News: Demolition plan for Enterprise Zone offices

There is no doubt that a Enterprise Zone designation has been transformational for the Wath and Manvers area of Rotherham but decades on and some of the commercial property seems no longer fit for a 21st century economy.

The Cyan Building, previously used by a major bank, is being lined up for demolition.

NatWest took on the large office building at Adwick Park in Manvers in 2007 when RBS Group plc, now known as NatWest Group plc, moved their Lombard business across Rotherham. NatWest moved to nearby Callflex Business Park last year and the previous building went up for sale.

A sale was recently concluded by agents at Knight Frank.

Particulars for the four acre site read: "The site is currently occupied by a 68,000 sq ft office building, formerly occupied by Natwest. The building is now available with vacant possession, with intentions to demolish the building, leaving a cleared site for the next owner.

"This will present a significant opportunity for industrial redevelopment or industrial open storage use, subject to planning."

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Local speculative commercial property developer, EV Waddington Ltd, recently submitted a planning application regarding the building with Rotherham Council approving the method of demolition.

Plans for what might replace the Cyan Building have not yet been submitted.

South Yorkshire, and especially Rotherham, has a long history of policies designed to aid investment into areas formerly centred around heavy industry. Enterprise Zones established in the 1990's were influential in the regeneration of former coalfield ares such as Manvers, and ealier Enterprise Zones led to the creation of Parkgate Shopping without the need for local planning approval.

Between 1995 and 2005, Manvers saw a boom in call centres and office space thanks to generous tax reliefs and a simplified Enterprise Zone Planning Scheme. As the economy changed, distribution became a popular industrial use in the area and Rothbiz has reported previously on plans to demolish purpose built call centres.

Agents at Knight Frank have previously explained the reason for the circumstances: "Historically these larger scale call centre buildings had been built during a period of the historic enterprise zone status and where there had been good demand from back office/call centre operations and substantial offers available – rates free periods and large incentive packages. A lot of the traditional call centre market moved off shore, and in more recent times due to the pandemic a lot of businesses have now adopted home working policies in the UK."

Images: Northcap

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News: South Yorkshire Investment Zone to focus on Sheffield-Rotherham corridor

A shift in government policy means that a new Investment Zone for South Yorkshire will benefit sites in Rotherham. It is set to be backed by a flexible £80m fund for grants and tax incentives to help businesses start, expand or relocate.

South Yorkshire was one of 38 initial areas keen to establish investment zones in England and an expression of interest was submitted last year when the focus was on tax cuts for businesses and liberalised planning rules.

Since then, a number of changes in leadership positions in government has meant that the policy has been under review.

Initially, no sites in Rotherham were put forward for the creation of an investment zone in South Yorkshire but the government announced in The Budget in March that it was launching a refocussed Investment Zones programme with a greater emphasis on research institutions and priority sectors, including advanced manufacturing.

In line with its levelling up objectives, the government said that: "Investment Zones will be established in places with significant unmet productivity potential, and where existing strengths and assets aligned to priority sectors can be leveraged to increase opportunities for local communities. By focussing on growing high-potential innovation and industrial strengths in areas with significant scope for catch up economic growth, this plan will seek to drive national productivity growth."

South Yorkshire was one of eight areas selected to work up proposals and a report to the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) shows that the Investment Zones must have a lead sector and a defined spatial core that is built around an existing cluster with close links to research institutions.

For South Yorkshire this core spatial offer is set to be connecting Sheffield to Rotherham (where the research assets such as The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) are already located).

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The report states that the focus on the core, that is already home to 30 nationally recognised research centres, is "an approach that enables us [to] expand and create greater density at existing innovation sites as well as bringing sites from across South Yorkshire to the table for new business investment."

Existing innovation assets, including the Advanced Manufactuting Park (AMP) in Rotherham, the Olympic Legacy Park and the University of Sheffield Innovation District and the rest of the Sheffield Business Park in Sheffield, will be joined by expansion sites as the core expands into Sheffield city centre and Rotherham town centre.

Rotherham expansion sites include remaining land at Waverley and around Magna at Templeborough - both around 25.5 hectares / 63 acres.

The report adds: "We’ve stretched the principle of co-design with government as far as we can. We’ve focused our story and work on the basis that our real capabilities are problem solving and working at the interface between industry and research in the here and the now – and that to supercharge South Yorkshire we don’t just need more research – we need greater stickiness of businesses aggregating around that research."

And for that "stickiness" the £80m fund (over five years for the Investment Zone) will be used for things like: capital infrastructure (land remediation, new lab space); skills support (training, graduate schemes); dedicated support on planning applications; funding to develop supply chains; and funding to develop the business ecosystem through networking and accelerator programmes.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) is working to submit details of its Investment Zone before the Parliament summer recess later this month.

South Yorkshire, and especially Rotherham, has a long history of similar policies. Enterprise Zones established in the 1990's were influential in the regeneration of former coalfield areas such as Manvers, and earlier Enterprise Zones led to the creation of Parkgate Shopping without the need for local planning approval.

The most recent Enterprise Zones in the 2010's included parts of the AMP and Templeborough in Rotherham and involved business rates discounts and simplified planning arrangements for businesses in specific target sectors.

Images: Harworth

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News: South Yorkshire's Investment Zone sites revealed

A number of sites have been put forward to the Government for a proposed new Investment Zone which aims to bring business investment and release land for new homes in South Yorkshire.

The majority are in Sheffield with the Gateway East site in Doncaster only to be included if Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) remains an operational airport.

As part of the Government's recently announced Growth Plan, Investment Zones will drive growth and unlock housing across the UK by lowering taxes and liberalising planning frameworks to encourage rapid development and business investment.

However, the future of Investment Zones is up in the air, given the recent installment of another new Prime Minister.

South Yorkshire was one of 38 initial areas keen to establish investment zones in England.

Measures could include 100% business rates relief on newly occupied and expanded premises and full stamp duty land tax relief, with the need for planning applications minimised. Authorities have been promised 100% of the business rates growth above an agreed baseline in designated sites for 25 years and a single local growth settlement.

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The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is to discuss the issue next month and address how Investment Zones can help South Yorkshire leverage greater investment and better enable fairer, sustainable growth.

Discussion points centre on public and private sectors working together, the displacement of jobs and investment from within the region and the impact on the mayoral combined authority's Net Zero ambitions.

The sites submitted to Government:
• Goldthorpe Investment Zone
Mixed Use site of 26.3 hectares intended to create 2,413 gross jobs and 638 new houses
• Northeast Doncaster
Mixed Use site of 502 hectares intended to create 16,000 new jobs and 3,350 residential dwellings
• Doncaster City Centre
Mixed Use site of c.110 hectares with the potential to regenerate Doncaster City Centre through better employment opportunities, new commercial accommodation, residential development and inward investment.
• Sheffield Olympic Legacy Park (AMID)
Commercial site of 32.4 hectares intended to create 5,800 additional jobs
• Sheffield Business Park & University of Sheffield Innovation District (AMID)
Commercial site of 45.6 hectares intended to create 3,124 additional jobs
• River Don District (AMID)
Commercial site of 18.4 hectares intended to create 5,000 additional jobs
• Wider Sheffield-Rotherham Economic Corridor
Mixed Use site with potential to provide better employment opportunities, housing and inward investment to connect with existing nearby clusters in advanced manufacturing, R&D and retail developments.
• Sheffield Station Sheaf Valley
Mixed Use site of 4.94 hectares intended to create 760 new houses, 7,800sqm office space, 11,700 sqm ground floor commercial space and 2,975 sqm ancillary space
• Moorfoot (Sheffield)
Residential site of 8.6 hectares intended to create 2,120 new houses
• Furnace Hill (Sheffield)
Residential site of 5.91 hectares intended to create 846 new houses
• Neepsend (Sheffield)
Residential site of 2.6 hectares intended to create 1,005 new houses

The decision over Gateway East highlights the current situation with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and Peel after the investment enterprise announced that it was winding down operations at DSA.

Gateway East was put forward as a location for a Freeport in 2021 but South Yorkshire was not one of the areas selected for a Freeport by the Government.

A report to the South Yorkshire Local Enterprise Partnership states: "The MCA submission, on the basis that Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) remains an operational airport, also included the potential for DSA and the adjacent Gateway East site to be considered.

"A response from Government is expected within the coming weeks with details of decisions on each of the sites including which incentives can and will be applied."

The Government indicated that they would expect to see Investment Zone designation and the benefits of that designation to be in place by April 2023.

SYMCA website

Images: Bond Bryan / Sheffield Business Park

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News: Government in talks to create Investment Zone in South Yorkshire

A new Investment Zone could be created in South Yorkshire with the aim of bringing business investment and releasing land for new homes.

As part of the Government's recently announced Growth Plan, Investment Zones will drive growth and unlock housing across the UK by lowering taxes and liberalising planning frameworks to encourage rapid development and business investment.

The Government said that it was in discussions with 38 local authorities to establish investment zones in England, including with the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA), who were keen to get involved now. Discussions will continue to decide on specific sites within the area.

The announcement said: "Each Investment Zone will offer generous, targeted and time limited tax cuts for businesses and liberalised planning rules to release more land for housing and commercial development. These will be hubs for growth, encouraging investment in new shopping centres, restaurants, apartments and offices, and creating thriving new communities."

To accelerate development, the need for planning applications will be minimised in designated development sites and, where planning applications remain necessary, they will be "radically streamlined." Development sites may be co-located with, or separate to, tax sites, depending on what makes most sense for the local economy.

In addition, subject to demonstrating readiness, SYMCA would receive a single local growth settlement in the next Spending Review period.

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Further detail from the Treasury states: "Businesses in designated areas in investment zones will benefit from 100% business rates relief on newly occupied and expanded premises. Local authorities hosting Investment Zones will receive 100% of the business rates growth above an agreed baseline in designated sites for 25 years.

"In addition businesses will receive full stamp duty land tax relief on land bought for commercial or residential development and a zero rate for Employer National Insurance contributions on new employee earnings up to £50,270 per year.

"To incentivise investment there will be a 100% first year enhanced capital allowance relief for plant and machinery used within designated sites and accelerated Enhanced Structures and Buildings Allowance relief of 20% per year."

South Yorkshire, and especially Rotherham, has a long history of similar policies. Enterprise Zones established in the 1990's were influential in the regeneration of former coalfield ares such as Manvers, and ealier Enterprise Zones led to the creation of Parkgate Shopping without the need for local planning approval.

The most recent Enterprise Zones in the 2010's included parts of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and Templeborough in Rotherham and involved business rates discounts and simplified planning arrangements for businesses in specific target sectors.

Images: Harworth Group

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News: Plans in for Sheffield Business Park expansion

Detailed plans have been submitted that will enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand into Rotherham, where there is the potential to create around 1,000 more jobs.

Rothbiz has reported previously on the part of the park which actually crosses the boundary into the Rotherham local authority district and has already seen the development of The Car People and the Mercure Sheffield Parkway hotel to the East of the Europa Link.

Over the Parkway from the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP), the site of the former Sheffield airport is home to the likes of The University of Sheffield's "Factory 2050", ITM Power, Fulcrum, SIG and Stanley Black and Decker. The park comprises over 200 acres with 700,000 sq ft of floor space already accommodating over 2,000 jobs.

The park is seen as key to the potential Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) and the Phase 4 Masterplan is to encompass building footprints ranging from 10,764 sq ft to 107,649 sq ft of B1b (research and development), B1c (industrial process), B2 (general industrial) and B8 (storage and distribution) facilities and – pending planning approval - construction is expected to start soon after the planning consent is granted.

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The 18 acres in Rotherham is yet to be developed as it was placed in the greenbelt to secure a clear area of land at the end of the former Sheffield City Airport runway. With the airport's closure in 2008, the land was changed to employment use in the recently adopted Local Plan. The switch from the HS2 line heading to Meadowhall to the M18 route has also opened up the area for development.

Lewis Evans from Leeds-based planning consultants, Turley, which was appointed by SBP to lead the planning application process commented: "Having worked closely with Sheffield Business Park, the local planning authority and the lead project team (comprising Bond Bryan Architects, WSP and JPG), we have ensured the preparation of a comprehensive planning application that sets out the intentions of Sheffield Business Park for the new facilities."

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Graham Sadler, managing director at SBP added: "Geographically located at the centre of the UK, Sheffield City Region has been at the heart of manufacturing and engineering innovation since the Industrial Revolution and is now renowned for its lead on Advanced Manufacturing, Research and Development attracting OEM manufacturers such as Boeing, Rolls Royce and McLaren to the area.

"Phase 4 of Sheffield Business Park is at the nucleus of AMID and provides great opportunity to create a natural gateway between Rotherham and Sheffield as well as driving forward the vision of supporting the prosperity of the region's economy and positioning South Yorkshire as leading the way in Advanced Manufacturing."

Totally transformed, the area now occupied by the business park originally formed an area of tipping and processing of waste material for the Tinsley Steelworks.

Outline planning permission is sought, with all matters reserved. New T-junctions will be accessed off Britannia Way from the Europa Link / Britannia Way roundabout junction.

The site, which benefits from Enterprise Zone status, is set to provide opportunities for OEM and supply chain partners to relocate to the Sheffield city region in order to co-locate close to the world-leading manufacturing expertise. Agents at Knight Frank are already marketing the scheme.

The proposal is expected to generate between 342 and 712 local jobs, with more during the construction phase.

Sheffield Business Park website

Images: Sheffield Business Park / Bond Bryan

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News: Magna 34 development approved

Plans have been approved for a large scale speculative development at Templeborough, a year after initial plans were refused by Rotherham Council.

A planning application was resubmitted last year to enable new commercial units to come forward on remaining plots at the popular Magna 34 site.

The first phase of works at the £31m Business Park were completed in 2008 where Sheffield-based joint venture partners, Loxley Land and Property and Jaguar Estates, predicted it would eventually create around 600 jobs for the region.

The 19 acre park located off Junction 34 of the M1 is on the historic site of the former steelworks, and before that, a Roman fort.

10,000 sq ft of office and industrial space is currently home to the likes of HS Atec, Grayson Fixings and Sortec Software Development. The massive 152,421 sq ft distribution unit, empty since completion in 2008 was taken by Parcelforce in 2014.

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The latest plans, drawn up by Self Architects for Jaguar Estates, are for three terraced business units and two single units, totalling 38,000 sq ft.

The development plots at Magna 34 are allocated within the Sheffield Enterprise Zone which offers business rates relief worth up to £275,000 to a business over a five-year period.

2016 plans for the site were refused by the planning board in February 2017. The planners consider the site to be on a key gateway into the town and the decision for refusal showed that planners were unhappy with the their design and siting facing Sheffield Road, stating that it would "represent a poor form of development that fails to take the opportunities available for improving the character and quality of the area."

The updated plans went to planning board last week and members voted unanimously to approve the application.

Nigel Hancock, assistant planning manager at Rotherham Council, explained: "We had no issue with the principle of the development but we were concerned that the buildings that were being proposed were not suitable for what we consider to be a gateway site into the town. It didn't reflect the quality of the buildings that have been erected in the immediate vicinity over the last few years.

"We were concerned that the last proposal would have been a backward step in the regeneration of the area, despite the jobs it would create, and we were seeking to get better quality development on what we consider to be a prominent site."

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The design of the buildings facing Sheffield Road have been updated. Before, they were just designed as industrial sheds with no architectural merit. The new design is still for industrial sheds but it does now include an element of brickwork, different types of cladding materials and glazing panels to the side.

In 2004, Euro Dismantling Services and developer Jaguar Estates were appointed by Corus (now Tata Steel) as joint developers for the former Mayer Parry and Rolling Mills sites on Sheffield Road.

Jaguar Estates website

Images: Jaguar Estates / Self Architects

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News: Funding boost for Innovation District

The emerging Sheffield-Rotherham Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) has secured further funding from the Government - with more to come.

The Sheffield city region (SCR) has secured £37m in the latest round of the Government's Growth Deal programme.

The Local Growth Fund money is set to be used to support for SCR's Integrated Infrastructure Plan, opening up new employment sites and delivering new homes, with particular priority given to developing the AMID and securing growth at Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

Funding is also set to support a new programme to give targeted skills support aimed at securing greater learning outcomes amongst particular groups of disadvantaged learners.

The Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) was hoping to secure much more funding from the latest round of the Government's £1.8 billion Local Growth Fund. It asked for £107m to be invested in local infrastructure in the priority areas of the AMID and Doncaster Sheffield Airport. The full investment would have unlocked 12,500 jobs, 6,600 home, £220n of private sector investment and an economic boost of £2.7 billion.

Recognising that high value manufacturing can be key to driving innovation, productivity and exports, civic leaders have committed to the idea of "supercharging" the areas of advanced manufacturing in the Sheffield-Rotherham Economic Corridor. Based around the expanding Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham and surrounding Enterprise Zone, the aim is to develop Europe's largest research-led advanced manufacturing cluster.

A masterplan for the potential Innovation District is being produced that will be used as a bidding document for accessing monies through the Government's Growth Deal and other funding sources. In the previous devolution proposals, the leaders asked for a £250m commitment to the Sheffield City Region, based around the Innovation District as a national demonstrator for place based innovation programmes with LEPs. It added that "Government investment will be matched by company investment at 50% and further leveraged through local resources to deliver a £600m science and innovation programme over five years."

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Sir Nigel Knowles, Chair of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, said: "Our strong public-private partnership and our proven track record of delivery for the residents and businesses of the Sheffield City Region has helped secure these additional local growth fund resources. We now have an investment programme totalling over half a billion pounds that we're investing in priorities such as building an Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District, growing Doncaster-Sheffield Airport and creating a super-connected city region at the heart of the national economy."

In the Government's Autumn Statement it is was announced that £1.4m had been secured by the SCR to develop plans to provide high quality access to AMID, supporting and enabling growth.

Solutions are being explored to improve capacity at Junctions 33 and 34 of the M1. Multimillion pound work has already taken place to widen exit slip roads and roundabouts at J33 and Rotherham's capital strategy includes a £45m plan to widen the Parkway to three lanes between the M1 and Catcliffe.

Cllr. Denise Lelliott, Cabinet Member for Jobs and the Local Economy at Rotherham Council, said: "The Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District is ideally situated in the heart of the UK and we are very proud to see it fast becoming the UK centre of excellence for research, manufacturing and technology. This funding will allow us to investigate and put a good case forward for an improved infrastructure to support this expanding area, leading to faster journeys and encouraging further future growth in the district."

In addition, a £40m property fund is expected to support commercial development in the AMID and over £20m of funding is being finalised for the University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre's (AMRC's) new Lightweighting Centre over the Parkway on the Sheffield Business Park.

Images: Nuclear AMRC

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News: Housing plan for empty call centre

A Rotherham building designed especially for a call centre operation could finally get tenants after being vacant for ten years.

At the centre of the Dearne Valley Enterprise Zone, Callflex Business Park includes a 35,000 sq ft office and four smaller buildings developed by development and finance company, Cannock Developments in 2002. It is now home to the Department for Work and Pensions, Keepmoat Regeneration, a G4S contact centre and South Yorkshire Police's Training Centre, but one unit, unit 7, has never been occupied.

Building 7 is a modern purpose built office / call centre building comprising 53,665 sq ft of Grade A offices, arranged over three floors. With little prospect of securing a contact centre operation, a planning application has now been submitted to assess if it would be permitted to convert the use from employment to residential use.

Applicants Castan Ltd are proposing that the building be subdivided into 62 separate dwellings.

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The plans state: "The unit was constructed to be a 53,000 sq ft call centre but was never occupied due to lack of demand.

"Callflex Business Park sits in the heart of a regenerated area. The location benefits from good transport links and integrated bus and rail networks. The local area provides significant amenities to the workforce with pubs, restaurants and nearby Cortonwood Retail Park.

"Unit 7 has been vacant for ten years and is ideal for subdivision into residential units in an attractive landscape setting. The unit is in the far corner of the site and noise and traffic is minimal in this location."

In 1995 the area was designated a ten year Enterprise Zone, offering employers and investors significant financial incentives to help rejuvenate the area. Since then, more than £200m of private funding has been invested in offices, light industrial and distribution schemes. It is estimated that around 10,000 jobs had been created in the area by 2002.

Images: Knight Frank / Jones Lang LaSalle

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News: Northern Enterprise Zones attracting a bigger share of jobs and investment

Enterprise Zones (EZs) in the North – which provide tax breaks and Government support for new and expanding businesses – have attracted eight jobs per working day since 2012 and over £1m per day in private investment.

New figures show, in the three months to December, 1,220 jobs were created on northern EZs – an 18% increase compared to the previous quarter.

This was in part thanks to 30 new companies choosing to expand on northern enterprise zones. Over 8,000 new jobs have been reported by enterprise zones in the Northern Powerhouse over the past four years – equivalent to eight per working day.

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Northern Powerhouse Minister, Andrew Percy said: "From Siemens in East Yorkshire to GE on Tyneside, the Northern Powerhouse is attracting some of the world's leading businesses to locate here and offer skilled jobs.

"Today's figures make clear the real appetite to invest and do business in the North, with over 8,000 jobs over the last four years, thanks in no small part to the high quality local support on offer to new and growing companies.

"I am especially pleased that Barclays has become our latest Northern Powerhouse Partner, and would urge all companies across the Northern Powerhouse to do all they can to promote our area as a place where businesses can thrive and grow."

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone is based on a series of key sites with the focus growth within the advanced engineering and technology sectors.

The EZ includes a number of employment sites in Rotherham such as areas of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and Templeborough and in 2014, 15 hectares at Dinnington were added.

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Companies located in the zone are benefiting from simplified planning rules and tax breaks for businesses. One of the main benefits that the zones offer a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per eligible business over a five year period.

All business rates growth within the zone for a period of at least 25 years will be shared and retained by the Sheffield City Region, to support the Local Enterprise Partnership's economic priorities and ensure that Enterprise Zone growth is reinvested locally.

When launched in 2011, it was expected to generate up to 12,600 jobs and over 400,000 sq m of floor space for 250 businesses by 2015. When complete, it could reach 20,000 jobs, 400 businesses and £20m a year in new business rates from over 600,000 sq m of floor space.

The 2016 budget included plans to extend the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone website

Images: Harworth Estates

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News: AMPlify on the AMP

Developers, Harworth Estates are preparing for the next commercial development at the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham - AMPlify, 460,000 sq ft of space at the UK's centre of excellence for advanced manufacturing.

The developers are transforming a reclaimed former industrial site at Waverley into a thriving new 740 acre development which includes the AMP - dubbed "the elite "Mayfair" address for advanced manufacturing."

Industrial space on the AMP is in high demand. Harworth's Evolution development - a 87,500 sq ft development that was then fully-let - sold for £7.2m in 2012. Since then, the first phase of the R-evolution development was brought forward, securing occupiers X-Cel Superturn, Maher, Nikken Kosakusho Europe and Metalysis.

The second phase, which includes a further 73,000 sq ft of space and was approved in April, has interest from an international company involved in advanced manufacturing.

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Harworth has spent the past 18 months preparing development platforms for future occupiers on an adjacent 25 acres of land. AMPlify has the potential to deliver 465,000 sq ft of new employment space. This includes plots for units ranging from 25,000 sq ft to circa 200,000 sq. ft and will build on the award-winning scheme's success by offering Design & Build opportunities aimed at high-value advanced manufacturers and their supply chains.

Buildings will be made available to occupy by way of freehold or leasehold interest and Harworth will also consider freehold sales of plots of serviced land between 1 and 25 acres in size to owner occupiers.

David Travis, associate director of business space at Harworth Estates, said: "AMPlify will offer some of the best design and build opportunities throughout Yorkshire and our decision to proceed with the development of new space at our adjacent R-evolution scheme will naturally support the expansion of some of the country's leading high-value companies.

"We look forward to welcoming further occupiers to the AMP, emphasising its place as a key commercial development within the Northern Powerhouse."

The scheme will be marketed by jointly appointed agents Knight Frank and Gent Visick and the site is located within an Enterprise Zone.

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There are nearly 1,000 people employed at the AMP, with the potential for over 2,000 new jobs to be created through further development.

Harworth Estates, which is based on its own flagship Waverley development, is a specialist in brownfield regeneration. It recently secured a further £2.5m loan for further development at the AMP from the Sheffield City Region's Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) Fund. It is the last of the round of ERDF supported funds that support infrastructure works and the construction of premises.

Harworth Estates website

Images: Harworth Estates

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News: SCR developing £50m property fund

A £51m property investment fund is being finalised to help kickstart development in the Sheffield city region (SCR).

The revolving fund builds on the previous work undertaken by the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) to create a Joint European Support for Sustainable Investment in City Areas (JESSICA) fund, a financial engineering mechanism used to create a revolving fund that could be used for regeneration projects such as the creation of new commercial floorspace, brownfield redevelopment or investment in infrastructure.

The Infrastructure Executive Board of the LEP and combined authority is close to signing off an Investment Strategy for the city region. It should include a property investment fund which will bring together £23m in European funds, £18m from the city region's allocation of the Growing Places Fund (GPF) and £10m from the SCRIF.

The Sheffield city region investment fund for strategic infrastructure investment (SCRIF) is a framework of funding streams to deliver essential strategic infrastructure to increase economic growth and jobs in Sheffield city region. It has been used to fund schemes such as the South Yorkshire Broadband project and the important Finningley and Rossington Regeneration Route Scheme (FARRRS) that is creating a new link road to Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield.

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An Integrated Infrastructure Plan is being developed to direct future investment. The innovative commissioning model is though to be the first integrated infrastructure plan outside of London.

As part of the Sheffield city region devolution deal with the Government, it is hoped that a central pot of upfront Government funding can be created to invest in "major future infrastructure programmes across transport, housing and innovation assets through more effective phasing of investment, provision of long-term certainty and the development of packages of finance investment that leverage private sector investment."

The initial £23m Sheffield City Region JESSICA fund has been used to successfully bring forward projects such as development plots on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham. Developer, Harworth Estates used a £2.7m loan to pay for infrastructure works and the construction of new manufacturing units at R-evolution (picture).

Work is also taking place on the creation of a Enterprise Zone Development Fund for the Sheffield City Region. £5m of funding could be used to provide loans or equity finance, rental guarantees, money for acquisitions or in the form of grants.

In addition, a £52m pot secured by the LEP is set to be split into two funds - one to help grow existing businesses, and one to help secure inward investment. Half of the fund is to be used to "unlock" direct business investment, principally within SMEs, the footprint of which must be sustainable, private sector employment in the Sheffield city region. The other half of the fund is to be used "to support significant inward investment."

Sheffield City Region LEP website

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News: AMP expansion plans set for approval

Plans that would enable an additional 3.6 hectares (8.9 acres) of land for employment on the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) in Rotherham are set to be approved next week.

The UK's premier advanced manufacturing technology park is home to world-class research and manufacturing organisations such as the University of Sheffield, Boeing and Rolls-Royce and smaller, emerging companies developing the next generations of cutting-edge technology. The site also benefits from Enterprise Zone status.

The AMP is part of the wider Waverley development being brought forward over the next 20 years by the Harworth Group, one of the largest property and regeneration companies across the North of England and the Midlands.

Plans submitted last year are for engineering works to level an artificial valley between the Sheffield Parkway embankments and the embankments associated with existing development platforms in the AMP.

Approximately 85,000 cubic metres of material would be needed in two phases to create development plots from restored scrubland between the Parkway and existing buildings occupied by The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing and X-Cel Superturn.

Harworth, which is based on the development, has brought forward capital investment, ensuring that there is land available for immediate occupation in the next phase. It hopes that the plans would go on to generate additional jobs and investment - "Such an extension would form part of the existing AMP which is fast becoming a high profile business destination and is attracting major employees to the area. Thus, it is envisaged that the application site will be a highly desirable location for businesses to either relocate or start up."

An officer's report to the planning board at Rotherham Council recommending that the plans be approved, states: "Future development on the application site would be subject to additional planning applications; however it is acknowledged that the proposed engineering works would be carried out to accommodate future industrial/business uses. In this regard, it is considered that the temporary engineering works to create the development plateau would assist in providing a level area for future industrial/business development which will complement existing and committed development on the AMP and will assist in providing further employment on this prime development site."

The proposed engineering works will result in the loss of some existing planting along the Sheffield Parkway frontage. A draft concept landscaping plan shows a new urban frontage set to enhance the landscape character of the Parkway.

A development plateau on land immediately to the south-west of the development site is nearing completion. Plans are continuing for Phase 2 of the successful R-Evolution development for two more units, both of which could be subdivided to make four units in total. The units would be from 11,000 to 26,000 sq ft and Colliers and LSH have been advertising the property.

There is around 50 acres that remain to be developed for employment use at Waverley. A larger development of up to 300,000 sq ft, called "AMPlify" is predicted on a further 21 acres. Plans are also coming forward for a local centre with the potential for further offices, a hotel, conference centre, gym, retail units and community facilities complimenting the AMP and wider Waverley development.

There are currently around 700 people employed at the AMP, with the potential for over 2,000 new jobs to be created through further development.

Harworth website
Advanced Manufacturing Park website

Images: Harworth

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News: Sheffield Business Park looking to expand - in Rotherham

Discussions are taking place to enable the successful Sheffield Business Park to expand further into Rotherham, with the potential to create 800 jobs.

The site of the former Sheffield airport is already home to the likes of Stanley Black & Decker, SIG and ITM Power and is seen as key to the potential Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District (AMID) with the University of Sheffield recently gaining outline planning approval for an advanced manufacturing campus.

Phase 2, a joint venture with Peel Land and Property, has the potential to accommodate a further 1.5m sq ft of manufacturing and research and development accommodation. The site is part of the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone where financial incentives include a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per eligible business over a five year period.

Part of the site actually crosses the boundary into the Rotherham local authority district and has seen the development of The Car People and the Mercure Sheffield Parkway hotel to the East of the Europa Link.

7.4 hectares (18 acres) in Rotherham is yet to be developed as it was placed in the greenbelt to secure a clear area of land at the end of the former Sheffield City Airport runway. With the airport's closure and development of the Factory 2050 on the runway, plans are now being discussed for the future use of the site and Rotherham Council has it already earmarked for employment use in the latest version of its Local Plan.

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Planning consultants, Turley, have begun discussions with Rotherham Council and are expected to submit a masterplan that includes four plots, with a range of industrial uses, with the potential for buildings from to 9,500 sq ft to 108,000 sq ft. It is estimated that the space could provide 826 jobs.

Prominently positioned next to the Parkway, the site would function as a gateway to a hub of sites, including Sheffield Business Park, Factory 2050, the AMRC Campus and the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP). The opportunity to meet requirements for another hotel, institutions and ancillary retail could also be included in plans.

In a letter seeking pre-application advice from Rotherham Council, Matthew Sheppard, director at Turley, said: "It is intended that the development will create a new gateway to the area; integrate the existing advanced manufacturing sites, as well as; adding to the critical mass of advanced manufacturing and supporting facilities in this area as the nucleus to AMID.

"The market for advanced manufacturing and R&D is strong, and the Enterprise Zone status of this area offers a clear incentive and competitive advantage to companies looking for new business premises. Requirements for advanced manufacturing have arisen very rapidly over the last year, and the pace of delivery has been equally speedy. It is necessary for plot or building options to be constantly available if the AMID is going to attract businesses which are internationally footloose.

"There are three inward investment projects currently interested in Sheffield Business Park, one of which is making locational choices between Sheffield and the Czech Republic. Without suitable sites with permissions in place which can quickly cater for this demand, opportunities will be lost, not just from the Sheffield City Region, but potentially also from the UK. It is for this reason that Sheffield Business Park wish to pursue an application at this stage."

One issue is the fact that the HS2 line is proposed to run through this site, with the draft route showing a railway cutting as the line passes under the Europa Link and A630 in a box.

Sheffield Business Park website

Images: Sheffield Business Park / Turley

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News: Planned expansion at the AMP

Further development plateaus could be created at Rotherham's Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) that would enable an additional 3.6 hectares (8.9 acres) of land for employment.

The UK's premier advanced manufacturing technology park is home to world-class research and manufacturing organisations such as the University of Sheffield, Boeing and Rolls-Royce and smaller, emerging companies developing the next generations of cutting-edge technology.

The AMP is part of the wider Waverley development being brought forward over the next 20 years by the Harworth Group, one of the largest property and regeneration companies across the North of England and the Midlands.

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Plans have recently been submitted for engineering works to level an artificial valley between the Sheffield Parkway embankments and the embankments associated with existing development platforms in the AMP.

Approximately 85,000 cubic metres of material would be needed to create develop plots from restored scrubland between the Parkway and existing buildings occupied by The University of Sheffield Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) with Boeing and X-Cel Superturn.

The plans, drawn up by Barton Wilmore, state: "[Harworth] seeks to prepare the application site to allow the AMP to extend and expand to build on its success to date and host additional prestige businesses. This would generate additional jobs and investment into the Sheffield City Region.

"Such an extension would form part of the existing AMP which is fast becoming a high profile business destination and is attracting major employees to the area. Thus, it is envisaged that the application site will be a highly desirable location for businesses to either relocate or start up."

Harworth, which is based on the development, has brought forward capital investment, ensuring that there is land available for immediate occupation in the next phase of development.

The AMP is part of the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone - a series of key sites that will focus growth within the advanced engineering and technology sectors.

Companies located in the zone are benefiting from simplified planning rules and tax breaks for businesses. One of the main benefits that the zones offer is a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per eligible business over a five year period. Companies within the zone are also taking advantage of enhanced capital allowances (instead of business rate discounts) for plant and machinery.

Plans are further along for Phase 2 of the successful R-Evolution development for two more units, both of which could be subdivided to make four units in total. The units would be from 11,000 to 26,000 sq ft and Colliers and LSH have been advertising the property.

On Phase 1, Nikken Kosakusho Europe is developing a self-funded new research & development, training and showroom facility. The £3.6m investment is now entering the next phase.

With European headquarters on the Barbot Hall Industrial Estate, Nikken enjoys a global dominance of the rotary table technology market and supply manufacturers operating in the aerospace, defence, motorsport, automotive and medical sectors.

New plans, drawn up by Barton Wilmore and Bond Bryan, state: "Having established themselves on the adjoining site in an area of engineering excellence and advanced manufacturing research specialism the company now feel confident to further expand their presence with additional support facilities."

On the 0.62 hectare Plot 5 of the R-evolution site, Nikken is hoping to build a development of up to 2,311 sq m (25,000 sq ft) of flexible industrial floorspace, along with associated ancillary office floorspace of up to 20% of the total gross floor area.

Harworth Group website
AMP website

Images: Harworth Group

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News: Minister visits Enterprise Zone

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone (EZ) sites have attracted 1,100 jobs in total.

The EZ includes a number of key employment sites in Rotherham such as areas of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) and Templeborough and in 2014, 15 hectares at Dinnington were added.

Companies located in the zone are benefiting from simplified planning rules and tax breaks for businesses. One of the main benefits that the zones offer a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per eligible business over a five year period.

All business rates growth within the zone for a period of at least 25 years will be shared and retained by the Sheffield City Region, to support the Local Enterprise Partnership's economic priorities and ensure that Enterprise Zone growth is reinvested locally.

Companies in Rotherham benefiting from business rates relief include Xeros, Struers, Carbolite, Arrow Technical and many cutting-edge occupiers in the AMP Technology Centre.

James Wharton MP, Government Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse, met with Sheffield City Region leaders at the Markham Vale Enterprise Zone site this week.

James Newman, Chairman of Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: "Our Enterprise Zone sites are a key part of the Sheffield City Region's ambitious ten year Growth Plan and I'm pleased that our successes have attracted the attention of the new Northern Powerhouse Minister.

"The Zone is a real hotbed for modern manufacturing and technology businesses and has seen a number of investments at the Advanced Manufacturing Park and at Sheffield Business Park – home to the stunning new Factory 2050 development."

When launched in 2011, it was expected to generate up to 12,600 jobs and over 400,000 sq m of floor space for 250 businesses by 2015. When complete, it could reach 20,000 jobs, 400 businesses and £20m a year in new business rates from over 600,000 sq m of floor space.

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone website

Images: Sheffield City Region LEP

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News: Superfast switch on in South Yorkshire

Areas of Rotherham are being turned on to high speed fibre broadband as BT finally install new cabinets across most of the borough.

Developed by a partnership with the leadership of the four partners' authorities in South Yorkshire, alongside the support of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the Superfast South Yorkshire project is part of the government's BDUK initiative. Based on a gap funded subsidy approach, the private sector invests alongside a public subsidy to provide broadband to areas where there is not otherwise a viable commercial market.

Due to its involvement in the failed Digital Region project, South Yorkshire is the last in this current round of BDUK, the government project with the goal of delivering a fibre point in every community in the UK by the end of 2015.

BT won the tender for the project and this week engineers were five months ahead of schedule as they installed new cabinets in Dinnington, Canklow, Parkgate and Fitzwilliam Road, bringing the new technology in reach of a further 450 homes and businesses during the first phase of the programme which will complete by the end of this year. In total more than 22,000 homes and businesses in the Rotherham area are set to benefit by the end of the 2017.

Cllr. Chris Read, leader of Rotherham Council (pictured, right), said: "Superfast broadband is essential if we are to compete in today's world and without this kind of investment, Rotherham will fall behind other parts of the country who are already developing this infrastructure. Both businesses and individuals need fast communications and a high speed internet to have a chance of success and this investment will play a huge role in that by delivering real economic benefits."

Local councils agreed to fund the project up front in order for the contracts to be signed to meet BDUK deadlines. Rotherham Council's contribution so far includes £1.596m in order to allow a contract to be signed and a contribution to a contingency budget of £124,000 and £112,500 towards the costs of employing staff to manage the provision of superfast broadband to the rest of the region.

The business case for the project is recommended for approval at the next Sheffield City Region Combined Authority meeting where £10.6m from the Sheffield city region investment fund for strategic infrastructure investment (SCRIF) is set to provide the local match funding. The initial bid was for £8m from SCRIF with £8m from BDUK and £7.56m coming from BT. Now the total project budget is set to be increased from £22m to £28m.

The authority had asked for details of the full extent of the market coverage, clarification over the BDUK funding and details of the market's plans for broadband in the region.

Other issues were addressed, including the economic impact of the project, analysis of the demand for broadband, BT's winning bid and whether it offers value for money, and a detailed business plan to provide confidence on delivery of the roll-out programme.

£10.4m has been made available from BDUK and the project delivery team have been actively exploring the opportunities to extend the broadband speeds offered on key business parks and Enterprise Zones to guarantee the best speeds possible. It is proposed that the remaining £2.4m, which is not currently proposed to be used in the core programme, could be used to support a proposal specifically for the South Yorkshire Enterprise Zones and key strategic business parks.

BT has been presented with prioritised lists of business locations for consideration of how the sites can achieve maximum coverage and/or be brought forward in the programme to meet BDUK requirements. BDUK have always necessitated that EZs must be a priority and be early in deployment plans.

Fibre to the cabinet will be the main technology used which can deliver speeds of up to 80Mbps to households. Fibre to the premises technology − delivering ultra fast speeds of up to 330Mbps - will also be used in some areas.

Revised estimates of economic outputs includes low end estimates of 315 net additional jobs and £130m in net additional GVA. Value for money analysis establishes that the total public sector cost per net additional job is £66,722, considerably outside the benchmark range and not value for money. Based on a mid-range figure of 648 net additional jobs, cost per job reduces to £32,434.

The report adds: "The variation in this analysis highlights the difficulty in fully understanding the potential economic benefits of investment in superfast broadband. Whilst the project could represent reasonable value for public investment, the Regional Economic Intelligence Unit observations and this analysis highlight the risk that once completed, the project may not support sufficient economic benefits for Sheffield City Region to demonstrate the value of its investment, and this may point to additional work being needed to promote the benefits of up-take to potential business users beyond simply roll-out of the infrastructure."

Superfast Broadband website

Images: RMBC / Superfast SY

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News: Waddington's spec development at Dinnington

Rotherham investor E V Waddington Limited is finding early success as it progresses plans for more speculative commercial development at Dinnington in Rotherham.

A leader in speculative development, Waddington has been based in Rotherham and for over 80 years have been providing the region with industrial, commercial and office accommodation to let. It acquired a parcel of land from at the former colliery site from the Homes & Communities Agency (HCA) in 2013 and is bringing forward further industrial units.

The 2.9 acre site off Campbell Way has planning permission for two buildings that can be split into eight smaller units. With Knight Frank as agents, three units totalling 19,000 sq ft are already under offer.

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The successful regeneration of the former colliery in Dinnington has transformed it into a thriving business location, home to the likes of Macalloy, Johnston Press and Assured Fire & Security. It also home to a new breed of enterprise at RiDO's Matrix Business Centre.

Work began in 2000 on the £14m reclamation project which saw the 85 hectare site eventually developed to provide areas for industrial, business and mixed use and large areas of Urban Green Space.

The Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) took over the responsibility for the remaining 17.56 hectares of employment development land on the site. It is the second phase of the regeneration of 34 hectares that has already created over 40,000 sq m of employment space.

Fellow Rotherham-based developer, St Paul's Developments is bringing forward a 44 acre site on Todwick Road, adjacent to the existing 45 acre Dinnington Business Park, which already has outline planning consent for industrial usage with plans for "31 East" determining that the site can accommodate a total 750,000 sq ft of logistics/warehousing space with the capacity to develop a single stand-alone building of 450,000 sq ft.

31 East is also set to benefit from being added to the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone.

The HCA took ownership of the Dinnington site following the demise of Yorkshire Forward. It estimates that 620 jobs have been created so far and expects 2,408 jobs to be created as the scheme progresses.

Evolving from a timber merchants, the Waddington's property portfolio was started approximately 80 years ago with the acquisition of a number of properties alongside South Yorkshire's canals network and was added to along the years with a number of investments and land acquisitions.

Sites have since been developed by the firm's own construction company and Waddington's local developments include Aldwarke Wharf (pictured), where the latest 41,000 sq ft units are now available and two units are already under offer. The company's first development in the 1950's was for KP Nuts, a canal side development for taking delivery of peanuts at Eastwood.

Waddington's property website

Images: Waddington

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News: Sheffield City Region secures bigger Growth Deal

The Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership has agreed an expansion to its Growth Deal with the Government which will see an extra £30.7m invested in Sheffield City Region between 2016 and 2021.

The Government's model of local economic growth centres around Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs), a collaboration between businesses and the local authorities that are placed at the heart of growth in the regions. In response to the Heseltine Review, the Government has charged LEPs with putting together local growth plans that will be the basis on which the Government negotiates deals with each LEP for new levers, resources, funding and flexibility over them.

The Sheffield City Region LEP submitted its final Strategic Economic Plan last April which set an ambitious target of creating 70,000 new jobs in the Sheffield City Region by 2023. In the Summer it was announced that the city region had secured £295.2m to support economic growth in the area.

After further funding for LEPs was announced in the recent Autumn Statement, the Sheffield City Region LEP had to prioritise an initial submission for "Growth Deal 2" in relation to three potential funding options provided by Government. An additional £30.7m has now been confirmed to take the total funding to £328m. Although not necessarily "new money," it is set to bring forward at least £530m of additional investment from local partners and the private sector.

Additional proposed projects including:

- Investment in Skills, capital investment in training facilities across the Sheffield City Region, to maintain and improve facilities for learners. This will include the creation of a new Rail Engineering Campus in Doncaster, bringing together a new £50m Centre of Excellence for Rail Engineering with the HS2 National College and other major facilities to make Doncaster the UK's capital for rail engineering skills.

- Further investment in the Business Support Programme to support local businesses to invest and grow, including its existing unlocking business growth programme

- Further investment in a Sustainable Transport Exemplar Programme to promote cycling, walking and public transport across the City Region

- A fund to speed up development in the Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone, creating new high quality employment premises and speeding up the delivery of jobs and further investment in the Enterprise Zone

- An investment to speed up delivery of the rail replacement programme for Sheffield's Supertram network

Lord Newby, Government Deputy Chief Whip (pictured), was in the region to announce the deal. He said that it builds on the initial Growth Deal, putting the tools in place to give local leaders an "unprecedented level of control over Government funding."

James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region LEP, added: "There has been a lot of talk and seminars around devolution. Our approach is about influence - how we can influence policy and influence how the money is spent.

"A lot of LEPs have used the opportunity to "land grab" and go after funding. For us, it isn't all about the money. It's about getting the flexibility in place for a pot of money that the Government gives us and having the ability to respond to private sector need. It's a little at a time, the newly established combined authority is not yet ready to take more on. Sometimes it is a case of "Be careful what you ask for."

Speaking at the LEP's business conference, Newman, who is set to step down from his role in the Summer, concluded: "2015 is a year of opportunity for the Sheffield City Region. My legacy is for the private sector to be engrained in every aspect of economic development."

Sheffield City Region LEP website

Images: Tom Austen

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News: 31 East granted EZ status

31 East, the next phase of employment land at the site of the former colliery at Dinnington, Rotherham, has secured Enterprise Zone status after the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and St Paul's Developments completed an agreement to create a 750,000 sq ft logistics hub that could lead to hundreds of jobs.

Rothbiz reported on the planned development in September and the 44 acre site on Todwick Road, adjacent to the existing 45 acre Dinnington Business Park, already has outline planning consent for industrial usage with plans determining that the site can accommodate a total 750,000 sq ft of logistics/warehousing space with the capacity to develop a single stand-alone building of 450,000 sq ft.

St Pauls Developments is a leading brownfield regeneration specialist and was formed in 1987 as the vehicle to acquire and reclaim the 72 hectare disused Cortonwood Colliery site in the Dearne Valley. It is now based in offices at one of its own developments in Templeborough.

The HCA, advised by CBRE, has appointed St Paul's Developments as development partner to deliver the major industrial and warehousing scheme, known as 31 East, which will be a welcome addition to the South Yorkshire property market where available stock is in extremely short supply. Commercial Property Partners (CPP) advised St Paul's Developments.

David Newton, managing director of St Paul's Developments, said: "We are delighted to have been selected by the HCA as development partner for this strategic site. St Paul's has a long and successful history of developing in Rotherham and also working with the HCA. With supply of stock in severely short supply across South Yorkshire, and a limited number of available sites able to accommodate occupiers seeking units in excess of 300,000 sq ft, 31 East is coming to the market at the best possible time."

Simon Herring, sales manager at the HCA, added: "St Paul's Developments has a strong track record for the delivery of large-scale regeneration projects across the region and we are looking forward to working in partnership to bring this exciting scheme to life. The site's access, capabilities and EZ benefits make it one of South Yorkshire's most exciting industrial opportunities."

The site already has an access road and utilities and will benefit from the recently completed £14.7m improvement programme on the dual carriageway at the A57 between the development and junction 31 of the M1. EZ status means that it can offer significant tax benefits to occupiers.

Appointed agents, CBRE and Commercial Property Partners (CPP) are now actively marketing the site.

Dave Cato, associate director at CBRE, said; "The well-documented shortage of supply within South Yorkshire is contrasted by increasingly strong demand as the market gains momentum and activity levels gather pace, particularly among industries such as manufacturing. We anticipate very strong demand for this site and are looking forward to opening discussions with potential occupiers."

St Paul's Developments website

Images: St Paul's Developments

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News: Government hails success of Enterprise Zones

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone has created nearly 500 jobs since it opened in April 2012.

Based on a series of key sites that focus growth within the advanced engineering and technology sectors, companies located in the zone benefit from simplified planning rules and tax breaks.

One of the main benefits that the zones offer is a business rate discount worth up to £275,000 per eligible business over a five year period.

Companies within the zone can also take advantage of enhanced capital allowances (instead of business rate discounts) for plant and machinery.

When it was announced in 2011, it was forecast to create 12,600 jobs and attract around 250 new advanced manufacturing and technology-based businesses to the area by 2015. When complete, it could reach 20,000 jobs, 400 businesses and £20m a year in new business rates from over 6.4 million sq ft of floor space.

A number of key employment sites in Rotherham are included in the zone such as areas of the Advanced Manufacturing Park (AMP) (cgi above), Templeborough and Dinnington.

Nationally, Enterprise Zones created 12,530 jobs, attracted 434 new businesses and generated over £2 billion worth of private investment since opening for business.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "Sheffield's Enterprise Zone is a success. Not only is it creating hundreds of jobs, but it's also playing a vital role in training the next generation of engineers to ensure the UK can compete on a global scale. It's further proof that our enterprise zone programme is on track, driving forward local economies and providing benefits to the community."

James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership, added: "Our LEP has focused on building the UK's number one Enterprise Zone for modern manufacturing and technology. We offer investors outstanding transport connectivity, a highly-skilled talent pool and the best UK Government tax incentives available. The strategy is clearly paying off with world leading technology companies recognising that Sheffield City Region is the best place for them to thrive in a highly competitive global marketplace.

"Since its launch, 18 new companies have located on our Enterprise Zone with 480 jobs already created on site and around 400 set to be created in the coming months. Our Zone is also home to over 160 students at the University of Sheffield's AMRC Training Centre − providing the skills that manufacturing companies need to compete globally."

X:Cel Superturn and Sarclad Limited were the first manufacturing companies to move into the enterprise zone on the AMP. Further development is taking place on the park with Nikken Kosakusho Europe, Maher and another firm expanding into the R-evolution development. Millions in government funding has been secured by owners Harworth Estates to further improve the infrastructure around the Waverley site.

Development land in Dinnington was added to the EZ earlier this year. St Pauls Developments, is bringing forward a 17 hectare site, previously known as Phase 2 development land and located off Todwick Road. It has been given the name "31 East" given its location close to junction 31 of the M1.

At Templeborough, Jaguar Estates is planning the second phase of development at Magna 34 which will be both smaller business units from 200 sq ft up to 25, 000 sq ft. The intention is to build out around ten smaller units for industrial and trade occupiers on a for sale or let basis and this should start by March 2015.

All business rates growth within the zone for a period of at least 25 years will be shared and retained by the Sheffield city region, to support the Local Enterprise Partnership's economic priorities and ensure that Enterprise Zone growth is reinvested locally. However, the complexity of the business rates system is making it difficult to implement a mechanism for this to happen.

Sheffield City Region Enterprise Zone website

Images: Harworth Estates

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