Enterprise park is open for business

9:50am Saturday 14th June 2008

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A RURAL Enterprise Centre with the capacity to house 22 businesses and create 100 jobs has opened in Leominster.

The £1.5 million project is the first of eight to be built across a multi-million pound Rural Regeneration Zone (RRZ) covering Herefordshire, Shropshire and Worcestershire.

The site, at Enterprise Park, is offering high-quality workspace for entrepreneurs and small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).

Peter Pawsey, chairman of the RRZ, said: "The opening of the first centre here in Leominster marks a significant milestone for the project, which is unique in that we have matched the best aspects of the public and private sectors to deliver this development.

"Encouraging entrepreneurship among the rural communities is essential and this is just the first step in a bigger picture."

That bigger picture includes a similar Enterprise Centre currently being built on Hereford's Rotherwas Industrial Estate. It will house up to 48 businesses and is expected to open in August.

Building work across all the RRZs is being overseen by office space providers Easyspace.

"We are delighted to see the first Rural Enterprise Centre open its doors, providing high quality enterprise space for the business community in Leominster," said Tom Stokes, Evans Easyspace managing director.

"The provision of flexible workspace in the current economic climate is essential for the future growth of the UK's SMEs as the renting of workspace is usually their biggest cost."

The RRZ is accountable to regional development agency Advantage West Midlands.