Industrial units plan to aid Newport's young jobless
New industrial units are urgently needed to create employment for the young people of Newport, according to the town's Regeneration Partnership.
Newport Regeneration Partnership will make boosting employment one of its main goals for 2014.
The group, which is made up of stakeholders in the town including school leaders, business owners, Newport Town Council and community groups, wants to see investment at Audley Avenue Industrial Estate.
Bosses are backing plans by Councillor Eric Carter to designate large sections of the area for industrial use to create hundreds of jobs.
Regeneration Partnership chairman Roy Scammell said: "We need employment in the town for the young people who are leaving school now, and for the thousands of new residents that these new houses in Newport will bring.
"That has to be one of our main goals for the year ahead.
"There is no work locally and people are having to travel out of town to find employment.
"Audley Avenue Industrial Estate needs investment and revamping. We will be pushing Telford & Wrekin Council to do that."
Mr Scammell said there are industrial units available in Telford, but they are too large for new businesses looking for smaller, purpose-built buildings.
He said: "A lot of new businesses only want small units. They should be able to design their own buildings to suit their needs.
"There are places in Hortonwood and Stafford Park which are vacant but they are just too big for start-ups. Newport could specialise in the smaller units."
Mr Scammell said the Regeneration Partnership, which meets every other month to talk about the town, supports reduced rates to entice new businesses into Newport.
"Reduced rates would encourage people to move into the town – but we'd have to be careful not to encourage people to move out of the High Street just to save money," he said.
"It would have to be just for new businesses."
Councillor Carter has drawn up a blueprint of how he wants to see the south-east area around Audley Avenue Industrial Estate revamped, including areas earmarked for industry, shops and houses.
He has submitted his masterplan to Telford & Wrekin Council for consideration.