Eight Oxfordshire Businesses have been offered Government Growing Places Funding by the Local Enterprise Partnership to help them develop their businesses and create more jobs.

The fund is being made available by Government to businesses to spend on building, refurbishment, new facilities and infrastructure projects.

The Partnership received 20 bids totalling £16m for the £3.6m pot of funding allocated by the Government to Oxfordshire. The majority of applications came from small to medium-sized companies (SMEs) with plans to expand their businesses and grow their workforce. Among the schemes considered by the Partnership were a new film studio, an agricultural training facility, factory renovation, the expansion of a forensic science facility and the refurbishment of company offices.

Priority was given to bids for projects that were ready to start and would create long term sustainable jobs. Companies which have been offered funding, subject to due diligence, include MEPC, which plans to upgrade a road junction at the entrance to the Milton Park Business Park to improve access for both businesses and residents of the adjoining villages, and Harwell Oxford who plan to improve cycle lanes at their campus site.

Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Board Member, Paul Inman, said, “The Growing Places Fund has enabled the Partnership to reach out to even more Oxfordshire businesses to offer support for their growth plans in challenging economic times. We have been able to connect with and offer vital funding to local SMEs searching for funds for a range of impressive projects, as well a mixture of bigger more established companies in need of investment for key infrastructure schemes to assist their ambitious expansion plans.”

Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership Board Member Councillor Ann Ducker, said, “We have been able to offer valuable funding to local businesses at a time when it is extremely difficult for them to raise finance from the open market. The offers we have made will breathe life into a number of exciting projects that some businesses have had to put on hold, but which promise to boost to their growth and importantly to allow them to take on more staff”.

For further information contact Michael Williams on 01865 816082 or 07818 238238 /michael.williams2@oxfordshire.gov.uk

For more information on the Growing Places Fund visit: http://www.oxfordshirelep.org.uk/cms/content/growing-places-fund