7,000 Shropshire Jobs to be Created

More than 7,000 Shropshire Jobs will be created and 2,800 homes built under plans revealed today for our region.

Marches Local Enterprise Partnership has submitted a bid for almost £68 million of Growth Deal funding from Westminster, which would be used for projects across Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin and Herefordshire. A huge number of Shropshire Jobs will be generated as a result.

Projects put forward for funding include the development of Oswestry Innovation Park, a £13.2 million scheme which would see 1,400 jobs created, and Enterprise Telford, a £19 million manufacturing and innovation development estimated to create 1,250 homes and 1,650 full time equivalent jobs.

If successful the funding bid would be matched by more than £75 million from organisations and private sector partners delivering the projects.

The proposal also includes a bid for £7.5 million to support the development of an innovation and enterprise scheme in Newport, £2 million towards the development of the Flaxmill Maltings in Shrewsbury, and £1 million towards the delivery of new homes in Telford, which will be matched with £9 million of private sector investment.

Chairman of the Marches LEP, Graham Wynn OBE, said the bid was supported by its public sector partners, Shropshire Council and Telford & Wrekin Council and Herefordshire Council as well as the three area Business Boards.

He said: “We are asking for funding for 11 projects which include not only major infrastructure and shovel-ready schemes, but also proposals to help develop our workforce, by making 1,000 undergraduate and 80 post-graduate places available and investment in IT and digital equipment and training facilities that will benefit over 3,700 young people and apprentices.

“The total cost of these projects is more than £144 million and they will create sustainable private sector jobs, starter homes and access to higher education and training for the people who live and work in the Marches.

“Our bid also sets out our ambition for this enterprising region with a strategy to deliver economic growth through investment in innovation, higher levels skills, housing and business sites.

“We have a record for delivering large-scale projects successfully and our bid has the universal backing of our businesses, our partners and our MPs.”

A decision on funding allocations is expected to be made in the autumn budget statement.

The Marches LEP is one of 38 across England bidding for a slice of the £1.8 billion of Growth Deal funding.

– Shropshirestar

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