Montgomeryshire Assembly Member, Russell George, has called on the Economy Minister to make a formal statement to the Assembly, setting out what the Welsh Government has been doing to market two Mid Wales business parks.
Mr George made the call after local concerns have been raised that millions of pounds of public money has been invested in the Offa’s Dyke Business Park extension and at the site near Abermule for the benefit of the Mid Wales economy but have stood empty for the last five years.
The business parks were created as part of the £7.5m Severn Valley Regeneration Programme funded in the main by Welsh Government and European Funding. The £1.9m Offa’s Dyke Business Park extension near Welshpool and a £650,000 site at Abermule were launched in October 2009.
Commenting, Mr George said:
“This is a very important issue given the level of public investment that has been made at these two sites.
“I raised the need to improve transport connections to these parks in a debate a few weeks ago in a bid to attract businesses to occupy these two sites.
“Local County Councillor, Wynne Jones, has also made known his misgivings about the Welsh Government’s handling of these two parks, stating that it needed to be “far more flexible” in its approach in these difficult economic times.
“Given local concerns, I believe the Minister must come forward and set out in detail, what exactly are the strategic marketing plans for these two business parks and how proactive the Government has been over the past five years, to encourage businesses to these sites.
“I think a formal statement is vital to allow AMs to scrutinise the Government’s activity on this issue and I hope Minister will take this request seriously and act on it.
