Region’s Investment Zone strategy given the green light

The East Midlands Combined County Authority has officially approved the region’s Investment Zone strategy, which includes a site in Derby.

EMCCA’s board recently met to rubber stamp the East Midlands Investment Zone Strategy and Investment Plan, setting the region on a path toward transformational economic growth in advanced manufacturing and clean energy.

The £160 million, 10-year programme aims to stimulate at least £383 million of new investment into the region while creating over 4,000 high-quality jobs.

The strategy focuses on targeted incentives and funding packages designed to unlock innovation and inclusive growth across key priority sectors.

Central to the plan is the development of skills, innovation, and infrastructure to build on the East Midlands’ established strengths in advanced manufacturing, nuclear technology, vehicle propulsion and advanced construction.

The programme will also position the region as a global investment hub, with a particular emphasis on clean energy industries.

Support for SMEs forms a cornerstone of the initiative. Dedicated business support services will help SMEs in priority sectors to scale operations and increase their contribution to regional growth.

Alongside this, the plan outlines significant investment in workforce development, with new programmes to provide skills training and create pathways into high-quality jobs for school-leavers, university students, experienced professionals and individuals currently outside the workforce.

A key feature of the strategy is the creation of collaborative innovation spaces, allowing businesses and organisations to work together on new technologies and accelerate progress across the designated Investment Zone sites.

Three strategic locations – Infinity Park in Derby, Explore Park in Worksop, and Hartington Staveley in Chesterfield – will serve as focal points for the programme.

These sites will benefit from tax incentives and business rate retention to attract and support inward investment.

However, EMCCA emphasises that the programme’s impact will extend well beyond these hubs, delivering a broad range of interventions across the wider region.

John Forkin, managing director of Marketing Derby, said: “For many years now Infinity Park Derby has been an important part of the city’s offer to businesses looking to locate alongside Rolls-Royce’s civil aerospace site.

“With a strong public-private partnership working together to bring forward the strategic employment and business site, the new incentives that come with Investment Zone status will add to the attractiveness of the site.

“They will particularly appeal to businesses in the advanced manufacturing and green industry sectors who are looking to take advantage of the city’s innovation credentials, economic strengths and talent pools as part of the broader region’s proposition.”

Claire Ward, Mayor of the East Midlands, said: “The East Midlands Investment Zone represents a powerful statement of intent: that the East Midlands is ready to lead Britain’s journey into a cleaner, smarter industrial future.

“By nurturing local talent, championing global investment, and accelerating progress across our priority sectors, we are building a region that can thrive.

“Our vision is rooted in inclusive growth. As Mayor, I’m ensuring that everyone – from school-leavers to seasoned professionals and people currently not in work – can share in the success of a region that’s set to lead the world in clean energy industries and advanced manufacturing.”