Euro cash bonanza for county

South Yorkshire is set to benefit from a £1.8bn injection of Euro cash

A new organisation has been set up to coordinate efforts for a £1.8bn European cash renaissance of South Yorkshire.

The body called Renaissance South Yorkshire (RSY) is a partnership bringing together Yorkshire Forward, the so-called Objective 1 Programme for South Yorkshire, and four local authorities.

The group will be operating independently, reporting to a board chaired by Yorkshire Forward's chief executive Martin Haverhand.

The new body will be responsible for a number of projects across the county including moves to develop key property sites close to the M1, M18 and Dearne Valley.

A brief to stimulate the growth of "priority business clusters" will see bids to lure bioscience, digital and creative industries to the area along with advanced manufacturing and metals businesses.

There is a small window of opportunity to ensure that funding delivers improvements

Yorkshire Forward chief executive Martin Haverhand

Environmental and energy technologies would form prime targets for the group's attention along with financial and professional services and the food industry.

The euro cash is also earmarked for kick-starting the development of urban areas of the county along with the regeneration of former coalfield sites.

A new inward investment campaign called "South Yorkshire - The facts will surprise you" is aimed at attracting interest in the wide range of projects envisaged for the area.

Martin Haverhand said: "South Yorkshire has amongst the highest levels of public funding available for investment.

And added: "There is a small window of opportunity to ensure that funding to which the area is entitled delivers much-needed jobs, new businesses and infrastructure improvements."