PRIME Minister David Cameron has voiced frustration at "slow progress" with the development of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone.
Mr Cameron came to the city three years ago with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg to reveal that Nottingham would be the first in a new wave of these economic development areas.
They suggested that the zone could help create up to 10,000 new jobs over time.
While some plans for the zone have been revealed, there have been few signs of physical progress three years on and no major inward investments.
Mr Cameron spoke out during a visit to the Nottingham Post offices, suggesting that D2N2, the local enterprise partnership [LEP] for Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire, should drive progress in the zone.
He also hinted that help would be available for the technology infrastructure in the Enterprise Zone, which covers parts of the Boots site at Lenton and a number of other commercial locations.
"It needs the LEP to get stuck in, get behind it, promote it a bit more," Mr Cameron said. "Anything we can do on the broadband front – we're looking at that."
He added: "Most of them [enterprise zones elsewhere in the country] are making progress but that one [Nottingham] seems to be a bit slower than some."
A new wave of enterprise zones was announced in the March 2011 Budget, with Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg coming to the Boots campus to reveal that Nottingham would be one of them.
The zone is aimed at enabling business growth and attracting new firms to the area by offering a series of incentives which reduce costs for firms which set up within them – including reduced business rates, a simplified planning process, superfast broadband and access to a range of financial and inward investment support.
It was focused initially on surplus land at the Boots campus but has since been expanded to include Nottingham Science Park, Beeston Business Park and the proposed Nottingham MediPark.
David Ralph, the chief executive of D2N2, insisted that the Nottingham Enterprise Zone had made significant progress even though it had been launched at a time when business and property had been affected by the downturn.
But he admitted that demand from firms which might move into the area was "weak".
He told the Post: "In the last 12 months, the LEP has provided dedicated support with the joint venture agreement signed, a planning application submitted for Beeston Business Park and the planning application for the Boots site is soon to be submitted for an access road to open up the site for redevelopment. MediCity [a business incubator] has also opened on the Boots site and already has 20 businesses in place.
"We have also secured £5.5m of Government funding for the MediPark and recently worked with MediCity to provide high-speed broadband provision.
"To help drive the Nottingham EZ forward, D2N2 now chairs the Nottingham Enterprise Zone Board but occupier demand remains weak."
Mr Ralph added: "The Nottingham Enterprise Zone is a long-term programme to bring forward key economic opportunities close to the city centre. We are confident that progress to date, within difficult markets, has been as strong as possible.
"With planning applications now being submitted, delivery on the ground will accelerate over the next few months."
A significant portion of the Nottingham Enterprise Zone is classed as brownfield land, which usually requires remediation work.
