Cameron visits Bristol creatives
UK Prime Minister David Cameron is today visiting creative businesses in Bristol to mark the approval of the city’s Temple Quay Enterprise Zone.
According to Bristol 24-7, the Enterprise Zone, which will be built on 173 acres of mostly disused land around Temple Meads station, aims to create 17,000 jobs over the next 25 years, aiding the areas economic recovery.
As part of his visit, Mr Cameron will be meeting with Wallace and Gromit creators Aardman animations and representatives from Bristol’s creative community.
The Enterprise Zone will give established and fledgling creative businesses access to superfast broadband – widely seen as the key enabler of growth – along with business support services and, potentially, financial incentives.
A simplified approach to planning permissions will be used to encourage the redevelopment and refurbishment of the area in order to attract creative and technology industries.
“I am determined that we should drive growth in every town, city and community in the country,” said Mr Cameron.
“For too long our economy has been dependent on just one corner of the country and too few industries.
“But it won’t be Ministers in Whitehall who can drive this growth; it will be those with the great business idea who are ready to start up, the entrepreneurs who want to grow their company, the businesses looking to expand into new markets.”
Bristol’s Enterprise Zone is one of the country’s first and is the result of strong lobbying in Whitehall by the West of England Local Enterprise Partnership, the private-sector led regeneration body for the city region.