Superconnected Cities grant encourages business growth in Leeds

Creative Space Management, a property management and consultancy business in Leeds is to provide high-speed internet connectivity to its tenants via the Superconnected Leeds Bradford programme.

Under the scheme, which launched in February, Creative Space Management has secured £30,000 of grant funding to enable ten of its technology and media tenants in Holbeck Urban Village to connect to high speed internet services, and has further applications in the pipeline.

Paul Taylor, director of Creative Space Management, said:

“We specifically target our workspace at the tech sector, which is helping to create a cluster of innovative, high-growth companies. Having the capability to offer our tenants high-speed internet connectivity, with funded installation costs of up to £3,000 per business under the Superconnected Cities programme not only vastly improves our offer, but also creates the environment that these businesses need to grow, create employment and most importantly to stay in Leeds.”

Superconnected Leeds Bradford is part of the government’s £100m Superconnected Cities programme. The award of £30,000 of grant funding towards high speed internet installation costs has helped support the growth of technology businesses including media planning and buying agency, Boutique, at Marshalls Mill and cloud computing specialists, Kaeto, at Tower Works.

Phil Cole, head of business support at Leeds City Council, said:

“The joint applications that Creative Space Management has organised are generating exactly the results that this scheme was set up to achieve. It is empowering Leeds businesses to compete on a global level and giving them the tools they need to grow and create new jobs right here in Leeds and Bradford.”

Superconnected Leeds Bradford business development officer, John Duncan, added:

“Landlords can use a joint application to connect a whole multi-tenanted property, whether that’s an industrial estate, office park, or an individual property. By clubbing together to receive a large grant, not only do tenants receive a free connection, it also means that the monthly costs can be shared, so businesses can receive a high quality, business grade line, for a reasonable monthly fee.”