Hot the heels of our first Defence and Security Expo comes the news that £2.82m is to be invested in a new £9m Centre for Cyber Security being built by the University of Wolverhampton in Hereford.

As the Chairman of the Enterprise Zone at Skylon Park, the only EZ in the country focused on the defence and security sector, I’m thrilled that this project will be developed at Skylon Park.

It will form the centrepiece for our new Cyber Campus encouraging businesses to move to or grow in Hereford taking advantage of the groundbreaking facilities and opportunities that it will offer.

The funding was secured by the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership on behalf of the University of Wolverhampton, and this investment by the university demonstrates its confidence in the Zone’s track record and further ambitions.

The centre will include accommodation for businesses working in the cyber security sector with potential space for up to 20 tenant businesses.

It will offer secure training and educational facilities to provide specialist cyber security training for businesses and organisations and a base for undertaking research in the field of cyber security

Cybercrime is a major problem for UK businesses – costing between £18 billion and £27 billion a year – and it is testament to our local expertise that Hereford has been chosen as the place to develop this groundbreaking project.

But it is about more than just the Enterprise Zone. It will create 185 new jobs and attract further investment, enterprise, and innovation to our city.

This move secures Hereford’s reputation as a major player in the security sector and is a key milestone in future proofing our county’s economic prosperity.