£6million for Holbeach and a jobs bonanza
Holbeach is to get a near £6million slice of a £25.8million Government award to kick-start "shovel ready" projects in Greater Lincolnshire.
It means the second phase of the Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) beside the A151 Link Road can begin, bringing in innovative businesses to work alongside the University of Lincoln, and creating nearly 1,000 jobs.
Work on the university's own Centre of Excellence is forging ahead on the site.
Holbeach county and district councillor Nick Worth said the latest development involves creating a hub for the food agri-tech sector as well as bringing in innovative commercial partners.
He said: "It will keep our area's agri-food industry as a world leader.
"It will capitalise on the significant food agri-tech sector in the area, especially investments in digital infrastructure and new product development.
"The money has come from the Getting Building Fund and it will be a little under £6million."
Monday's huge Government investment was awarded to Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), who say it will create 973 new jobs at the Holbeach FEZ and "safeguard" a further 334 jobs.
Investment is focused on creation of a Cluster Hub building on Phase One with supporting infrastructure.
It will also:
* Enable development of South Lincolnshire FEZ and cluster to capitalise on the nationally significant food-tech and agri-tech sector - the largest manufacturing sector in the UK and globally
* Provide infrastructure investment supported by investment in online and digital service innovation in the food chain through the Lincoln Institute for Agricultural Technology and the National Centre for Food Manufacturing
* Allow work to start in "late 2020"
Agri-food is the largest industry in Greater Lincolnshire, with high and ever growing levels of employment.
At the Holbeach FEZ there will be 11.39 hectares of employment land and some 39,593 sq m of commercial space created for pioneering businesses.
In July Coun Worth revealed the eyes of the world are on the FEZ site.
He said then: "There is a lot of interest from overseas, in particular from Europe and elsewhere to come and work on the site at some point.
"This is incredibly exciting for the whole area and not just Holbeach."
The £25.8million award is part of a comprehensive plan by the Government to upgrade infrastructure and enhance skills to accelerate economic recovery across the UK following the COVID-19 pandemic.
Pat Doody, who chairs Greater Lincolnshire LEP, said: "As we reshape our Local Industrial Strategy and recovery plans to reflect the impact of the pandemic, it is important that we help build an economy that is more resilient in the long term and which responds to the needs of our businesses and communities."
She said the LEP will continue to work with the Government on future funding for the area and is looking forward to delivering on the current projects.
