International Development Secretary Liz Truss is backing a new road map for the future of the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor which sets out the path to creating a globally significant tech cluster in the East of England.
The Tech Corridor vision and spatial strategy has been produced by the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor partnership and design and architecture firm Perkins&Will. It provides a detailed analysis of the business ecosystem in the Tech Corridor, as well as identifying locations with the greatest potential for growth and the steps that need to be taken to help these locations flourish.
“Technology will be at the heart of Britain’s vibrant post-Brexit economy, and regional hubs like the Tech Corridor will be key to creating a diverse and compelling offer to the brightest and best from around the world.” – Liz Truss MP
Liz Truss, who is also MP for South West Norfolk, said: “The Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor plays an important role underpinning economic growth in South West Norfolk and East Anglia as a whole, connecting the world-leading research centres of Cambridge and Norwich with cutting-edge advanced manufacturing and engineering businesses, as well as a skilled and motivated workforce.
“Technology will be at the heart of Britain’s vibrant post-Brexit economy, and regional hubs like the Tech Corridor will be key to creating a diverse and compelling offer to the brightest and best from around the world. I welcome the publication of this report, which sets out a road map for the future and the steps we need to take to build a globally significant tech cluster.”
Linking two of the UK’s leading university cities, the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor is already home to a community of businesses and research institutions shaping the future of food, energy, medicine and mobility.
The Tech Corridor partnership brings together leading figures from the private and public sectors on a mission to create a top-tier destination for technology firms from around the world looking to establish, grow and cluster, for highly skilled workers looking for a rewarding career with a strong purpose and a rich quality of life, and for businesses and investors seeking the next high-value, sustainable opportunity.
Linn Clabburn is programme director for the Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor, and said: “This study paints a picture of a thriving Tech Corridor economy, and will be central to our work creating programmes which help the outstanding businesses in the region develop, while also delivering investment into our companies and key infrastructure.
“We are acutely aware that businesses face a period of unprecedented uncertainty in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, which is why the Tech Corridor is at the heart of New Anglia LEP’s Norfolk and Suffolk Recovery and Restart plan.
“A strong Tech Corridor, championing our companies, connecting businesses and research institutions and developing integrated local supply chains, will help ensure that our economy is resilient in the face of the challenges which lie ahead.”
Peter Baird, senior associate at Perkins and Will, added: “The pandemic has brought the science and technology sectors to the fore, amplifying the strengths of innovative industries to support the economy, our productivity, connectivity, and health. The Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor is ideally placed to draw together these strengths into a cohesive vision.
“To compete in the global market and mimic some of the superclusters we see emerging in other countries, investors need greater strategic planning certainty and we need to escalate our use of data to help inform decision-making. Britain has to be more bold and ministers need to recognise that if companies cannot grow here, they will look for opportunities outside the UK.”
© Eastern Echo (powered by ukpropertyforums.com)
Please rate this article out of five stars below. You can comment too, using the form at the bottom of the page.
