There will be more opportunities for places to benefit from Enterprise Zone-boom as government announced scheme’s extension to create jobs and economic growth.

Local councils are being urged to work with their Local Enterprise Partnerships(LEPs) to come forward with ambitious plans for new Enterprise Zones and to seize the economic initiative by identifying businesses on their patch with investment or export potential.

Ministers want local business and civic leaders to encourage firms with shared interests to stand together and form a stronger commercial proposition. This includes building on the commercial strengths of rural areas.

These new zones will enable places to drive growth and jobs creation.

Enterprise Zones bring with them a raft of benefits to businesses including lower taxes, access to superfast broadband and streamlined planning permission to boost local infrastructure.

Minister for Local Growth and the Northern Powerhouse James Wharton said: “Enterprise Zones are creating thousands of jobs, attracting billions of pounds of investment.

“Britain is a great place to do business and this is a chance for local areas to build on their benefits. As part of our long-term economic plan it is only right we allow more to share our national success.

“The government is building on the success of the existing 24 Enterprise Zones which by last December had attracted 15,500 jobs around the country since they opened over the past 3 years and delivered a multibillion-pound boost to local economies.”