About the Winsford Industrial Estate Business Improvement District

Back in November 2005, the companies working on the estate voted to make Winsford Industrial Estate the UK’s first Business Improvement District (BID) located on an Industrial Estate or Business Park. Fast forward to 20 years later and the estate has gone from strength to strength, with the fifth Business Improvement District recently voted in by businesses through a remarkable 99% in favour.

Winsford Industrial Estate BID

In November 2005, Winsford was the first industrial estate in the UK to become a Business Improvement District (BID), and the estate is now home to a wide variety of different businesses and companies.

Having been successful at four ballots since (the latest in December 2025 with a 99% approval by businesses in both number and rateable value), the past 20 years has seen the estate come a long way in terms of aesthetics, security provision and business support. With a whole host of inward investment and development opportunities, the site is now one of the most successful industrial estates in the North West.

Nearly 4000 people are currently employed on the estate in a variety of professions, ranging from food manufacturing, chemical supplies, packaging and engineering, and the estate has a first-rate mixture of premises and property available to organisations, ranging from professional start up business incubator units to large manufacturing, warehousing and logistics facilities. The BID currently includes Roads One to Six.

The vision of the Winsford Industrial Estate Business Improvement District is:

“To maintain and further develop our position as one of the premier industrial estates within Cheshire and the North West, capable of attracting, developing and supporting a broad spectrum of companies through the provision of a safe, clean and connected industrial estate”

Winsford Industrial Estate Group

Themes for improvement

To promote Winsford Industrial Estate as a location for both employers and employees in Mid-Cheshire, by working in partnership to focus on our three themes for improvement:

Theme One - A safe and secure trading environment

Monitoring and maintenance of the CCTV system and ANPR cameras covering Winsford Industrial Estate.
Provision of a 24/7 mobile security patrol service across the Estate over Bank Holiday weekends, the Christmas and New Year period and during periods of heightened risk
Provision of security signage across the Industrial Estate
Distribution of SelectaMark DNA property marking kits to companies across the estate.
Real-time intelligence sharing of important security updates across the Industrial Estate
Pre-Christmas online security briefing from Cheshire Police and Alpha Omega.
Working closely with Cheshire Police

Theme Two - Clean, green and climate ready

Investment into image enhancement projects including physical landscape, planting schemes and signage improvements
Maintenance of environmental assets including general grounds maintenance
Ongoing maintenance of assets including seating areas, planters, signage, poles & banners and the Cheshire fencing
Regular litter picking
Regular estate audits and reporting of issues
Enhancing the biodiversity on the estate through nature friendly schemes and projects
Supporting companies on their Net Zero journeys

Theme Three - A connected and resilient business community

Provision of a dedicated BID Team that has attracted inward investment; enabled companies to remain on the estate through relocating to local properties; liaised with the local authority and local agencies and provided regular updates to estate companies.
Regular email communication with businesses
Production and distribution of the quarterly Winsford Industrial Estate Bulletin containing useful information for businesses and good news stories from the estate
Continued maintenance of the www.winsford1-5.co.uk website.
The Winsford Industrial Estate employee incentive scheme, including a discount on the Workfit membership at Brio Leisure for Winsford Industrial Estate Employees and their families
A free programme of online workshops and accredited training courses for organisations across Winsford Industrial Estate, covering key areas of interest such as First Aid, Fire Marshal, Health & Safety and Mental Health First Aid at Work.
The Annual Winsford Industrial Estate Quiz – a chance for teams to get in to the competitive spirit and battle it out for a chance to win a number of prizes and the Winsford Industrial Estate Challenge Cup

What is a Business Improvement District?

Groups of businesses are able to commission projects that lead to improvements in their local trading environment through a Business Improvement District (BID). An additional levy that’s charged through the business rates system funds the BID, with the BID running for a five year period. At the end of the five years, businesses can vote as to whether or not they want to continue with the BID for another five year period.

The funds raised from the BID levy are held by Groundwork CLM (the accountable body for the Winsford Industrial Estate BID) who invest the funds into added value projects and services within the trading environment. The Winsford Industrial Estate Business community directs and governs the commissioned projects and services.

Any services that are a statutory provision of the public sector won’t be supported by the BID funds as the BID can only fund services that are separate, extra or enhanced to those that the Local Authority are legally responsible for (Baseline Agreements).

A formal ballot needs to take place for a BID to become established. More than 50% of those voting in the ballot have to approve the BID proposal. Additionally, the companies must represent at least 50% of the rate-able value of the businesses that have voted.

All of the eligible companies within the BID area are responsible for payment of a BID levy once it’s established. More than 340 BIDs have been approved by companies across the UK since BIDs were introduced in 2004.