By Oliver Clark.
Robin Hood Doncaster Sheffield Airport failed to become part of a new regional Enterprise Zone because its bid concentrated on airport services and associated jobs, rather than economic development, the head of the body set up to steer its creation has stated.
James Newman, chairman of the Sheffield City Region Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) said the Doncaster Council and Peel Group bid, was simply "not as good as the others" after the board decided to make rival bids based around Sheffield's advanced manufacturing, low carbon and digital sectors based around the Advaned Manufacturing Park in Waverly, the focus for the new enterprise zone.
"There were seven proposals, what we had to do was identify those areas that most easily fitted within the required space that had a clearly defined rational between them," he said.
"None of them did what we wanted them to do and fitted the bill 100% so we effectively concentrated around the manufacturing, digital technology and low carbon industries, the airport bid was about airport services mainly and logistics."
"It is not a question of a wrong bid, it was a question that others were stronger," he added.
Last month, the LEP chose sites at Waverly and Sheffield Business Park, Markham Vale and Dearne Valley to constitute the core of an 'Advanced Engineering and Technology Growth Spine'.
Doncaster Council and the Peel Group's joint bid called for the Robin Hood Airport Doncaster Sheffield (RHADS) Business Park, a 225-acre site, with the potential to develop up to 270,000sqm of new floor space, to be chosen on the basis it would attract international companies and investment.
Peter Nears, strategic planning director at Peel said, "We are sorry to hear that Robin Hood Airport Business Park has not been chosen for Enterprise Zone status. However, The Peel Group has invested over £100 million in the Airport and associated Business Park and will continue to do so in the future."
Newman said the decision was not necessarily to the airport's detriment as revenue from the Enterprise Zone and new business growth could be reinvested into airport facilities.
