NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK ECONOMIC STRATEGY

A STRATEGY FOR GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY NOVEMBER 2017 CONTENTS

Foreword 3 Norfolk and Suffolk 2017 8 Our Sectors 12 Our Ambitions 16 Priority Themes and Places 18 Making it Happen 30

University of Suffolk Students

2 CONTENTS OUR POTENTIAL 88,000 GROW OUR ECONOMY BY 66% NET NEW JOBS OF THE BY 2036 £17.5 POPULATION BILLION WITH NVQ3+ 140,000 IN REAL TERMS BY 2036 BY 2036 NEW HOMES GVA PER HOUR OF BY 2036 £39 BY 2036

A HIGHER PROPORTION INCREASED OF PEOPLE ENGAGED IN THE MEDIAN WAGES BY LABOUR MARKET THAN ACROSS 30,000 £200 THE UK BY 2036 NEW SUCCESSFUL MORE PER BUSINESSES BY 2036 WEEK BY 2036

FOREWORD 3 94

91 67 75 573.3MW 97.2MW 402MW 88 KEY 316.8MW OUR PLACE Clean Energy Cluster • Sheringham Wells-next- • Finance & Insurance Cluster • Hunstanton the-Sea •• Cromer Digital Cluster Bacton Gas A140 Life Science, Advanced To Lincolnshire, A148 Terminal & the North North Walsham • 1800MW Food Tech & Biotech Cluster Kings • 120 Fakenham Food Enterprise Zone Lynn TBC A17 A149 1800MW University Norwich Enterprise Zone International Airport Wo rldwi de de stin Oil & Gas Rig A47 A47 atio 120 Norwich ns Marham A47 Great an 1800MW Wind Farm Yarmouth d m a Gas Terminal Peterborough Downham rk et s Nuclear Power Station •Market 45 m A11 172 in Airport A10 Lowestoft u te Norwich to London 1200MW s Shipping Port a To the 90 minutes w Midlands Lakenheath Diss a The National Stud • Thetford y Ely Southwold RAF Base Mildenhall • Eye Airfield A12 Rail Europe’s All A11 A140 Energy Coast A14 102 A14 • Bury St Edmunds Sizewell 800MW Cambridge • Newmarket Stowmarket • TBC Ijmuiden TBC 714MW A1307 • Haverhill Aldeburgh 800MW The Sudbury Woodbridge Ipswich Hook M11 Amsterdam Hadleigh A14

A1 Felixstowe 504MW 336MW Rotterdam 196 Harwich • UK’s biggest container Netherlands Stansted port, handling 40% A12 of all trade

48 Zeebrugge M25 Ipswich to London 172.8MW Antwerpen 60 minutes Brugge 175 630MW London Calais M25 Belgium 4 FOREWORD EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 4

France Lille historic market towns and a large rural economy. Our We have the world’s first International Aviation Academy FOREWORD natural landscape and our rich cultural heritage give in Norwich and expanded the network of specialist Norfolk and Suffolk its distinctive character. We are innovation and enterprise centres - Norwich University Our economy forward looking and our economy is well positioned of the Arts Ideas Factory, University of Suffolk’s Ipswich contributes £35bn to to capitalise on the opportunities created by further Waterfront Innovation Centre, University of East Anglia UK plc and investment advances in technology and digital connectivity. Enterprise Centre and King’s Lynn Innovation Centre. We are determined that growth will be inclusive, Other investments include the flood alleviation scheme here delivers growth. benefiting all our people. We are looking ahead to the in Lowestoft, the regeneration of the Cornhill - bringing a Since 2010 our Government’s industrial strategy, working together new heart to the retail centre of Ipswich and19 transport economy has grown as business leaders, local authorities, the voluntary projects including a relief road for Bury St Edmunds to by 9%, faster than and community sector, universities and colleges to unlock 500 new homes (including 30% affordable), 68 many “powerhouse” drive future success in a place where businesses and hectares of strategic employment land, a school and areas. Ours is a diverse residents can thrive and succeed. We are exploring leisure centre. new models of funding and financing the infrastructure economy, but with we need, because the evidence shows we can deliver Our Community Challenge fund has provided grants globally competitive returns and growth. to grassroots voluntary and community groups, clusters that drive our supporting people from disadvantaged backgrounds success. We are well DOUG FIELD We are confident in our ambitions because they are built and facing barriers to economic participation. Chairman of New on the success of our original 2014 Strategic Economic connected to London, Anglia Local Cambridge and wider Plan. This has delivered more jobs, new businesses Sixteen sites across the two counties have secured Enterprise Partnership and housing. The numbers tell the story. Since 2014, Enterprise Zone status, providing benefit from international markets, 43,600 more jobs and 5,710 new businesses have business rate discounts, simplified planning and with higher than average levels of economic been created and 18,850 new homes built. Over access to superfast broadband. Our award-winning activity. We are ambitious for future growth £350m of government funding has been secured Growth Hub has worked with over 6,300 businesses and we will work with Government and private and will be invested in the region by 2021 in a wide giving 29,300 hours of face-to-face support. investors to deliver it. range of projects to improve skills, drive innovation, We have achieved much, but there is more to do. support growing businesses and improve transport and We have an excellent understanding of our economy other infrastructure. Over £260m of private sector Our Economic Strategy reflects the evolving needs and the opportunities ahead. New technologies, funding has also been unlocked, outstripping our and opportunities of our growing local economy and techniques and collaborations across sectors will original commitment of £199m by 2021. how it can respond and succeed in a fast changing further drive growth, raising productivity and moving world. The Government’s emerging Industrial Strategy firms into new products and markets. Our strategy Collaboration and hard work from all partners has also provides an opportunity to further boost our is to generate growth across all sectors, focusing on been at the heart of this success. Together we have sectors and drive growth. creating high value, highly skilled jobs and industries, invested and delivered transformative projects and whilst also providing the technical skills, access to initiatives. MyGo in Ipswich is the first dedicated youth innovative techniques and support that all businesses employment centre in the country and we have one of “ Together we will deliver the and the wider workforce needs to succeed. the most established Enterprise Advisor Networks of any region, connecting local business leaders with Economic Strategy by prioritising Norfolk and Suffolk has a number of centres of local schools and colleges helping to motivate and economic activity, with fast growing urban areas, inspire young people. action and investment.”

FOREWORD FOREWORD 5 We have an excellent understanding of how • Recent investment has and will continue to Macro-economic changes such as technological our economy is working, how it is changing improve our road, rail and digital networks. This advances and automation will change how we maximise these opportunities and act on these and what our sectors need. We know that: is particularly important given the area’s large travel to work areas and with rail commuting increasing. opportunities in the years ahead. The country’s But we can go further and faster. Many of the exit from the EU will also alter Norfolk and Suffolk’s • We make a very significant contribution to UK area’s businesses rely on mobile and broadband interaction with partners in Europe and further plc. We have excellent business opportunities, connectivity and increasingly more will do so as afield. Opportunities arising from changes to high quality and affordable places to live, a good patterns of home and remote working and networked migration, trade and funding should be harnessed availability of commercial land and a fantastic leisure businesses grow. to drive the area’s economy, whilst recognising that and cultural environment, all close to London and the current uncertainty will impact on business and Cambridge. We need to make sure that this offer is investor sentiment. well understood and recognised by Government to We have major growth locations in Norfolk and make the case for the public and private investment Stokes Sauces, Rendlesham, Suffolk, with a robust evidence base and detailed needed to drive future growth. East Suffolk understanding of what is needed to continue to drive and unlock their further success. The locations are our • We have strengths in clean energy, digital, life priority places and include: science and high value food production. These sectors all have high value growth opportunities. • Ipswich and the surrounding area. They are often concentrated near communities • Norwich and the Greater Norwich area. which do not have all the skills needed to fully • The Norfolk and Suffolk Energy Coast, including benefit. Linking investment in skills more closely with Bacton, Great Yarmouth, Lowestoft and Sizewell, the communities and businesses nearby will provide with assets on and offshore. more opportunities for residents. • The Cambridge-Norwich corridor growth – • Norfolk and Suffolk is an attractive place to connecting two global centres of research. live and work. People of all ages, including young • The critical east west growth corridors along the people, families and skilled professionals move to A47 from Lowestoft and Great Yarmouth to King’s the area every year. Building on this success, we Lynn and the A14 from Felixstowe through Ipswich, need to encourage even more young people and Stowmarket, Bury St Edmunds, Newmarket and families to stay or locate in Norfolk and Suffolk, Haverhill to Cambridge. showing them the opportunities and careers that exist in our economy for people of all ages. • King’s Lynn - and the A10 and rail corridor to Cambridge. • Improving technical skills and adopting new Boosting our infrastructure is central to delivering all techniques will further drive productivity our ambitions. Our priority places are interconnected, and growth. Many businesses across different dependent on transport links and draw on many of sectors have increasingly similar technical needs. the same labour markets and supply chains. We will Developing links between business and our world prioritise improvements to our digital and transport class universities will help drive further innovation. infrastructure and utility provision, using our own funding and making the case to Government where national investment is needed. 6 FOREWORD Based on the evidence we have agreed stretching but We will deliver these ambitions by prioritising action We are an ambitious and inclusive region, achievable ambitions. We want Norfolk and Suffolk to be: and investment in the priority places above and the contributing significantly to the performance of UK five themes shown below. plc and committed to delivering the standards of living we expect for all our communities. • The place where high growth businesses We have set ambitious targets which we will use with aspirations choose to be. to measure progress towards our goals. By 2036, we will have added 17.5bn in real terms to our • An international facing economy economy, have created 88,000 new jobs, 30,000 THE STRATEGY with high value exports. new successful businesses, and 140,000 new homes, have a GVA per hour of £39, increased Our strategy looks ahead to 2036, but focuses • A high performing productive economy. median wages by £200 more per week and 66% of on the actions we need to take over the next the population holding NVQ3+ qualifications. • A well-connected place. four years to secure long term success. It is a dynamic and living blueprint to guide the work • An inclusive economy with a highly “ Our economy is most successful and investment of many partners. Together we skilled workforce. when we work together for the have: • A centre for the UK’s clean benefit of the people of Norfolk Examined the evidence, making sure we energy sector. understand our economy in detail, how it and Suffolk. We have achieved works and is changing. • A place with a clear, ambitious offer much since 2014, but there is to the world. Set challenging but achievable ambitions, plenty more to do.” which are based on the evidence and describe the place and economy we want Norfolk and Suffolk to be.

OUR DRIVING DRIVING Agreed the themes under which we are OFFER BUSINESS INCLUSION going to prioritise action and investment. TO THE GROWTH AND SKILLS WORLD AND Agreed the priority places where PRODUCTIVITY investment and action is most likely to deliver a strong return.

Identified Economic Indicators and COLLABORATING COMPETITIVE set targets to measure success TO GROW CLUSTERS, and drive delivery. CLOSE TO GLOBAL CENTRES

FOREWORD FOREWORD 7

NORFOLK & SUFFOLK ECONOMIC PROFILE AT A GLANCE

POPULATION OF 1,626,900 IN 2015

8 NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK 2017 NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK 2017 To underpin our ambitions and make sure challenges for the area. Norfolk and Suffolk has grown Norwich and Ipswich, including growing numbers of we set the right priorities to deliver them, we and continues to grow, but needs to do so faster than innovative fin-tech firms. Theagriculture, food and elsewhere to catch up with the UK and achieve the drink sector is also important, with 111,136 jobs and have developed a detailed and accurate step change we are striving for. major brands based in the area. As the number of understanding of our economy and business jobs in traditional agricultural production has declined, base, through a shared analysis and A DIVERSE ECONOMY, there has been job growth in higher value food evidence base. WITH IMPORTANT SPECIALISATIONS processing. The area has also seen rapid growth in Norfolk and Suffolk has a diverse and well-balanced business services (30.9% between 2010 and 2015) economy, with growing and important specialisations and digital businesses (3000 new jobs over the same This will inform a wide range of plans and strategies that make a significant contribution to the national period). in our region and provides an excellent common economy. These include globally important clusters in understanding of our economy. It can be found in our ICT and telecoms, life sciences and genomics, clean The Port of Felixstowe handles over 40% of UK Evidence Report, published alongside this strategy energy and financial industries. container traffic, alongside ports atGreat Yarmouth, and is summarised in this section. Lowestoft and Ipswich. This makes logistics and port The insurance and financial sector continues to be related businesses an important sector, contributing SUMMARY a competitive strength for the area, despite declines £2.3bn of GVA and employing 47,364 people. Norfolk and Suffolk has a £35.5bn economy which in the UK as a whole. The sector remains stronger has grown by 9% since 2010, faster than a number here than the UK average, with important centres in More details on our nine focus sectors are set out on of ‘powerhouse’ areas. There are a record number pages 12 to 14. of people engaged in the economy, with 82% of the working age population in Norfolk and Suffolk economically active (compared with 78% across GVA PER HEAD GROWTH 1997-2015: NEW ANGLIA AND COMPARATORS the rest of the UK), high levels of employment (78.2%, against a UK average of 73.8%), and low £29,000 ● GCGP LEP unemployment (4%, against a UK average of 5.4%). £27,000 ● Coast to Capital LEP Norfolk and Suffolk was hit hard by the 2008 recession £25,000 ● England and in the run up to it, with GVA per head declining (ex. London) from 2006 and not recovering fully until 2011. There £23,000 ● New Anglia LEP was a long-term reduction in economic performance £21,000 compared with the UK average, largely due to a loss ● Heart of South of higher value jobs which were not replaced. Though £19,000 West LEP the 2014 Strategic Economic Plan drove our recovery, £17,000 ● Greater the economy has still not completely recovered from Lincolnshire LEP this structural hit. Productivity (GVA per hour is 96% £15,000 of the UK average) and job growth (5.3% between 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2010-15, against 6.8% in Great Britain) are still

NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK 2017 9 PEOPLE AND SKILLS: CONNECTIVITY AND COMMUTING: than 170 destinations worldwide. Felixstowe, Younger people and families also see Norfolk and Connectivity within Norfolk and Suffolk is extremely Lowestoft and the area’s other ports at Great Suffolk as an attractive place to live and work. In 2015, important. Whilst external commuting is increasing, Yarmouth, Ipswich and King’s Lynn also provide significantly more people chose to come to the area 91% of the area’s residents work here and 94% of strong international shipping links. rather than leave. This is particularly so for people over Norfolk and Suffolk workers live in the area. 55,000 35, many of whom relocate with their children from residents commute outside Norfolk and Suffolk to Digital connectivity is strong and improving. North London, Essex and Cambridgeshire and this is work every day, with the main destinations being Our ambition to increase coverage of Superfast helping fill skills gaps. Norfolk and Suffolk also has an Cambridge (including Cambridgeshire), Central broadband to 95% is becoming a reality, a multi- ageing population, 23.1% being over 65 compared London and Colchester. Rail use in the region has million pound investment by partners in Norfolk to 17.8% in the UK. This is an engaged, if older, increased significantly since 2010, particularly on the and Suffolk on target to achieve this by 2019. We population with a huge contribution to make. direct commuting lines to Cambridge. Almost 35,000 are also working on improving mobile connectivity, workers commute to Norfolk and Suffolk every day, particularly in rural areas. This is a particular problem primarily from East Cambridgeshire and Colchester. for encouraging growth in our rural areas, with “ Norfolk and Suffolk has tourists and high value incomers dissuaded Norfolk and Suffolk’s transport connections are by poor mobile signal. a more economically strong. Ipswich is 60 minutes from London and 45 minutes from Norwich. Improvements to digital and active population than Winerack in Ipswich, physical infrastructures have been a central part of now & proposal the UK average.” the LEP’s strategy, with a new Greater Anglia rail franchise bringing the biggest new fleet of trains in the UK and associated capacity, reliability and frequency Skill levels and wages however are lower, with more improvements as well as investment in the franchise jobs than the national average in lower paying to the west of our region. Significant improvements industries. Continuing to enable local people to in road connectivity, such as the completion of the access the skills they need to benefit from and drive dualling of the A11, have cut road journey times. future growth sectors such as clean energy, digital, Further investment in the road and rail networks will life sciences and higher end business services will be continue to build on this, promoting key arteries to central to continuing to increase wage levels and the north, south and west and fulfilling aspirations for living standards. improved services between centres including Ipswich and Cambridge, Norwich and Cambridge and King’s Only 31.2% of Norfolk and Suffolk’s working-age Lynn and London. residents have a further or higher education degree, compared to 36.9% in the UK. However, fewer International connectivity is also advantageous. residents have no qualifications (7.7%) than the UK Norwich International Airport provides fast connections average (8.8%). The share of managers and senior to and outside Europe as well as to other UK cities. staff (2015) is in line with the UK average, though there It is also the main base for aviation access to nearby is also a higher than average share of residents in North Sea gas, oil and renewables installations. The lower value jobs. region also benefits from its proximity to Stansted, the UK’s 4th largest airport by passenger traffic, with more

10 NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK 2017 HOUSING AND COMMERCIAL PROPERTY:

Since the 2014 strategy, 18,850 homes have THE MEDIAN HOUSE PRICES CROSSNorth NORFOLK Norfolk AND SUFFOLK IN 2016, been built and 253,000 sq ft of commercial space AS A PERCENTAGE OF THE UK MEDIAN. constructed. Our enterprise zones have created more than 2,600 jobs, are home to 85 companies, and are beginning to be a magnet for investment, King's Lynn and West Norfolk having attracted over £45m of private sector Broadland Great Yarmouth investment to date. North Norfolk Norwich

Norfolk and Suffolk has a dynamic commercial Breckland property market, with pockets of relatively low value properties close to major growth opportunities South Norfolk King's Lynn and West Norfolk (such as Ipswich and Great Yarmouth). Most large Broadland Great commercial transactions took place in and around Yarmouth Waveney Norwich and Ipswich, alongside some significant Norwich transactions in King’s Lynn, Great Yarmouth and Breckland Lowestoft. Bury St. Edmunds and Haverhill have Forest Heath St Edmundsbury also seen considerable investments in commercial South Norfolk property, as companies look for opportunities further Mid Suffolk outside London and Cambridge. Waveney Suffolk Coastal Housing affordability is also a diverse picture. The south and west of Suffolk has seen significant house Forest Heath price growth, due largely to the effects of London St Edmundsbury Ipswich Babergh and Cambridge. Securing additional housing in these Mid Suffolk areas of growth will continue to be a priority. There are also very high prices in areas of North Norfolk and the Suffolk Coastal Railways Suffolk Coast, driven by second home ownership and Counties holiday lets. Local authorities Ipswich Median house prices 2016 (%UK) Babergh But we have high quality affordable housing in areas < 50% that are currently undergoing rapid growth of jobs and 51% - 75% population. This includes Greater Norwich and along Railways 76% - 95% N 96% - 105% the A11 and A14 corridors to Cambridge, in Ipswich Counties 106% - 125% and the surrounding area and in the centres of activity Local authorities 126% - 150% for gas, oil, nuclear and renewables sectors around Median house prices 2016 (%UK) 151% - 200% Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Sizewell. This mix of 0 5 10 < 50% 20Km > 200 % affordability and growth, combined with Norfolk and 51% - 75% Suffolk’s recent record of attracting young people and 76% - 95% families to the area, is a real opportunity. N 96% - 105% 106% - 125% 126% - 150% 151% - 2NORFOLK00% AND SUFFOLK 2017 11 0 5 10 20Km > 200 % over 300 energy businesses. The coast around Norwich Research Park (NRP) - comprising UEA, OUR SECTORS Greater Yarmouth and Lowestoft is at the centre of John Innes Centre, Earlham Institute, Quadram the world’s largest market for offshore wind. Capital Institute, The Sainsbury Laboratory and Norfolk and Our diverse economy is a real strength. investment in clean energy worth £50bn is planned Norwich University Hospital - is a world-leading for the region by 2020, with the world’s largest research base, at the forefront of global food and This strategy identifies nine key sectors in windfarm in development off the coast, the proposed health research. It is Europe’s largest single site hub which Norfolk and Suffolk has competitive development of Sizewell C nuclear power station of research, training, education, and enterprise in advantages. In some cases it is the scale creating 25,000 jobs, and opportunities in the food and health. The £76m Quadram Institute is of the sector, in others a really focused decommissioning of existing nuclear power facilities due to open in 2018 at NRP, which will help create and offshore installations. a fundamental shift in the way we understand and specialism. The diverse range of sectors address the impact of food on health. provides the biggest opportunity for growth Pioneering companies such as Connected Energy in – cross-sector collaboration. This is where Hethel are accelerating new approaches to grid load The Centre for Environment, Fisheries and specialist skills in one sector can drive management with their battery storage systems and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS) is headquartered energy optimisation expertise. in Lowestoft, Suffolk. This is the UK’s most diverse growth across other sectors. centre for applied marine and freshwater science With a growing bioenergy market and longer term and research, providing innovative solutions for the plans for the storage of gas and captured carbon aquatic environment, biodiversity and food security. ENERGY in the Southern North Sea, the area has an energy There is also a cluster of animal health firms at Global, all-energy sector business worth billions. Offshore wind, nuclear, solar, Newmarket, focused on Newmarket’s world class with 50 years’ expertise in biomass and a range of other renewable clean energy racing industry and several large pharmaceutical the oil and gas sector, nuclear developments create a large clean energy cluster companies at Haverhill, taking advantage of links to new build, and the world’s and centre of expertise that no other region in the Cambridge life sciences cluster. largest windfarms in development off the coast the UK can match. with a globally competitive renewables supply ICT, TECH AND chain and support industry. LIFE SCIENCES DIGITAL CREATIVE AND BIOTECH Recognised tech clusters The East of England Energy Zone is unrivalled in the International expertise in centred on Norwich’s fast- UK for its unique mix of wind power, gas and nuclear the fields of food, health growing digital creative hub energy production. The supply chain has 50 years of and the microbiome, an and world-leading centre of experience and expertise, recognised with Enterprise advanced cluster of animal health and emerging innovation in communications Zone status. Bacton Gas Terminal in North Norfolk pharmaceutical manufacture on the Cambridge- technology at Adastral Park is a major component of UK energy infrastructure, Norwich Corridor. and Innovation Martlesham providing one third of the UK gas supply, making it near Ipswich. We are at the forefront of digital an essential component in ensuring the future energy With significant strengths in agri-bio tech, food and innovation, with strengths in telecoms, cyber security of the UK. the microbiome, bioinformatics and industrial biotech, security, quantum technology, Internet of Things Norfolk and Suffolk’s life sciences sector is home and UX design, with business coming together The OrbisEnergy centre of excellence - a specialist to innovative, high-tech businesses and research under the Tech East brand. innovation and incubation centre and the East of institutions with close links to the food, health, ICT and England Energy Group (EEEGR), brings together agriculture sectors.

12 OUR SECTORS The ICT, Tech and Digital Creative sector is fast-growing, Building on Norfolk and Suffolk’s historical agricultural VISITOR ECONOMY - high-value and important in driving productivity across strengths the sector is globally renowned and nationally TOURISM AND CULTURE all sectors. Recognised in the Tech Nation Report as significant. Despite accounting for only 2% of the UK’s A varied and rich tourist offer, from tech clusters, Norwich and Ipswich have a growing tech population, Norfolk and Suffolk represent 11% of its coast and countryside to postcard agricultural output, which is more than any other LEP market towns, underpinned by a community and innovative start-up scene. Adastral Park area. Taking advantage of innovative products and dynamic and pioneering cultural is at the forefront of global telecoms innovation, home to processes, the productivity of farm-based agriculture in sector boasting internationally BT Labs Global Research and Development HQ and a the two counties is twice that of the UK. celebrated brands. growing cluster of 100 high-tech companies, including Huawei, Cisco, Ericsson and Tech Mahindra. Alongside this are a host of nationally and internationally Norfolk and Suffolk is a successful destination, significant food and drink companies, supported evidenced by a thriving visitor economy which Norwich hosts a growing cluster of digital creative by a local supply chain of firms specialising in the attracts 5m overnight visitors annually. The area businesses, and a rich ecosystem of interlocking meet-up manufacture of machinery and equipment to support has traditional holiday destinations including the groups catering to a range of tech and digital interests. Two them. This sector is an important employer in both rural North Norfolk Coast, Great Yarmouth, Southwold, leading universities provide a steady flow of graduates, and urban areas including Kettle Chips(Norwich), Aldeburgh and Felixstowe, together with unique offering the creative and technical talent needed to fuel Pasta Foods (Longwater and Great Yarmouth), natural assets such as the Broads National Park, growth in the sector. Muntons (Stowmarket), Greene King and British the Brecks, and Areas of Outstanding Natural Sugar (Bury St Edmunds), Birds Eye (Lowestoft) Beauty. It also has the home of horseracing at The University of East Anglia plays a key role in and Purina (Sudbury). British Sugar’s Wissington site Newmarket and important heritage sites such as Norwich’s tech community, supporting and connecting is home to the first industrial scale bio ethanol fuel Norwich (England’s most complete medieval city) and many of the active meet-up groups. Businesses include manufacturing facility in UK and the largest and most Sutton Hoo in East Suffolk. award winning digital businesses such as Rainbird, efficient sugar beet processing facility in the world. EPOS NOW and Further. Producer of Copella fruit juices Konings in Boxford Our area’s vibrant cultural sector boasts award- is another global brand with long term expansion and winning theatres, major international festivals such as Norwich University of the Arts (NUA), with its specialism growth plans. Other key employers include chocolate Aldeburgh and Norwich, England’s first UNESCO in arts, design and media, is centre of the dynamic creative manufacturer Kinnerton in Fakenham and Albert City of Literature. The cultural and heritage sector community and home to the Ideas Factory incubation Bartlett at Worstead, as well as Mars Foods in King’s and natural landscape plays a unique role in creating centre for digital creative businesses and UX Lab. The Lynn. the ‘sense of place’ that makes the area a great place vibrant and growing group of creative businesses include to live, work, learn, invest and do business in. The user experience design agency Foolproof and creative These major companies, alongside growing sector is an important employer of 88,000 people technology firm Knit, along with image and film production boutique high-value companies, see Norfolk and and attracts significant investment from national and companies FXHome and Lambda Suffolk specialise in a wide range of food production international funding bodies. Films. and processing whilst we are home to three Food Enterprise Zones - located in Stowmarket, Wherstead FINANCIAL SERVICES ADVANCED AGRICULTURE and Easton. AND INSURANCE FOOD AND DRINK One of the largest financial Home to an advanced and Home to a world-leading research base centred at NRP, services and insurance clusters nationally significant farming Norfolk and Suffolk is at the forefront of global agri-tech in Europe, with growing start sector, alongside globally renowed food and drink research, whilst innovative and export-intensive firms up financial service businesses companies and a world-leading research base continue to develop commercially successful feeders, building on a heritage going back 200 years. centred at Norwich Research Park (NRP). spreaders and pesticides. OUR SECTORS 13 Greater Norwich has been a base for financial markets and are influenced by different factors, with With significant numbers of houses needed to support industries for over 200 years and is one of the Felixstowe’s main competitors being the international the growth in our economy, the sector in Norfolk largest general insurance markets in Europe. gateways of Southampton and London Gateway. and Suffolk is exploring how new technologies and Recognised as a centre for excellence for financial Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft ports have a more practices like 3D printing, robotics, and modular and professional services, Norwich is home to a regional focus relating to the offshore energy sector. construction could stimulate innovation and increase significant cluster of global firms includingAviva, productivity. The industry is ready to tackle the The sector is characterised by a strong logistics Marsh and Moneyfacts. Boasting a financially challenges and be proactive, piloting new approaches sector with international firms such asMediterranean literate, highly-skilled and stable workforce and to housebuilding, such as custom and self-build. Shipping Company in Ipswich, Goldstar Transport the firstNational Skills Academy in the UK for in Felixstowe, and a number of smaller offices in ADVANCED MANUFACTURING financial services, underpinned by Aviva. Ipswich Felixstowe and Ipswich. AND ENGINEERING also has a cluster of global insurance firms, including, With several sector Willis Towers Watson, AXA and other local and Clustered around Norwich, there is also a sizable specific clusters of national companies. There are also niche markets aviation sector, specialising in maintenance and repair, national expertise in around marine insurance linked to the county’s ports, as well as servicing the offshore industry. The recently automotive, civil aviation, farm and crop insurance and thatched property opened Aviation Academy, in collaboration with composites and pharmaceuticals, manufacturing insurance in rural areas, plus a host of small financial KLM Engineering, is a specialist centre of aircraft, and engineering in Norfolk and Suffolk supports service businesses. overhaul and maintenance. a number of key sectors. Strategically located near to London, the cluster CONSTRUCTION AND The advanced manufacturing and engineering sector benefits from the close proximity to other hubs of DEVELOPMENT in Norfolk and Suffolk reflects the area’s diverse financial and business activity. This sector provides Norfolk and Suffolk have a economic strengths. The sector links into the supply significant number of high value jobs and is a major large and diverse construction chain of specialisms such as agriculture and food driver of our economy, in particular supporting our and development sector, production, civil aviation, transport, pharmaceuticals Tech and ICT cluster. The industry is embracing new the UK’s largest Urban and energy. Hethel Engineering Centre is the technology, connecting with extraordinary talent, extension in Broadland and regional hub for innovation and technology and uncovering breakthrough innovations and developing emerging specialisation in modern methods of has the potential to expand to meet the demand for financial technologies fit for the future. construction and sustainable design. incubation space in this growing sector. Businesses TRANSPORT, FREIGHT Norfolk and Suffolk’s strong economy and attractive are working together with UEA, through the New AND LOGISTICS location for housing has driven economic success Anglia Advanced Manufacturing Engineering sector The UK’s largest container in the construction and development sector. The group, to develop a new Institute for Productivity. This port at Felixstowe on the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB), a will build on UEA’s expertise in business education premier EU/ Asia route and partner in the national Sector Skills Council for the and engineering. the UK’s largest exporter of construction industry, is based in Bircham Newton. There are several specialist advanced grain at the port of Ipswich. The area has significant levels of employment across manufacturing and engineering companies in The Port of Felixstowe is the UK’s largest container all construction-related industries. The sector also has the area, including: Lotus (Hethel), a class-leading port, handling over 40% of national container traffic. It an emerging specialism in modern construction manufacturer of sports cars; Multimatic (Thetford), is undergoing significant investment and expansion, and sustainable design, with the Fabric First a specialist in vehicle dynamics; and Philips with capacity expected to grow by an additional million Institute at Easton & Otley College. The sector AVENT (Glemsford), producing infant feed and containers by 2025. The diverse nature of the ports employs approximately 70,000 people, supporting health accessories. in Norfolk and Suffolk mean that they serve different over 10,000 businesses with major opportunities such as the UK’s largest urban extension in Broadland. 14 OUR SECTORS

OUR AMBITIONS WE WANT NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK TO BE:

The place where high A well-connected place, A high performing growth businesses locally, national and productive economy, with aspirations internationally. Investment where business have choose to be, with in housing, roads, rail and invested in new excellent sites to locate, broadband is coordinated technology, skills, new grow and innovate, with to build the communities techniques, and innovation easy access to support and connections that leading to productivity and finance. This will people and businesses improvements year on drive business growth, need. This will drive year. This will drive jobs growth and GVA. housing and GVA. productivity and GVA.

An inclusive economy with a highly skilled workforce, where everyone benefits from economic growth and A place with a clear, ambitious wage levels rise above the national offer to the world, which showcases average. Norfolk and Suffolk will the strengths of Norfolk and Suffolk to continue to promote collaboration the UK and beyond. Offering diverse, An international facing economy between business, HE, FE, schools high quality and affordable housing with high value exports, where our and the public sector to provide A centre for the UK’s clean energy where people want to live, with a sectors are producing and exporting the training opportunities and work sector, capitalising on the strength strong vibrant culture and leisure offers more value-added goods and services, experience that enable businesses and diversity of the energy sector and and a clear sense of why people and entering new global markets capitalising and people to fulfil their full potential. supply chain, our strategic location, business choose to live and work here. on new trade links to other economies. This will drive skills, employment rate skills base and connectivity to other This will drive GVA, businesses and This will drive exports and GVA. and median wage. regions. This will drive GVA. jobs growth.

16 OUR AMBITIONS GVA PRODUCTIVITY ECONOMIC TARGET: 2% AVERAGE ANNUAL GROWTH TARGET: 1% ANNUAL GROWTH RESULT: INDICATORS RESULT: GVA PER HOUR OF GROW OUR ECONOMY

The ambitions will be achieved through BY £17.5BN IN REAL TERMS BY 2036 £39 action and investment in the themes BY 2036 and places in this strategy. To measure our success we will use eight economic JOBS BUSINESSES indicators. These are GVA, productivity, TARGET: 0.5% ANNUAL GROWTH jobs, businesses, housing, median wage, TARGET: 2% ANNUAL GROWTH employment rate and skills. We have set RESULT: RESULT: targets for our eight economic indicators 88,000 30,000 to 2036. NEW SUCCESSFUL NET NEW JOBS BY 2036 BUSINESSES BY 2036 Each indicator has been developed using a robust methodology and is based on clear evidence about what is achievable and ambitious. These targets HOUSING INCLUSIVE GROWTH: MEDIAN WAGES have been developed collectively. They are TARGET: MEET THE OBJECTIVELY barometers for our success as a place in achieving ASSESSED NEED TARGET: ANNUAL GROWTH our shared ambitions. 1.7% RESULT: RESULT: Given the long term nature of the strategy, 140,000 delivery plans will also reflect shorter term targets NEW HOMES £200 as appropriate. BY 2036 MORE PER WEEK

For each ambition we have shown which of our indicators most closely reflects progress. Each INCLUSIVE GROWTH: EMPLOYMENT RATE INCLUSIVE GROWTH: SKILLS ambition will also impact on other economic indicators given that many are closely interlinked. TARGET: CONSISTENTLY HIGHER THAN TARGET: INCREASE NVQ3+ BY 1.4% NATIONAL AVERAGE AVERAGE (OVER EACH 5 YEAR PERIOD.)

RESULT: A HIGHER PROPORTION RESULT: “ This reflects our determination OF PEOPLE ENGAGED IN 66% to work across boundaries.” THE LABOUR MARKET THAN OF THE POPULATION ACROSS THE UK. WITH NVQ3+

OUR AMBITIONS 17 • Make sure that investment markets have the information they need to take the decision PRIORITY OUR OFFER to invest in infrastructure of all kinds. Improve digital connectivity, with a particular focus on THEMES AND TO THE super-fast broadband in rural areas and reliable mobile phone coverage for those travelling PLACES WORLD around the region. We have agreed to focus action and • Use consistent place branding, with an overarching offer, supported by our ambitions, investment on a clear set of priority themes Improving and communicating a clear, unique places, successes, skills, quality of life, and places to maximise impact and achieve culture and diversity. our ambitions and targets, based on our ambitious offer to the world is central to all our • Work with Government to ensure that the shared evidence base and the engagement unique contribution of our energy sector is and knowledge of all the partners involved in ambitions and targets and well understood and supported. creating and delivering this strategy. to attracting the people, • Build the right kind of housing and Our priority themes are those economy-wide opportunities investors and businesses commercial space where it is needed and where the evidence shows that investment and of the future. integrate utility, road, rail, digital and green collaborative action will have the greatest impact on our infrastructure to build the communities and ambitions and how we will deliver growth in all places Our economy makes a major contribution to UK places people want to live. across Norfolk and Suffolk. Many of these themes are plc. We are well connected to London, Cambridge • Develop a year-round visitor offer by investing overlapping, which reflects how our economy works. and national and global markets, with internationally in the strategic projects such as attractions, This innovative approach highlights the opportunity for important strengths in energy, ICT and biosciences heritage and cultural institutions that also will businesses to collaborate and to support each other, and and financial industries. We have major exporters increase visitor spend. will be reinforced by the public sector commitment to work and attract a net inflow of young people and families. collaboratively to join up investment locally and nationally. We have a large visitor economy attracting 5 million • Take a more coordinated approach with people a year. All partners are committed to working our colleges and universities on alumni Our priority places are those where the evidence shows together to pool funding and deliver. engagement and develop a network to better there are significant opportunities and commitment for market the area to this group. continued growth. We have a diverse economy, and TOGETHER WE WILL: • Use new rail investment to further improve the combination of business specialisms, infrastructure, • Work across all local authorities to integrate our connectivity to London and Cambridge, with housing and population growth and skilled workforce inward investment and business location Great Eastern Main Line upgrades to enable is different in each place. All parts of our region are offer, campaigning at scale in new markets and regular services of under 90 minutes from connected to these centres of employment and business working with national Government. Norwich and under 60 minutes from Ipswich activity, reflecting our different travel to work areas and and cross country upgrades to enable quicker commuting patterns. Investment in these priority places, • Attract the highly skilled people we need, and more frequent services to Cambridge and for example, will unlock the connectivity improvements through targeted campaigns at specific groups Stansted. Other key infrastructure improvements needed for all our communities to benefit. This spatial working with sectors and clusters to show people such as the Ely area rail upgrades, A14, A11 focus will maximise our overall impact ensuring growth the opportunities that are here. and A47, will also improve the region’s internal benefits all communities. connectivity and links to wider markets.

18 PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES We will integrate investment in skills, infrastructure, DRIVING housing, innovation and business support to provide CASE STUDY the conditions that both new and enabling businesses need to thrive and grow. And the public sector is BUSINESS committed to empowering businesses through planning, housing and infrastructure. Micro business CULTURE DRIVES GROWTH GROWTH AND will be a focus for our business support offer. Truly successful places are much more than economic powerhouses. They are TOGETHER WE WILL: underpinned by a sense of creative PRODUCTIVITY • Sharpen our high-quality business support vibrancy, a manifestly strong quality of life offer to ensure it meets the changing needs of and a clear sense of cultural identity. Our diverse economy businesses adapting to new ways of working is a real strength. Our and new technology. This will include leadership Culture Drives Growth, the cultural strategy for development, and the ecosystem firms need to share the East, was developed by businesses within key businesses and knowledge and services across sectors. the sector. It sets out the important contribution institutions see well that arts and culture make to Norfolk and established businesses • Enable our SMEs to grow and increase exports by focusing grant programmes and other support on Suffolk, not just economically, but also in and supply chains across asserting that our two counties are creative growth, innovation and productivity. and entrepreneurial. Outlining a clear vision, our sectors. • Lead a cross sector “trade global, supply local” the strategy focuses on job creation, scaling campaign, to open up supply chain opportunities for cultural and creative investment, developing But we know that competition will continue to be local businesses. talent and building an inspiring place to live, fierce and global economic conditions uncertain. work and invest. Many of our successful industries benefit from the • Prioritise digital and physical infrastructure advantages and resources offered by our location, projects to support businesses to develop and Ensuring that our cultural assets make the with major opportunities for growth into new and provide the space that new and existing firms need fullest possible contribution to economic developing markets nationally and globally. We also to grow. growth, the strategy has been a story have significant growth opportunities in newer sectors, • Set up new schemes to help high growth of successful including health and life sciences and our digital, businesses and make it easier to access advice collaboration, creative and ICT firms. and funding for commercial innovation and delivering innovative commercialising business and university R&D. projects such as Our work to support business will be driven by StartEast, building three goals: • Provide improved access to finance and the cultural and assisting business capability in identifying creative economy • Increasing investment. skills deficits. We will make it easier to access and Look Sideways these services through a new “front door” for • Driving productivity. East, attracting investment funding support. greater numbers • Helping our firms move into new markets • Establish new centres of excellence to improve of cultural tourists. and products. productivity and innovation, providing new skills for business leaders and employees.

PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES 19 TOGETHER WE WILL: • Step up our efforts to promote and support the delivery of high quality apprenticeships • Through the development of sector skills plans, DRIVING providing clear entry routes into our focus sectors, produce clear statements about the skills directly produce the skills and capabilities businesses need now and in the future, to our economy needs – including higher level INCLUSION influence providers, business investment and technical skills through degree and higher level personal choices by new students and those apprenticeships. AND SKILLS already in the workforce. • Work with Government to establish an • Develop an integrated skills offer for Institute of Technology that builds on our Our people, whether in businesses across Norfolk and Suffolk, to strengths and meets the increasing need for higher traditional careers, micro make it easier for them to navigate and access the level technical skills in key areas such as energy, initiatives and provision that are available. We will businesses, arts and culture engineering and manufacturing. or supporting others in the focus particularly on the long term development of technical skills in our existing workforce. • Grow the number of Enterprise Advisers and community, are central to all the number of schools that are engaged. This • Prioritise capital investment on provision our ambitions and goals. We will further strengthen the link between the business that will deliver the future skills our sectors and education community in order to drive young want to raise and support aspiration across and workforce need. Taking a commissioning people’s aspirations and work readiness in line with all ages. Good progress has been made in approach and being clear about what must be the requirements of the local economy. raising skill levels, but we want to go further provided. We will use the Skill Deals programme to and faster, particularly for those already in drive innovation aligned to local economic need. work. We will help our young people set their • Prioritise leadership support for our Hydramec, ambitions high and understand the exciting entrepreneurs and those in new high growth businesses, through further accelerator support, Great Yarmouth local careers available to them. and business mentorship. We will provide the ecosystem that new entrepreneurs need to succeed. Our area is one of significant economic opportunity, with high levels of employment. We will give people • Deliver the Youth Pledge for all our young the information they need to know to make informed people, providing an integrated offer that shows decisions on the skills, capabilities and opportunities and inspires young people about the opportunities they need to succeed. We will encourage businesses to that exist and provides support to enable them to invest in and providers to respond quickly to, the long access them, including support into employment. term needs of people and businesses.

We will design our actions and investment so that they Youth Pledge enable growth that directly supports wider community Every young person benefits, including wellbeing, health and care. (16-24) in Norfolk and Suffolk will get the personal support they need to get an apprenticeship, training, work experience or a job within 3 months of leaving education or employment. 20 PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES • Expand the education pipeline within our primary and secondary schools, by engaging children in science, technology and engineering skill development within their curriculum to prepare them as the region’s future workforce. CASE STUDIES

• Develop new approaches and remove barriers to getting people back into work, especially for YOUTH EMPLOYMENT INTERNATIONAL AVIATION those furthest from the jobs market and provide MyGo is an innovative Youth ACADEMY - NORWICH support for all into sustained employment. This will Employment service for 16-24 We have the world’s firstAviation Academy include our pilot work and health programmes, the year olds in Suffolk. in Norwich. delivery of high quality basic skills training in English, Mathematics and ICT and the development of The service provides young residents with This will work in partnership with providers and pathways for young people and adults with special the support they need to access meaningful, industry to provide pathways for young people educational needs and disabilities (SEND) to move sustainable employment. It provides tailored through to careers in all aspects of the aviation into supported employment. And developing support to identify training needs and options, plan industry, which is facing a global skills shortage. opportunities to capitalise on the skills, knowledge a career and gain access to local job vacancies, This offer will be extended to ages 8-18 and experience that the over 65s population offer. apprenticeships, education opportunities and to embed skills into the academic Our ambition is to extend the principles behind our training courses. learning process with a linked integrated approach for young people and the Youth FE and HE route for Pledge to adults. Norwich for Jobs, through students. the support of local employers, offers young people opportunities to take part in work experience placements; attend “ Driving skills and work taster days and participate in mock interviews with real employers high quality employment with the aim of realising their is fundamental to our employment goals. Students at University goals to create a more of Suffolk inclusive economy, with improving wage

levels, living standards Official opening of the and attainment.” Aviation Academy, Norwich

PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES 21 King’s Lynn Innovation Centre & Ipswich Waterfront Innovation COLLABORATING Centre (below) Working across sectors

TO GROW Many firms have increasingly common requirements The competition we for technical know-how and access to new ideas and techniques across sectors that might once have been face does not come more distinct, such as telecoms, agricultural and food from within Norfolk technology and logistics. The skills and techniques and Suffolk. Many in high demand in our digital and creative sector are of the opportunities also increasingly valuable in start-up and established financial services and insurance firms. Firms and we have come individuals are also increasingly working across larger from our proximity distances to share ideas and techniques and work to Cambridge and together on specific projects. London as well as global markets. The new TOGETHER WE WILL: markets and investment opportunities we • Help businesses collaborate on increasingly seek are national and global. common requirements for technical know-how and access to new markets and techniques, Within both Norfolk and Suffolk, we have developed for example by making the most of the connections a strong partnership between businesses, councils, and shared interests between the telecoms universities and colleges. This is a particularly strength specialisms at Adastral Park and applications in and we have achieved much in the past five years. But high tech agricultural firms. the way everyone works is continuing to change fast. • Link up our innovation hubs and wider business support offer, focusing on specific “ Our ability to collaborate places where it makes sense to do so, for example across sectors, organisations in the opportunities to link up culture, digital, fin-tech and creative firms in Norwich. and geographic and • Build on the success of our growth hub and administrative boundaries will sector groups to help people and businesses be a cornerstone of our future find the support and funding needed. • Ensure our work on opening up supply success as we build on what chain opportunities reaches across sectoral we have already achieved.” boundaries.

22 PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES Working between public and private sectors Working with other regions CASE STUDY To explore innovative approaches to funding and On regional, national and international opportunities. finance, driving returns on investment in infrastructure. We commit to opening up procurement and further TOGETHER WE WILL: empowering businesses through a smoother planning • At a regional level, continue to work with other TECHEAST system, linking housing, utilities and infrastructure TechEast has a bold vision - to drive the areas, in particular Cambridge and Essex, provision and flexible and integrated investment plans. growth of digital tech in the East and on major physical and digital infrastructure underpin the creation of 5,000 additional TOGETHER WE WILL: improvements, such as the Local Energy East strategy and proactively identifying opportunities to digital tech jobs by 2020. • Commit to further supporting businesses create bigger gains across the East, joining up the Galvanising the sector by speaking with through a smoother planning system, linking ecosystem that supports our business. one voice, TechEast aims to be recognised housing, utilities and infrastructure provision and as one of the UK’s top five digital tech clusters. flexible and integrated investment plans, working • Work with other parts of the UK on enhancing An important partner in developing our with the Homes and Communities Agency and the supply chains, learning best practices, ambitions, TechEast provides leadership for Housing Finance Institute. influencing government and drive efficiency around procurement, maximising opportunities for this growing sector. • Ensure that local businesses are well placed to our firms who are part of national and global supply help solve the challenges in service provision chains and sectors. We are also working with the Launched in April 2016 as a private sector and design that the public-sector faces, forging South West to maximise the opportunities associated partnership, TechEast is providing business partnerships in technology and information systems with the proposed Sizewell C nuclear power station support to existing and start-up companies, that will benefit people and local businesses. in terms of supply chains, employment and skills connecting members and investors through opportunities and inward investment. networking events and has established an • Establish more flexible funding for smaller embassy showcase in London. As sector scale research and innovation projects, • Collaborate with sector groups and trade leaders, TechEast has helped map out the working with Government as it shapes national organisations nationally and globally, where region’s innovation assets, strengths and Industrial Strategy. there is the opportunity for our businesses to opportunities in the Science and Innovation work with others to develop new opportunities Audit, and is leading the charge on the and markets. Digital Tech Skills Plan for the region, putting employers at the heart of it. “ We commit to opening • New Anglia LEP and Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough LEP are committed up procurement and to continue to identify opportunities for further empowering joint investment in the overlapping areas of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Forest Heath and businesses through a St Edmundsbury. smoother planning system.”

PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES 23 TOGETHER WE WILL: COMPETITIVE Develop a commercially led plan for each cluster that will: CLUSTERS • Encourage new companies and commercial investment. CLOSE TO • Establish global and national links. • Maximise local supply chain benefits. GLOBAL • Market the commercial opportunity. • Develop the ecosystem that enables the cluster to thrive. CENTRES Focusing on our specific sectoral opportunities will deliver real value in sector specific interventions. Within our business This will drive economic benefits across our indicators sectors, Norfolk and and themes. Suffolk have a number of CLEAN ENERGY recognised national and Our East coast energy cluster is world class, global clusters of business, the only place in the UK where expertise and operations in oil, gas, nuclear, with excellent access to renewables, solar and micro generation national and global markets and to London exists in such close proximity. The potential for and Cambridge. new gas extraction and the vast potential of our renewable clean energy resource, together with long term decommissioning opportunities provide major long-term growth potential. This includes the potential  “Each of our identified to develop new products and techniques through clusters has substantial the sharing of expertise and ideas across different disciplines within the sector. further growth potential and The East Coast College Energy Skills & Engineering Centre, The Engineering & Innovation Centre at West supports high value jobs.” Suffolk College, and a graduate energy engineering school at the University of East Anglia, will provide We will support these clusters and their local people with routes to be involved and benefit specialisations, working with each to ensure that as this cluster expands. We will also work with the Aviva, Norwich the commercial opportunity they represent is fully other parts of the UK to develop new opportunities and Offshore in in our nuclear sector, emphasising the importance Norfolk and Suffolk developed and well communicated to Government and investors. Evidence suggests businesses identify of new nuclear to southern economies like ours. with and benefit from locating in these clusters. Energy sector specific interventions will also contribute towards Norfolk and Suffolk becoming a centre for the UK’s low carbon clean energy sector. 24 PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES FINANCIAL SERVICES There is an opportunity through bodies such as AND INSURANCE Agri-tech East to strengthen the links further between We have considerable strength in our research centres and the local economy. We will the financial services and insurance ensure the infrastructure is in place to sustain growth sector, with two clusters, concentrated and benefit local businesses and supply chains. in Ipswich and Norwich. Willis Towers Another priority is the microbiome hub at NRP, which Watson, AXA, Aviva and Marsh are global players in will further encourage convergence and translation of the insurance industry, who sit alongside a growing the centres assets into commercialised number of smaller fin-tech businesses, and are businesses. Newmarket is also a important in maintaining this competitive advantage. global centre for equine health Technical skills, including in developing new customer Artist’s impression and science. platforms and creative interfaces, will continue to grow of proposed housing in importance for this sector, and developing the skills development next to and wider ecosystem needed to support and attract Adastral Park, East Suffolk Life Sciences and Biotech new businesses and skilled people to the sector will be a priority. This cluster also provides huge growth We will also support our digital and creative cluster in opportunities for our digital cluster, with many of our Norwich. This is characterised by SMEs and start-ups digital start-up businesses born out of the financial in the digital and creative sector. These high growth services sector. businesses will be provided with tailored business support to allow them to access the tools needed to ICT, TECH AND grow and we will continue to support them with the DIGITAL CREATIVE appropriate grow-on space needed. At Adastral Park, near Ipswich, we have a globally significant ICT LIFE SCIENCES cluster and one of the world’s AND BIOTECH leading Innovation Hubs in information technology, At Norwich Research Park, home home to BT Labs global engineering headquarters. to the Earlham Institute, John The Adastral Park 2025 vision will take the site to a Innes Centre, The Sainsbury new level, growing the newly created Tommy Flowers Laboratory and the Quadram Institute and UEA and Institute for post-graduate ICT industrial research; in Lowestoft at The Centre for Environment, Fisheries the world’s largest converged networks research and Aquaculture Science (CEFAS), we have two major facility and the UK’s Centre for Internet of Things UK life science centres. (IoT) operations development. These facilities will help it become the national centre for developing the The research base provides a concentrated focus UK’s converged digital infrastructure. We will drive to the cluster and can provide a magnet to attract the success of this project, supporting it through new businesses as well as act as a catalyst to grow appropriate digital and physical connectivity, linking existing firms. Hargreaves Plants and Germains it to the University of Suffolk and their Ipswich Technology are two examples of local businesses who Waterfront Innovation Centre, University of East are global leaders in plant and seed research and Anglia and Norwich University of the Arts, as well as technology who benefit from proximity to the NRP and national institutes. to Cambridge. PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES 25 We will drive the investment programme that is PRIORITY regenerating the town centre, with a strategy designed to bring forward projects that will further enhance the town’s offer and the successful growth PLACES of the waterfront area. A new rail franchise will improve journey reliability, frequency and provide IPSWICH state of the art rolling stock with full high speed wifi Ipswich and the surrounding area is a place of huge connectivity. We will work to secure the northern relief potential growth, an hour from the heart of London’s road, vital improvements to the A14, A12 and further digital and financial powerhouse at Liverpool Street improvements to connectivity to unlock further growth Station. Ipswich is one of the fastest growing urban in the town and surrounding area. areas in the UK. The area is home to several major global assets including Felixstowe and Martlesham NORWICH AND GREATER NORWICH Heath in East Suffolk. Norwich and Greater Norwich, which covers the city and the districts of South Norfolk and Adastral Park, with Innovation Martlesham, is a Broadland, has seen substantial economic growth globally significant ICT cluster and home to BT’s over the past five years. The Greater Norwich Global Research and Development HQ. The Port of area has the highest GVA per head of Norfolk Felixstowe is the UK’s largest container port and the and Suffolk districts and the highest percentage Port of Ipswich is the UK’s busiest grain export port. of residents with NVQ4+ qualifications. Business Both are investing in future expansion and support a Ipswich Waterfront (above) creation and survival rates are higher than average, & The Forum, Norwich nationally significant hub of ports and logistics related as are employment and economic activity rates. businesses. These global assets, combined with its We will support and drive the next stage of this proximity to London and development opportunities growth, building on the area’s long tradition of linked to our Enterprise Zone sites, make the area a creative, radical thinking, fostering innovative development location with huge potential. businesses, a fast growing digital and creative hub and further developing the strong and well Securing this potential is a major priority, with established cultural scene. recent major investment in public realm, new retail and leisure opportunities. There is a growing and We will further strengthen links between local significant cluster of highly skilled finance, insurance businesses and the global excellence of the and legal services firms, including Willis Towers University of East Anglia and Norwich University Watson and AXA and a fast growing telecoms and of the Arts, providing the ecosystem that new digital presence in the area. Further development entrepreneurs need to thrive. We will support the of the high quality and growing independent arts, continued success of the city’s financial services heritage and cultural scene, which together with and insurance cluster. This is based on an exciting access to high quality leisure activities, coastline and combination of the long-standing commitment countryside will firmly reinforce Ipswich as an excellent of firms such as Aviva, Marsh and Virgin Money, place to live and work. alongside new start-ups and a growing number of fin-tech companies.

26 PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES The sector takes advantage of both global microbial and plant systems for a wide range of amongst the most deprived and low skilled places opportunities and the tech, creative and digital industrial applications. We are determined to exploit in Norfolk and Suffolk. We will work to connect skills available in the city. These firms tap into the the commercial opportunities that this excellence residents with the opportunities afforded by the skilled labour market and growing number of young represents and ensure that local businesses benefit. energy sector’s growth. professionals that see the area as a great place to live and work. For the same reasons, energy NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK ENERGY COAST Major firms operating on the coast also have a firms with operations on the Norfolk and Suffolk The Norfolk and Suffolk Energy coast, branded as presence elsewhere, including in Norwich and Energy coast also have a significant presence in part of the East of England Energy Zone, is a global Ipswich. Huge opportunities exist for linking the area. Norwich International Airport is the centre centre of oil, gas, nuclear and renewable energy offshore generation and energy use, technology for aviation operations for the southern sector of the generation and infrastructure. We are leading the and product development across oil, gas North Sea Oil, Gas and Renewables sector. way in delivering sustainable and clean energy and renewables. We will work to ensure that solutions to underpin economic growth across Government and investors understand the existing We will continue to support improvements to the UK. Alongside our Nuclear generation and and potential contribution of the area and connectivity. Significant investment is under way in decommissioning expertise, the Southern North how it can be maximised, including by green transport and improving last mile commuting. Sea currently plays host to over 150 offshore gas developing the strategic case for We will drive significant housing and commercial assets, together with 986 offshore wind turbines new infrastructure. growth across the area. Norwich is less than two generating 3.75GW of renewable power directly hours from London, with firm plans to reduce off the region’s coast, with an additional 1,000+ some journey times to 90 minutes with new trains turbines generating some 14GW of offshore wind and more regular services of 90 minutes targeted power to be installed over the next decade. The through Great Eastern Main Line infrastructure sector is driving down costs through innovation and upgrades. The city is also linked to Cambridge collaboration, developing new technologies across by the growing A11 corridor, including direct rail our energy system, maximising offshore production services to Cambridge (and from 2020 to Stansted and generation. The sector employs some 8,469 Airport), providing improved connectivity whilst skilled people in more than 834 companies. retaining Norwich’s unique identity. The Norwich Significant investment is planned for the A12, Research Park is a centre of world class expertise supporting the future growth of the Nuclear and in genome analysis and manipulation of animal, wider energy sector.

Bell Farm track bridge and Norfolk and Suffolk is the only place in the UK stabilisation, Norwich Northern where all these forms of resource extraction and Distributor Road energy generation exist together, including expertise on microgeneration and growing local energy networks. Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft form the centre of the area’s energy industry, which stretches from Wells in North Norfolk, includes Bacton, where 30% of the UK’s gas comes ashore, to Sizewell. Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft offer a huge growth opportunity, with affordable residential and Greater Gabbard Wind Farm, East Coast commercial property and investment under way in key infrastructure. However, both towns are also

PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES 27 CAMBRIDGE – NORWICH CORRIDOR EAST – WEST CORRIDORS

The Cambridge-Norwich Corridor spans over A14 CORRIDOR BETWEEN FELIXSTOWE 100km of the A11 and rail links between the two AND CAMBRIDGE/PETERBOROUGH cities. It comprises the UK’s most established tech cluster in Cambridge and clusters of business Bury St Edmunds has seen strong recent and research excellence across advanced growth in jobs, housing and economic output, manufacturing, agri-tech, life sciences and digital including business location and investment. The creative including global firms such as Multimatic, area is an attractive place to live and work, well through to Norwich. connected to Cambridge by road and rail, as well as providing a high quality town centre, cultural offer and natural environment. “ The area has high jobs Hethel Engineering Centre & Felixstowe There are many long-established and and population growth Port (below) growing businesses around Bury St Edmunds, which it is estimated to including Greene King, British Sugar and Servest. The wider A14 corridor between Felixstowe add over £500m GVA through Ipswich, Stowmarket, Newmarket and Haverhill to Cambridge is seeing considerable to the regional economy growth and substantial further new housing by 2031.” development is planned. We will work to secure further road improvements It contains over 12,000 knowledge intensive to the A14, A11 and A1307 in West Suffolk. The businesses and is well placed to develop synergies towns of Haverhill, Newmarket and Stowmarket are with businesses in both Cambridge and Norwich. all areas of significant housing growth, providing a high quality natural environment alongside Significant housing and commercial development comparatively affordable housing. is under way with further large scale commercial development opportunities all along the corridor The area has high commuting levels by both road including the redevelopment of RAF Mildenhall and and rail, driven by proximity to Cambridge and is Thetford urban extension. also the main route for freight traffic from Felixstowe to the North and the rest of the UK. The work of Future priorities such as East-West rail will further East-West rail will support the aspiration for twice drive long term connectivity with Milton Keynes per hour rail services from Ipswich to Cambridge and Oxford. to accommodate increased growth and high commuting levels along the corridor.

28 PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES A47 Corridor

KING’S LYNN INFRASTRUCTURE

The King’s Lynn-Cambridge road and rail corridor Infrastructure improvements underpin all our offers considerable potential for growth. Unlike priority places and themes: other growth corridors to Cambridge, this area offers a direct service to London (100mins) via • Strengthening the reliability of high quality Cambridge (50mins). mobile coverage.

The area has seen significant recent investment and • Completing the provision of high speed is home to leading firms including Bespak, Cooper broadband. Bearings and Palm Paper, centres of excellence in design and manufacture of commercial refrigeration • Rail improvements, especially on the key Great (Foster Refrigerator and Williams Refrigeration – top Eastern Main Line, East-West and Norwich/ two companies in the UK and in top 10 in Europe) Kings Lynn – Cambridge/Stansted corridors, and in aerospace engineering at RAF Marham. Felixstowe to the North rail freight corridor and to improve reliability, frequency, journey times Downham Market is also home to a growing and wi-fi, through the new franchise and capital number of ICT and digital firms. The area offers investment in rail infrastructure upgrades low house prices and is also close to Wisbech, a settlement earmarked as a ‘garden city’ in • Further development of the A47, A14, A11, Cambridge’s growth plans. A10, bypasses to relieve congestion and last mile connectivity and commuting transport in We are committed to securing the infrastructure our priority places. improvements in both road and rail needed to unlock the area’s growth ambitions, including to • Utility provision for business and new achieve a half hourly service to London’s King’s communities, including local energy networks. Cross and better road connections to Cambridge and along the A10. This will include working with • Flood defences that unlock or protect A47 CORRIDOR BETWEEN LOWESTOFT, partners in Cambridgeshire including the housing and commercial GREAT YARMOUTH AND KING’S LYNN Mayoral Combined Authority and its plans for development. infrastructure improvements. Government has recognised the strategic importance of the A47, with commitment to improve  parts of the route. We are committed to securing “We are committed to the full dualling of this major artery between East securing the infrastructure Anglia to the Midlands, which would unlock growth along its route, including significant commercial improvements in both road and housing developments as well as improve Class 90 in new Abellio Greater job opportunities in locations such as Swaffham and rail needed to unlock Anglia livery May 2014 and Dereham as well as supporting links between Lowestoft, Great Yarmouth and Norwich. the area’s growth ambition.” PRIORITY THEMES AND PLACES 29 Delivery and Investments plans which will set out A shared inclusive growth toolkit will provide how the projects and priorities in this strategy will be assurance that projects are also judged MAKING IT delivered and funded, the outcomes they will deliver consistently by their capacity to deliver positive and how partners will be mobilised to achieve them. impacts for our residents. HAPPEN Ongoing commitment to work together as local Indicators which we will use to track progress councils, college, universities and business groups and prioritise. We have agreed ambitions and priorities to align strategy, planning and investment across An annual stock-take of progress, involving all the which will drive investment and action as we housing, infrastructure, utilities, transport and skills. partners who have been involved in developing and make Norfolk and Suffolk the place where Ensuring that our statutory plans, business plans and endorsing this strategy. We will hold each other to people want to live, work, learn, invest and other strategies reflect the evidence and priorities of account, be transparent about progress and review this overarching economic strategy. do business. The way we work together where changes are needed to reflect new economic is a major strength. Businesses, the LEP, A common investment prioritisation framework, or policy circumstances. to assess projects and actions relating to growth that local authorities, third sector organisations, emerges from this and related strategies and plans. This strategy will not be delivered by one colleges and universities who have come This provides further transparency for all projects that partner alone or by one strand of investment together to agree this strategy are all receive support from one or a range of organisations or actions. The ambitions and priorities committed to aligning relevant actions and and ensures that all investment is focused on those we have agreed provide the direction and investment to the priorities we have agreed. projects that will most effectively achieve our collective strategic case for a wide range of partners to ambitions and targets. develop their own plans and interventions that contribute to achieving our shared ambitions. We collaborate to deliver shared ambitions rather than focusing on organisational, sectoral or geographic boundaries. Our ambitions will be achieved through using the whole system to deliver, including other local and regional action plans and strategies, including statutory planning documents. This is the best way AUTUMN 2017 WINTER 2017 SPRING 2018 SUMMER 2018 AUTUMN 2018 of integrating action and investment to achieve the Economic Awareness Implementation Light Touch Economic value for money and impact that our residents and Strategy Raising and of Delivery and Evidence Refresh. Strategy Annual businesses expect. Endorsed and Capacity Building. Investment Plans. Progress Review. We are putting in place the following tools and systems Published. to support this way of working: Economic Strategy Evidence (a shared evidence Align Governance Delivery and Agree Investment Monitoring and base) which will continue to evolve and stay live. and Agree Investment Plans Plan for 2019/20. Reporting on Updated as new data is available it will guide decisions Implementation developed and Progress. across all relevant organisations. This shared platform Approach. agreed. supports the development of plans and strategies across Norfolk and Suffolk, providing partners with a reliable and consistent source of economic data to Delivery plans will set out the progress we want to achieve and the actions and investments we will deliver inform action and investment decisions. up to Spring 2021. Annual investment plans will be agreed each Spring for the following financial year with an annual progress review each Autumn. A full review will take place in 2020 to develop a new Economic Strategy for the 2021 - 2026 period. 30 MAKING IT HAPPEN

THE ECONOMIC STRATEGY FOR NORFOLK AND SUFFOLK HAS BEEN APPROVED BY THE NEW ANGLIA LEP BOARD AND DEVELOPED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH AND ENDORSED BY A WIDE RANGE OF STAKEHOLDERS INCLUDING:

EDUCATION ESTABLISHMENTS BUSINESSES AND BUSINESS SECTOR GROUPS • Norwich University of the Arts SUBSIDIARY GROUPS • Building Growth Group • University of East Anglia • Adnams • Digital Creative Industries Group • University of Suffolk • Agri-tech East • EEEGR • New Anglia College Group • Aviva • Financial Industry Group - City College Norwich • Ben Burgess & Co • Food, Drink and Agriculture Board - The College of West Anglia • Broads Authority • New Anglia Cultural Board - East Norfolk Sixth Form College • Briar Chemicals • New Anglia Advanced Manufacturing & - Easton & Otley College • Business Writers Ltd Engineering - Great Yarmouth College • CBI • TechEast - Lowestoft College • Country Land and Business Association (CLA) • Visit East Anglia - Lowestoft Sixth Form College • East of England Co-op - Paston Sixth Form College • Finance East LOCAL AUTHORITIES - Suffolk New College • Foolproof • Babergh and Mid Suffolk Councils - Suffolk One • Federation of Small Businesses • Breckland District Council - West Suffolk College • Hethel Innovation • Broadland District Council • Hethel Engineering Centre • Forest Heath District Council • Iceni Diagnostics • Great Yarmouth Borough Council • Institute of Directors • Ipswich Borough Council • Innovation Martlesham • Norfolk County Council • Lintott Control Systems Limited • Norwich City Council • Marsh • North Norfolk District Council • Morgan Sindall • South Norfolk Council • Nautilus Associates Ltd • St Edmundsbury Borough Council • Norfolk Chamber of Commerce • Suffolk Coastal District Council • Norwich International Airport • Suffolk County Council • Nwes • Waveney District Council • OrbisEnergy • West Norfolk Council • RG Carter Construction • Scottish Power Renewables • Scottow Enterprise Park • Suffolk Chamber of Commerce • Vattenfall • Writers’ Centre Norwich