A £1million loan has provided the impetus to extend the Lancaster Way business park in Ely.

Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership (LEP) has used a Growing Place Fund loan that will allow Grovemere Property Ltd to build nine business units for small and start up businesses. They could create up to 50 jobs.

With work now starting on site, Grovemere Property Ltd invited the LEP Board onto site to mark the beginning of works on site by Barnack Estates UK Ltd.

Lancaster Way is now one of the most extensive business parks in the East of England and this year saw the completion of the park’s largest building – an 80,000 sq ft HQ for Cambridge Commodities.

Now construction is ongoing at locations around the park, most recently with the initial development of Merlin Court in September; a speculative scheme of nine units with B1, B2, B8 and trade counter planning consent, which means they will be available for a wide range of uses for businesses, from storage, to office, as trade counters, or light industrial.

Neil Darwin, Chief Executive of the Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP, said: “Investing in economic growth is an important part of the work we do here at the LEP.”

Harvey Bibby, marketing and development director at Grovemere Property said: “We have a proud history of building long-term relationships with companies.

“From the time of their first occupation at Lancaster Way, often as fledgling businesses, we work closely with them, facilitating their growth and meeting their needs. “This has proved a very successful approach – Cambridge Commodities first came here in 2003 to occupy just 6,500 sq. ft., for example and 12 years later they employ 90 staff, occupy 80,000 sq. ft. and have ambitious plans for further growth.”

“We’re certainly benefiting from the sustained growth of Cambridge. We are so close by road and rail to Cambridge city, but can provide office, R&D, industrial and warehouse space at around half the cost.”

For companies who need immediate space, Unit 78 is available for occupation now. The building is a mix of warehouse, office, laboratory and clean room space totalling 37,000 sq. ft.

For full details, or to find out more about opportunities at Lancaster Way Business Park, contact Harvey Bibby on 01353 666 666, email Harvey@grovemere.co.uk.