New road boosts access to Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone

A new access road serving Blackpool Airport Enterprise Zone is already helping businesses expand, with health supplements manufacturer Natures Aid among the first companies to benefit.

Vickers Way, which links Common Edge Road with Amy Johnson Way, opened last month to improve access to the Enterprise Zone and unlock further commercial development.

Natures Aid has opened a new distribution centre on Amy Johnson Way, enabling it to dispatch more than 500,000 packs a month to customers in more than 50 countries, including major retailers Holland & Barrett and Amazon.

Six employees have transferred from the company's Kirkham site, with capacity for further recruitment as the business grows.

The new road provides a more direct link between the distribution centre and Natures Aid's manufacturing base in Kirkham, around six miles away, reducing journey times when moving goods between the two sites.

Craig Kennett, head of operations at Natures Aid, said: "We are delighted to move on to Blackpool Enterprise Zone and occupy a fantastic modern facility to drive future growth in our business.

"We have already started to enjoy the benefits of having all our stock under one roof, achieving 99.8 per cent of picks within a 24-hour period to give our customers a much improved service.

"We now have a more efficient and cost-effective model for the dispatching of finished goods and a highly motivated team enjoying working from the new facility."

Councillor Mark Smith, Blackpool Council's cabinet member for economy and built environment, said: "It's fantastic to see the impact that Vickers Way is already having in supporting local businesses to grow.

"Creating a new access road to the Enterprise Zone has significantly improved connectivity, making the site even more attractive for investment, which is essential to support business growth and help create high-quality jobs for local people."

The road was funded through a £7.5m government grant awarded as part of the Blackpool Town Deal in 2022