Fresh superfast connected Enterprise Zones announced

Business

The Government has detailed a host of new Enterprise Zones which will be hooked up to superfast broadband.

When the Coalition announced 11 Enterprise Zones in its Budget earlier this year, it also invited applications for 10 more areas.

The strength of those applications led the Government to provide for 11 new zones, which should provide over 30,000 new jobs by 2015.

These new Enterprise Zones will be trailblazers for growth, jobs and prosperity throughout the country.

It is hoped the Zones will attract start-up firms by offering simplified planning rules, superfast broadband and over 150 million in tax breaks for new businesses over the next four years.

"We are determined to do everything we can to make Britain the best place in the world to start and grow a business," said Prime Minister David Cameron.

"Enterprise Zones are a major step towards delivering this; cutting business taxes, easing planning restrictions and giving business the tools they need to invest and expand. These new Enterprise Zones will be trailblazers for growth, jobs and prosperity throughout the country."

The Government also announced enhanced capital allowances for plant and machinery investment for a limited number of Enterprise Zones in certain areas, including the Tees Valley and North East.

From 2012, companies setting up in these areas will be able to claim enhanced first year allowances for plant and machinery, "giving them an upfront cash flow benefit," the Government said.

The Government is determined to make Britain a suitable home for tech start-ups, as shown with the development of Silicon Roundabout.

As part of its tech drive, the Coalition has pledged to make the UK the top broadband nation in Europe. Yesterday, it revealed England and Scotland were to receive 363 million to spread broadband across the nation.

The new Enterprise Zones are located in:

Humber Estuary Renewable Energy Super Cluster

Daresbury Science Campus in Warrington

Newquay AeroHub in Cornwall

The Solent Enterprise Zone at Daedalus Airfield in Gosport

MIRA Technology Park in Hinckley Leicestershire

Rotherwas Enterprise Zone in Hereford

Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent and Enterprise West Essex in Harlow

Science Vale UK in Oxfordshire

Northampton Waterside

Alconbury Airfield, near Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire

Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, and Lowestoft in Suffolk

Tom Brewster

Tom Brewster is currently an associate editor at Forbes and an award-winning journalist who covers cyber security, surveillance, and privacy. Starting his career at ITPro as a staff writer and working up to a senior staff writer role, Tom has been covering the tech industry for more than ten years and is considered one of the leading journalists in his specialism.

He is a proud alum of the University of Sheffield where he secured an undergraduate degree in English Literature before undertaking a certification from General Assembly in web development.