Greater Manchester set for £80m investment zone and share of £100m in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt's Budget

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

Greater Manchester is to be named as one of 12 Investment Zones by Chancellor Jeremy Hunt during the Budget later today. Each site will be backed by £80m of funding over five years while the region will also be in line to share an extra £100m with Glasgow and the West Midlands to help them become 'globally competitive centres for research and innovation'.

The Investment Zones will also include 'generous tax incentives' while the funding can be used to improve skills, provide specialist business support, improve the planning system or for local infrastructure. READ MORE: Spring Budget: Jeremy Hunt makes U-turn on energy bill help for ALL as childcare support also extended Eight places in England have been shortlisted to host Investment Zones, with the intention to agree plans by the end of the year.

The eight places are those covered by: Mr Hunt said: "True levelling up must be about local wealth creation and local decision-making to unblock obstacles to regeneration.

From unleashing opportunity through new Investment Zones, to a new approach to accelerating R&D in city regions, we are delivering on our key priority to supercharge growth across the country." Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove added: "Levelling up means backing local growth across the UK, driving innovation to attract investment and putting power into the hands of local communities so they can reach their full potential. "Our new investment zones and Levelling Up Partnerships will deliver more jobs, better services and more opportunities for local people." Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, Michelle Donelan, said: "This government has made clear its aim for the United Kingdom to be transformed into a scientific and technologic superpower,