Q: I have a furniture manufacturing business and need to find new premises. How can I find details on enterprise zones?
Aug 18 2005
Answered by: Marc Barber Ask a question
Enterprise zones are designated by the government for a period of ten years. They have encouraged private sector activity to create jobs and bring derelict land back into use by removing certain tax burdens and by relaxing or speeding up the application of statutory or administrative controls. Current Government policy only supports the creation of new Enterprise Zones in exceptional circumstances.
Zones usually comprise a number of sites with individual planning regimes with some being developed as business parks, others being devoted to manufacturing, whilst some have a variety of uses. Whilst Zones are not directly connected to other existing policies, the sites chosen for Enterprise Zone status can still benefit from whatever aid is available under other initiatives.
The benefits available in an Enterprise Zone apply to both new and existing industrial and commercial business. These benefits comprise 100% allowances for corporation and income tax for capital expenditure on industrial and commercial buildings; exemption from the National non-domestic rate on industrial and commercial property; a simplified planning regime; the statutory controls remaining in force are administered more quickly; employers are exempt from industrial training levies and from the requirement to supply information to Industrial Training Boards; applications from firms in Enterprise Zones for certain customs facilities are processed as a matter of priority and Government requests for statistical information are greatly reduced.
To find out more about enterprise zones, contact the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, www.odpm.gov.uk.
Comments