In the Budget today, it has been announced that the Government is initially launching 11 zones in Birmingham and Solihull, Leeds City Region, Sheffield City Region, Liverpool City Region, Greater Manchester, West of England, Tees Valley, North Eastern, The Black Country, Derby, Derbyshire, Nottingham and Nottinghamshire and London.

 Enterprise Zones will include incentives for growth including 100% business rates relief- with all business rates growth in the zone for 25 years going to the Local Authority; simplified planning rules; and support to ensure superfast broadband.

 Simon Toseland, a Director of prop-search, said: "Whilst it is disappointing that the Government has not introduced 100% capital allowances on new building, the Enterprise Zone initiative is a chance for business growth.

 "However, in order for this to fulfill its potential it is vital that zones are focused on commercial acceptable areas which can bring the benefits of sustainable regeneration. This means that they shouldn’t just focus on weaker locations where effectively they might be pouring good money after bad. It would be nice to see that there is an even balance of Enterprise Zone allocations across the market."

 The government has also launched a competition for Local Enterprise Partnerships to pitch to set up ten more enterprise zones, which will be announced this summer.

 The idea of Enterprise Zone dates back to an earlier period of cuts and economic woe. The first enterprise zones opened in 1981 - and a total of 38 zones were designated across the UK over the next fifteen years.