Hopes industrial units plan will spark firms to 'invest in Britain'

PROPOSALS FOR NINE ‘RESIDUAL’ PLOTS NEAR IKEA AIM TO BREATHE NEW LIFE INTO MANUFACTURING ACROSS EREWASH VALLEY

- By LAUREN MONAGHAN Local democracy reporter

WORK to build industrial units near IKEA will boost small businesses and help “invest in Britain” a council leader has said.

Work on the designs for nine new ‘incubation’ industrial units close to the Giltbrook’s store is ongoing.

It’s hoped planning permission will be granted in the next few months.

Broxtowe Borough Council purchased the ‘residual’ land near IKEA from Peter James Homes, after they moved a sewer on the site to make way for the units.

These ‘incubator’ units will be designed for starter businesses based in manufacturing, construction, assembly and the food sector and will offer employment for up to 50 people.

Broxtowe council’s leader, Milan Radulovic (Broxtowe Alliance), says the venture is to “desperately replace” thousands of jobs lost in the area and to “get ahead of the game” by encouraging businesses using technology and Artificial Intelligence to start up in the borough.

Speaking to the local democracy reporting service (LDRS), he said: “Looking at the history of the Erewash Valley, when you look at places like Eastwood, Ilkeston, Cotmanhay, Awsworth, they are areas that produced a huge amount of manufacturing jobs in years gone by, in the coal industry, steel industry, furniture, manufacturing.