£4m Hethel motorsport engineering centre

Norfolk County Council is promoting the scheme to encourage more engineering companies, including start-ups, to locate to the area, and to prevent existing firms moving overseas. As well as active support from Lotus, the centre is being backed by the East of England Development Agency (EEDA), South Norfolk Council and Business Link organisations.

The new centre, which will operate as one of EEDA's 'Enterprise Hubs', is designed to support the development of new engineering businesses as well as providing high-level and specialist training and advice to keep companies competitive. Lotus has committed itself to making use of the facilities, as well as offering the services of its engineers and its test circuit.

Norfolk County Council's cabinet yesterday agreed to back the project to the tune of £3.25m, mainly through a loan to get the centre off the ground. Alison King, council leader, said: "This is a tremendously exciting project for Norfolk and we have taken a decisive step forward in our bid to create a centre of engineering excellence in the county. By working imaginatively and creatively with organisations of world-class pedigree such as Lotus, I believe that we can help the spirit of enterprise in engineering to grow and prosper in the years ahead, spreading the message far and wide that Norfolk is a good place in which to do business."

Victor Kiam, the deputy chairman of Group Lotus, said: "Lotus has been located at Hethel for nearly 40 years and in that time has effectively founded the motorsport and automotive industries in the East of England. Hethel is the perfect location for this enterprise hub as Lotus, being an international organisation, will mean global awareness for this valuable venture. We look forward to welcoming into this county a new wave of exciting new business start-ups which will further cement Norfolk's position as one of Britain's leading centres of engineering innovation."