An Enterprise Zone for Newport

Don’t Forget Newport

Bristol is having one, Cardiff and Swansea are campaigning to join them, there is even a Linkedin group set up to try and get Barry one, but what about Newport?

Enterprise Zones are dedicated areas identified to provide businesses locating within them with tax breaks, high-speed broadband and simplified planning rules. In Bristol they are planning to locate their enterprise zone adjacent to Bristol Temple Meads railway station, where it is estimated it could create up to 20,000 jobs, attract 250 plus businesses and redevelop over 173 acres of waste land in the city centre.

In Newport, the Old Town Dock regeneration project is well underway providing a substantial number of new homes. The council announced only last month that a new preferred developer had been secured to proceed with the redevelopment of the John Frost Square retail area of the city centre. However, when it comes to employment opportunities being created is Newport doing enough and can we compete with the cities who are already talking about having a potential enterprise zone?

Dan Smith, director of commercial property advisors M4 Property Consultants is encouraged by the developments in Newport but is of the opinion more can and should be done to encourage inward investors to consider relocating or setting up businesses in Newport. “Organisations such as the council and Newport Unlimited are rightly working hard to promote the city as a viable business location. This is essential in supporting the residential and retail development the city has been experiencing. However, we already know that Bristol and Cardiff has better infrastructure for business. With Bristol already confirmed to have an enterprise zone, we need to make sure that if the Welsh Government decide to introduce a similar scheme here in Wales, Newport pushes hard to secure an enterprise zone and not just leave Cardiff or Swansea to benefit from the initiative. ”

He continues, “Developments at Celtic Springs, Langstone Business Park and Imperial Park have all proven successful in recent years at attracting a range of businesses from government departments and multi-national organisations down to smaller regional and local businesses. Newport has proved it is a good business location. However, we must continue to increase the employment opportunities available and to do this we must offer a viable alternative to nearby cities who we are competing against. By having an enterprise zone within Newport, we can ensure we are competitive and

hopefully build upon the previous successes and attract further businesses to the City. I also believe that we must try to attract more industrial companies to the area, not purely rely on the service sector. By doing so, we can broaden the range of employment opportunities and not become overly reliant on office occupiers such as the public sector or the service sector.”

“I strongly recommend that the powers that be in the city should be speaking with Business Minister Edwina Hart and ensuring that should the Welsh Government make the decision to introduce enterprise zones, that Newport is at the top of the list.