The New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has approved a funding application from Breckland Council to support its Snetterton Heath Employment Area Electricity Upgrade Scheme. The scheme aims to expand Snetterton Heath’s existing electricity supply capability and support substantial industrial business growth at Snetterton.
The New Anglia LEP has agreed to provide £2.65m of Capital Growth Programme funding through its Growth Deal with Government towards the project, which will see a new substation built and new cabling installed to improve electricity supply to the commercial sites.
Breckland Council’s planning committee approved plans for the substation earlier this month.
Snetterton Heath is one of the largest employment sites on the A11. The 68.1 hectare site at Snetterton Heath, off the A11, has the potential to employ hundreds of people in the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor. This electricity upgrade scheme will help to attract new businesses and new jobs to the area.
It is hoped that securing the power supply to the site will create 1,700 new jobs and safeguard 1,450 more.
Chris Starkie, Chief Executive of New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “This investment will allow for existing businesses to expand and attract new employers to the area, helping towards our ambition of creating 88,000 new jobs across Norfolk and Suffolk by 2036.
“Boosting the power capability at Snetterton Heath will unlock the site’s potential for growth and, importantly, lead to the creation of new jobs. This is a really positive development for the local area.”
Cllr Adrian Stasiak, Breckland Council’s Executive Member for Growth and Commercialisation, commented: “We are delighted to have been allocated this funding by the New Anglia LEP. This funding, in addition to the money we have already secured, will mean that we are in a position to implement our plans to improve the infrastructure at Snetterton Heath, which will unlock the site and support the creation of up to 1,700 new jobs.”
With the project having been allocated the money today (Wednesday 21st March), Breckland Council’s members will be asked to formally accept the funding at an upcoming Council meeting.
An earlier Breckland Council-led project to address the power supply issues in Snetterton was initially awarded £2.3m from New Anglia LEP in autumn 2016. However, the original scheme was subsequently revised and improved, so the original funding from New Anglia LEP was deallocated in autumn 2017. The council was required to reapply for funding for the improved scheme through the £9m Capital Growth Programme call, which was announced in October 2017.
