Banging the drum for Greater Lincolnshire at MIPIM

At the Team Lincolnshire brunch yesterday at MIPIM, the world’s largest property event in Cannes, Team Lincolnshire set out its ambitious plans and the variety of exciting investment prospects that it affords.

Councillor Colin Davie, a LEP board director and proud member of Team Lincolnshire said: “There are huge opportunities in Lincolnshire. It is a place of space and ambition. From Grantham in the south, with its new housing growth and the planned bypass, to Holbeach Food Enterprise Zone (FEZ) one of three located across the county, to Skegness with its new business park in the east, Lincolnshire is a county that is going places, a place of ambition.”

Lincolnshire excels in food processing and agri-tech and has been chosen as one of the Government’s new manufacturing zones. This latest announcement follows Growth Deal grants of £18 million for the Europarc Food Enterprise Zone site in Grimsby, £2 million for the Hemswell FEZ, £5.1 million for a new roundabout junction and utilities at Holbeach FEZ, and £2.4 million for the new university-led agri-food centre of excellence development at Holbeach.

Councillor Davie continued: “We have ambitious partners all wanting to deliver 100,000 new homes and new business sites for industry and commerce. We are on a journey to make Lincolnshire the greatest investment hotspot in the UK. Key to this is the variety within the portfolio of development projects that we will be showcasing this year.”

Driven by the Greater Lincolnshire LEP and Team Lincolnshire, the area has succeeded in establishing a recognisable presence in Cannes over the years. Greater Lincolnshire can offer a softer landing for companies wishing to invest than many other areas of the UK. Its land and property values represent excellent value for money, being considerably less than the rest of the UK. The average rateable value of commercial premises in Lincolnshire is £46/m² compared to the English average of £81/m².

Councillor Davie added: “We are delighted with the progress we have made over the last few years. We have gained a reputation for delivery with many schemes and investments taking shape and we are well on our way to delivering our £307 million growth plan. Our participation here at MIPIM is key to that and we believe that the Team Lincolnshire approach of public and private sector working together is the way to convince investors that Lincolnshire is the place to be.”

MIPIM has been taking place this week in the Palais de Festival in Cannes and attracts tens of thousands of visitors.