Member Article

Thousand of jobs in the pipeline as Kent and Medway lands Enterprise Zone deal

Kent and Medway took a step closer to the creation of 9,900 jobs after being granted Enterprise Zone status by the Government.

The North Kent Innovation Zone (NKIZ) was one of 26 new and extended Enterprise Zones announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Autumn Statement yesterday.

The NKIZ links proposals for new commercial development in Ebbsfleet Garden City, Kent Medical Campus at Maidstone, and Rochester Airport Technology Park in Medway.

The North Kent bid was endorsed and submitted to Government on behalf of the partners, Ebbsfleet Development Corporation, Maidstone Borough Council, Medway Council and other stakeholders, by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SE LEP) and Thames Gateway Kent Partnership.

Commenting on the success, George Kieffer, Interim Chairman for SE LEP, said: “North Kent Innovation Zone, when combined with the existing enterprise zone at Discovery Park, which has already proved to be hugely successful, means that we now have an excellent opportunity to promote the area to high-growth businesses and compete with the best in the country, including Oxford and Cambridge. The team behind the bid deserves our congratulations.”

This announcement will be a huge boost for Kent Medical Campus, which, once complete, will create more than 2,000 new jobs and flexible accommodation for medical and life-science companies, specialist residential and rehabilitation care, as well as higher education training facilities for the medical and healthcare professions.

Welcoming this news, TGKP’s Chairman, Rob Bennett said: “The announcement that North Kent Innovation Zone is getting Enterprise Zone status is excellent news for Thames Gateway Kent. The opportunities at Rochester Airport and Ebbsfleet Garden City will further boost our offer as an ideal location for companies wishing to invest and grow. The Innovation Zone will build on the area’s considerable strengths in innovatory technologies, advanced manufacturing and engineering.

“I also particularly welcome our partnership with Maidstone Borough Council that brings the Kent Medical Campus into the Innovation Zone. This will help further expansion of sector expertise and innovation in life sciences and medical technologies in Kent and Medway, and is yet another demonstration of the value of cross-boundary collaboration to support economic growth and regeneration.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .