Pickles announces £100m additional funding for enterprise zones

The Department for Communities and Local Government announced a £59m funding scheme in February to help enterprise zones complete key infrastructure projects. Pickles said in a statement this week that a further £100m will now be made available through the fund, which is administered by the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA).

Pickles said that 13 enterprise zones have been shortlisted to receive funding for 18 projects to build service roads, car parking and other infrastructure. These include Birmingham City Centre, Tees Valley, Manchester Airport City and Sheffield Business Park.

The Department for Transport has also announced £5m of funding to be allocated to five enterprise zones to help tackle traffic bottlenecks and road congestion.

"Enterprise zones are stimulating job creation and economic growth in different parts of the country with their special package of incentives to attractive new business ventures," said Pickles."The government is putting its money where its mouth is and making sure enterprise zones have the buildings and infrastructure they need to make sites ready for business to set up in."

"The response from the enterprise zones to this investment opportunity demonstrates just how crucial upfront infrastructure is to development," said HCA chief executive Andy Rose. "It is great news that this additional investment means more priority sites can be funded than first thought, creating more jobs in the areas that need them."

Rose said that the HCA would now work with partners to refine the bids and to ensure the investment is "helping to maximise economic growth in local communities".