Issue details

Dorset Innovation Park (DIP) is a 56-hectare, Dorset Council owned site approximately one mile west of Wool, South Dorset. The site was awarded Enterprise Zone (EZ) status by the government in 2017, a designation which will last for 25 years until 2042. The key benefits of EZ status include the ability for the Council to retain 100% of business rate growth.

The Innovation Park has considerable ability to make a significant contribution to the South Dorset economy through the provision of highly skilled and paid jobs and private sector investment. 

The Council currently provides light industrial and office accommodation for rent to businesses and plots of land available to purchase for businesses to develop their own facilities. A sizeable proportion of the site, approx. 10 hectares, is still undeveloped.

Norco Ltd are an existing tenant on site within a substantial office and industrial building.  Norco are part of the Dorset defence industrial base and require additional land to accommodate an increase in their production capacity.

The council has been in negotiations over several months with Norco regarding the purchase of additional land at the Innovation Park to facilitate this increase in capacity.

Norco require a 3 acre plot to accommodate their expansion plans.  This will lead to the creation of an additional 60 jobs in addition to safeguarding the existing 30 jobs Norco currently employ on site.  Norco will be making a significant multi million pound investment in their new facility on the Innovation Park.