Why Colchester?
Colchester is one of the fastest growing districts in the country…
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Known for being Britain’s first city and oldest recorded town, Colchester today is undergoing a £3bn transformation befitting one of the fastest growing districts in the country. Five areas around the Borough are currently undergoing regeneration or have been designated as Growth Areas. This development will bring new housing and create new jobs; will be the catalyst for new culture and unique leisure experiences and will bring serious opportunities for investment.
Contents:
Steve Mannix, Executive Director, Mercury Theatre.
Strategic Location
Colchester is a strategic location for business within the South East Local Enterprise Partnership (SELEP) and also benefits from being in the East of England Region. It is increasingly recognised by policymakers and researchers as a high growth innovation hotspot with immense growth potential.
Essex County Council is a core partner of the South East LEP and its Economic Plan for Essex includes Colchester in the Haven Gateway A120 Growth Corridor. Key investment opportunities have been identified along with transport infrastructure improvements which are aspired to be unlocked by 2021.
new homes in colchester, tendring & braintree by 2033
new jobs
million (£) of investment, which could lever a further £90.5m private sector investment in the area
Colchester: A Proven Track Record of Delivery
The University of Essex is delivering on its growth plans which is raising its economic impact significantly, the details of which are highlighted in the University of Essex Economic Impact Report 2015/16.
Colchester Borough Council is a proactive and forward thinking organisation, welcoming partnership and open to discussion on a variety of areas. Interventions, often with key partners, are delivering innovative solutions to:
- more high class office space with the Amphora Place development in Sheepen Road in 2017, with phase II to follow.
- forward funding of a new road from J28 on the A12/Colchester Northern Gateway to the town centre which will be repaid to Essex County Council once the development is completed.
- hosting the rapid growth projections for this area in one of the most ambitious projects in the UK to deliver Garden Communities which are currently in development.
Making it Happen
Colchester Borough Council works well in partnership with both the public and the private sector to make the most of Colchester’s potential. Here are some of our key partners and sector partners:
- South East Local Economic Partnership (SE LEP)
- Essex County Council
- Invest Essex
- Haven Gateway Partnership
- University of Essex
- Creative & Digital – Creative Colchester
- Healthcare & Assisted Living [needs contacts and organisational links]
- Tourism – Visit Essex
- Energy & Environmental Industries [needs contacts and organisational links]
- Financial & Business Services – Invest Essex
- Retail – Colchester Retail & Business Association (CoRBA)
- Construction [needs contacts and organisational links]
- Advanced Manufacture [needs contacts and organisational links]
Ambition
Designing new places and providing a blank canvas for business: Colchester Borough Council and its neighbours Tendring and Braintree District Councils are working together on visionary proposals to bring forward new garden communities across North Essex and to address long term housing, transport, infrastructure, open space, and employment needs.
Increasing business support: There is ongoing development on new ‘grow-on’ space to retain skills and talent to help businesses face the challenges of growth.The BEST Growth Hub helps businesses to identify and realise their potential with free help and advice for growth.
Creating a new leisure destination: £137m is being invested in the north of Colchester for a new leisure destination with: a stadium, new sports centre, cycling race track, BMX course, David Lloyd Club and an IMAX cinema. In town the Mercury Theatre has an £8.8m plan to transform its site, improve the audience experience and production facilities and create a learning and participation centre.
Improving transportation links: Transport links to Colchester are being improved to boast economic potential and to enhance access into and out of the capital. Better transport links will also make it easier to access Crossrail from Shenfield:
- A120 Haven Gateway – Stansted – Harwich
- A12 Brentwood – Chelmsford – Colchester
- Great Eastern Mainline rail improvements
Locations for Growth
Find out why Colchester is an amazing base for your business.
Who's Investing?
Find out what key business people based in and around Colchester have to say.