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Industry Minister visits Teesside to launch £5m Redcar Growth Zone

Climate Change and Industry Minister Nick Hurd was in the North East yesterday to announce the launch of the Redcar Growth Zone.

A £5m scheme, which comes from a pot of up to £80m of government funding, the Zone will provide commercial space for those launching new businesses.

During his visit the minister met the SSI task force, new businesses assisted by the task force, tour the SSI site and Teesport.

The SSI Fund has to date created 1,065 new jobs, safeguarded 405.5 jobs and 495 people have been given initial individual advice as a first step to starting their own business.

Following SSI’s collapse in Teesside, 248 businesses have also been started by ex-steel workers.

Nick Hurd said: “Today I met some of the former workers who have set up new businesses with help from the SSI task force and backed by government funding.

“That process of helping the local community and families to rebuild their lives following the collapse of SSI is ongoing and intended to have a long-term impact.

“That’s why I have now agreed that £5m out of the funding we announced in 2015 will go towards helping new businesses set up in Redcar town centre by providing much needed commercial space.”

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