A Belgian firm has been offered nearly £300,000 in rates relief to relocate to Beeston in a move that the Council say will safeguard 18 jobs in Leeds and create a further 32 over the next five years.
Dirickx Systems, which makes fences, gates and access controls, is experiencing rapid growth having secured several contracts recently. They now need to expand their production capacity and have identified Network House on Middleton Grove in Beeston as their preferred location.
The move and expansion represent a £9 million investment, but will significantly increase their operating costs, which is why they approached the Council for support.
The Council has agreed to 75% relief in the first year and 50% in the second year, worth £292,110 in total. However the council will still receive a net increase in rates income of £875,000 over the next five years. Nearly half of the cost of the rates relief will be met by central government.
The decision has been made under the Council’s new discretionary rates relief policy, approved in June 2022, which supports SMEs, Social Enterprises, and Charities.
Network House has been empty for over a year and was formerly used by Amazon as a distribution centre.
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Photo: Google
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There was I thinking the council was strapped for cash, as they led us to believe.
You can’t believe everything you read can you?
Pity they can’t do same with council tax that will be going up to pay for those that dont