrial units on the land has been submitted to Bradford Council.
The application, by Commercial Development Projects Limited calls for the plans to be approved as swiftly as possible so the units can be built and completed by early 2021.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority is funding the scheme through its Enterprise Zone programme, which will see a number of new sites across the county created for businesses. It has agreed to pay almost £10m to prepare the site for businesses.
Work starts on enterprise zone that will bring in 550 jobs to Bradford
Other planned Enterprise Zones in Bradford include at Parry Lane in Laisterdyke and at Staithgate Lane, near the Euroway Trading Estate.
The timescale for the Gain Lane scheme is for the first two units to be completed by early 2021, and for the entire site to be ready for occupation by 2025.
Each large unit will be built just off Woodhall Road, include individual car parks, one for 50 cars and another for 40, service yards, and will be accessed by a new road.
The planning application, submitted to Bradford Council this week, says: “This application for approval of reserved matters signifies the next step in the realisation of development on this site which is a longstanding employment allocation with Enterprise Zone status. Upon completion the development will generate a significant number of jobs for the district both during its construction and occupation.
“Consequently there is considerable support from the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and Bradford Council’s to deliver employment development across this site as soon as possible.
“Whilst our programme has begun already with the commencement of development of the access road, it is critical that this next stage comprising the infrastructure works and completion of the first two units is undertaken by Q1 2021.
“We therefore hope we can work together to achieve approval of this application without delay.”
A decision on the application is expected in February.
Once fully occupied, the Gain Lane Enterprise Zone is expected to bring in £900,000 in Business Rates alone, and could create £11 million in ‘Gross Value Added’ to the area each year.
In September the Combined Authority approved funding to “unlock” the site – creating the access and infrastructure needed to attract businesses.
At the time, Jessica McNeill, Enterprise Zone Manager, told members of the Combined Authority’s Investment Committee there was a “severe shortage of modern, single storey, quality commercial units in Bradford.”
