Enterprise Zones: one year on

Summary

The 2011 Budget announced the creation of Enterprise Zones (EZs) across England: geographically bounded areas which would be eligible for specific financial, regulatory and infrastructural incentives to encourage investment from businesses and promote growth. Since then, 24 EZs have been established in phases, closely linked to the Local Enterprise Partnerships (LEPs) which now cover virtually the whole country, and many have made progress on initiatives to create the conditions for enterprise. One year on from the Chancellor’s initial announcement, this briefing summarises the assistance and measures available to EZs and explores the government’s emphasis on simplified planning regimes, touches on the relationship between EZs and LEPs and explores trends and progress from some of the EZs around the country.