MORE than 163,000 small and medium-sized enterprises in the North West are planning to move or expand their business premises in the next 12 months to cater for an expected increase in activity, says Yorkshire Bank.

And according to the bank’s research, which surveyed 174 small and medium-sized businesses across the region, 49 per cent believed economic conditions were better for them now than it was a year ago, leading to more than one in three planning to invest in measures to encourage business growth.

Spokesman Ian Hardman said: “More businesses are looking to invest and prepare themselves for a period of sustainable growth over the next few years.”