▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁the ▁UK ▁Government ▁created ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁enter prise ▁zones ▁which ▁gave ▁in cent ives ▁to ▁fir ms ▁wish ing ▁to ▁set ▁up ▁business ▁in ▁areas ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁affected ▁by ▁a ▁dow nt urn ▁in ▁the ▁manufact uring ▁industry . ▁The ▁B rier ley ▁Hill ▁area ▁had ▁suffered ▁the ▁loss ▁of ▁the ▁Round ▁Oak ▁Ste el works , ▁and ▁it ▁was ▁hoped ▁that ▁other ▁manufact ur ers ▁could ▁be ▁encourag ed ▁to ▁move ▁into ▁the ▁area . ▁In cent ives ▁included ▁relax ed ▁planning ▁rules ▁and ▁a ▁ten - year ▁period ▁ex empt ▁from ▁business ▁rates . ▁Develop ers ▁saw ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁take ▁advantage ▁of ▁lack ▁of ▁restrictions ▁by ▁making ▁a ▁sho pping ▁centre , ▁rather ▁than ▁industrial ▁units ▁originally ▁en vis aged ▁as ▁the ▁main st ay ▁of ▁the ▁Enter prise ▁Zone . ▁ ▁The ▁Enter prise ▁Zone ▁en comp ass ed ▁both ▁the ▁former ▁steel works ▁site ▁and ▁a ▁large ▁open ▁green ▁space ▁known ▁as ▁Mer ry ▁Hill ▁Farm . ▁This ▁was ▁cher ished ▁locally ▁as ▁a ▁haven ▁for ▁wild life . ▁During ▁ 1 9 8 2 , ▁the ▁site ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁Richard son ▁Develop ments ▁with ▁the ▁intention ▁of ▁construct ing ▁a ▁large ▁sho pping ▁centre . ▁December ▁ 1 9 8 2 ▁saw ▁the ▁closure ▁of ▁the ▁Round ▁Oak ▁Ste el works ▁after ▁ 1 2 5 ▁years . ▁ ▁There ▁was ▁much ▁host ility ▁when ▁building ▁of ▁the ▁first ▁phase ▁of ▁the ▁sho pping ▁centre ▁comm enced