LEP allocates first �2 million from the Growing Places Fund to Yorkshire Design Services

13/12/12

The Local Enterprise Partnership has today announced its first allocation of funding from the Growing Places Fund to Yorkshire Design Services Ltd, helping to bring back into use a contaminated area of land near Leeds city centre.

The £2m loan will be used to prepare the site for the development of a number of uses, including a £43m data centre. This has recently got planning permission and will be the largest independent facility of its kind outside London.

Neil McLean, Chair of the Leeds City Region LEP said:

“We are proud to invest the first £2 million of these funds in the regeneration of an important site that will help deliver first class digital infrastructure in the city region.

“This is about the delivery of targeted investment that can help kick-start infrastructure development in the city region. The revolving character of the fund will ensure returns will keep on being reinvested to new projects, giving our businesses and economy more opportunities to grow.”

Paul Ellison, Operations Director of YDS said:

“We are delighted to be the first in the city region to receive a Growing Places Fund loan.

“From purchase of the land in June, to receiving planning permission in November for a major infrastructure development, the pace of progress has been swift and the Leeds City Region LEP was quick to recognise the potential for growth that this loan will unlock. Our application was handled efficiently with a great deal of positive energy.”

It is anticipated that 48 jobs will be directly created and another 200 could result from the development of the whole site.

A further four loans have been offered to other city region businesses and other loans will be made available in the New Year.