Thousands of jobs created in Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone
It's been running for ten years
Almost 2,400 jobs have been created across the Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone (CVEZ) over the last decade.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council says in addition, a total of 75 hectares of brownfield land has been brought back into productive use in the three-mile corridor since CVEZ was launched in 2016.
The CVEZ, which is located in the heart of the city alongside the A500 - and extends into neighbouring Newcastle-under-Lyme, has also delivered 118,000 square metres of employment floorspace and is now generating an estimated £78.5 million in additional net economic output (gross value added) annually.
the authority says a big part of its success has been a highly successful Business Rates Discount Scheme, which was expanded last year and now covers all the Stoke-on-Trent-based sites located within the 140-hectare zone.
Upfront investment from the council and other public sector partners in major infrastructure projects such as the Etruria Valley Link Road has also helped to transform the viability and attractiveness of key sites.
While a total of 2,376 jobs have been created so far, CVEZ is also on target to create more than 4,300 jobs by 2031. And the city council and its partners, Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council, continue to forecast that approximately 116 hectares of brownfield land and around 199,000 sqm of employment floorspace will ultimately be delivered over the lifetime of the Enterprise Zone.
Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council and cabinet member for economic development, Councillor Jane Ashworth, said: "The Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone is one of Stoke-on-Trent’s biggest economic success stories, helping to transform former brownfield sites into thriving business locations that are creating jobs, attracting investment and driving long-term growth for our city.
“With almost 2,400 jobs already delivered and significant further development in the pipeline, CVEZ is proving the value of our ambition, partnership working and continued investment in the infrastructure needed to unlock opportunities for local people and businesses."
How CVEZ works:
The Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone (CVEZ) was designated by Government in 2015 and formally commenced delivery in 2016.
It is made up of six sites over 140 hectares of land. The sites are, from north to south:
• Tunstall Arrow: 8.8 Hectares
• Chatterley Valley East: 18.2 Hectares.
• Chatterley Valley West: 38 Hectares
• Highgate/Ravensdale: 38.3 Hectares.
• Etruria Valley: 31.3 Hectares
• Cliffe Vale: 6.2 Hectares
All are located in Stoke-on-Trent apart from Chatterley Valley West (Newcastle-under-Lyme). Stoke-on-Trent City Council has overall accountable responsibility for the scheme and works with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council and Staffordshire County Council, to deliver the individual projects within it.