Herefordshire could be set for more than 500 new jobs following the announcement that two eastern European aerospace companies are considering setting up development and manufacturing units in the county.

For several months negotiations have been on-going with the Seattle-based Get It Group, which puts international businesses looking for locations to expand their operation in touch with landowners globally.

The move signals a major step forward in the creation of the Enterprise Zone at Rotherwas with the potential to create hundreds of new jobs focused around advanced aerospace development and manufacturing.

As well as a ten-hectare site at Rotherwas, initial proposals also include a second site at Ross-on-Wye's Model Farm business park, which is owned by Herefordshire council, and could also bring with it hundreds of new jobs.

At lunchtime tomorrow, Wednesday, July 11, Communities Secretary Eric Pickles will meet Enterprise Zone Board chairman Cllr Roger Phillips, the Governor of the State of Washington, Christine Gregoire, and representatives from the Get It Group and the aerospace companies in Westminster. They will be joined by Herefordshire Council leader Cllr John Jarvis, Hereford MP Jesse Norman and Euro MP Anthea McIntyre.

They will sign an agreement which commits all parties to work together, for a period of six months for the Enterprise Zone and a year for Model Farm, to see if detailed proposals fit with the plans and aspirations of both locations.

"This is potentially great news for Herefordshire," said Cllr Roger Phillips, Herefordshire Council's cabinet member for enterprise and culture, as he welcomed the news.

"This is exactly the kind of company we want to see on the site as it will have benefits to the local economy, and the company will also benefit from the relatively close links with the aerospace industry in Bristol.

"We've been in discussion with the Get It Group for a number of months and I'd like to thank Ray Stone and council officers who have led on these negotiations."

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles said: "This agreement shows that our low tax, light-touch regulation Enterprise Zones and Herefordshire's 'can do' ambitions are a great combination that business are eager to take advantage of – Tbilisi Aerospace Manufacturing and Market-Mats will bring new jobs to the area and energise the local economy."

Cllr John Jarvis, leader of Herefordshire Council, added: "Now the hard work begins – to convert this interest into jobs for local people.

"The Enterprise Zone is stirring up interest in a number of quarters and it's exciting to see the benefits of the Zone spilling over and bringing benefits to other parts of the county. This is especially good news for the people of ross-on-Wye.

"This is also a great example of a private-public sector partnership working for the benefit of local people, and I'd like to thank the council's economic development team, led by Nick Webster, for their foresight and enthusiasm which has brought us to this point."