DISCOVER IPSWICH Ipswich is the oldest English town boasting a vibrant new waterfront, a dynamic university and a rich cultural centre for the arts. Its location makes national and international connection easy. It is the gateway to the celebrated Suffolk coast, with world-famous music, food and drink festivals and flagship wildlife destinations. Within the county town are major international insurance firms and flourishing high tech businesses. On its doorstep - the UK s largest container port at Felixstowe and BT s global research and development HQ. Ipswich is a great place to live, work and do business. Ipswich is one of the fastest growing urban centres in the East, with major demand for new homes, businesses and leisure facilities. As our economy grows we expect a large increase in the number of jobs in Ipswich. We also know there is high demand for new development and are planning for 13,550 new homes and more than 30ha of employment land. There is a huge amount of growth coming. To support it, there will be an enormous amount of investment in the next five years which is going to make the town an even better place to live, shop and do business. A new 99m crossing of the Ipswich Wet Dock. A 3m+ upgrade to the town s central square the Cornhill. A new 7m Innovation Centre in the town s newly independent University of Suffolk. New Enterprise Zone sites with reduced business rates and simplified planning rules. Tens of millions of pounds of private sector investment in office buildings, new homes, retail and leisure. Much of this investment has only been made possible because of the Ipswich Vision Partnership seven partners committed to growth and improvement in the town. The key agencies and advocates for the town are committed to work together to support growth so that Ipswich fulfils its enormous potential. There is a huge opportunity for growth here in Ipswich. Don t miss out.
WELL CONNECTED As the county town of Suffolk, Ipswich benefits from high speed broadband and road, rail, air and sea networks connecting it to the rest of the UK, and the world beyond. NORWICH 46 miles 40 mins A140 LOWESTOFT 51 miles NORWICH AIRPORT up to 3 CONNECTIONS per hour TO ESBERG, DENMARK CAMBRIDGE 60 miles 1hr 19 mins A14 IPSWICH North Sea offshore Gas & Wind industries serviced by Lowestoft ROAD LINKS M1 - Midlands and The North A1 & M11 The North LUTON 100 miles STANSTED AIRPORT 17.5m A1 passengers per year STANSTED 50 miles HARWICH 30 miles FELIXSTOWE 12 miles FELIXSTOWE DOCKS UK S LARGEST container port TO HOOK OF HOLLAND HEATHROW AIRPORT 184 worldwide destinations GATWICK AIRPORT 200 worldwide destinations M25 M1 HEATHROW 111 miles M25 GATWICK 101 miles M11 LONDON STRATFORD 1hr 4 mins LONDON GATEWAY PORT & logistics park A12 SOUTHEND 57 miles SOUTHEND AIRPORT 22 UK, Ireland & European destinations IPSWICH DOCKS UK S LARGEST agricultural exporting port
POPULATION GROWTH Ipswich is in a period of strong population growth Employment figures are projected to rise by 6,800 during 2014/2025 Source: East of England Forecasting Model, Oxford Economics 2014 +15,100 Projected +17,600 2025 HIGH SPEED BROADBAND 81.3% Ipswich Borough postcodes have the 12th highest superfast broadband penetration rates of the 64 cities monitored by the Centre for Cities organisation. Source: Centre for Cities outlook report 2015, www.cititesoutlook.org (January 2015) POSITIVE ECONOMIC GROWTH All of our key business sectors play a huge part in ensuring that there is a positive economic growth forecast for Ipswich, the Greater Ipswich Area and Suffolk as a whole by 2018. Ipswich s economy is set to grow by 10% by 2018 Source: East of England Forecasting Model, Oxford Economics 2004 Suffolk 13.2bn 2014-14.5bn by 2018 Greater Ipswich 8.2bn 2014-9bn by 2018 Ipswich 3bn 2014-3.1bn by 2018 3 CONNECTIONS to London Liverpool Street in the heart of the city every hour, with the fastest train taking just 64 minutes. Easy connections to Cambridge and Norwich
CHRISTCHURCH WE HAVE A VISION FOR IPSWICH CENTRAL We have identified the essential elements that the town needs to fulfil its potential. Each Quarter will have its own distinct identity and make its own contribution to the revitalisation of the town centre. WESTGATE EASTGATE The Christchurch Quarter - an area of high value housing clustered around Christchurch Park, the Mansion and the Museum. The Central Quarter - a distinctive retail and leisure offer, with some associated employment uses, all within a predominantly pedestrianised environment. The Eastgate Quarter - a mixed area with expanded areas of urban living supplemented by retail, leisure and entertainment uses alongside car parking. The Westgate Quarter - a mixed area including residential, car parking and leisure surrounding the New Wolsey Theatre. PORTMAN FRANCISCAN SAINTS INNOVATION The Saints Quarter - a mixed area structured around north-south routes bringing together new residential developments with supporting and experimental independent retail and leisure uses. The Innovation Quarter - an exciting learning and creative area surrounding University Campus Suffolk and Suffolk New College. The Portman Quarter - an area of commerce, public authorities and complimentary employment and sporting uses. The Franciscan Quarter - an employment area surrounding the new Princes Street office corridor and Cardinal Park, a leisure and entertainment park. RIVERSIDE WATERFRONT The Riverside Quarter - an area to the west of the waterfront incorporating new waterside residential developments, car parking and river walkways leading to and from the station. The Waterfront Quarter - the amphitheatre surrounding the marina and incorporating an island site and within which business, enterprise and leisure uses are encouraged. The opportunities in Ipswich are really significant. I work around the country and I have found it to be one of the most vibrant towns in terms of development opportunities. There is a can-do spirit in Ipswich which is notably absent elsewhere. - John Howard, Property Developer
Cornhill Enhancement Rail Service and Infrastructure Investment 4 6 2 Transport Investment 8 Leisure and Retail Redevelopment Waterfront Innovation Centre 5 INVESTMENT IN IPSWICH A huge amount of investment is flowing into Ipswich to deliver the Ipswich Vision and to accelerate growth in the Ipswich economy. Finance and IT are key sectors in the town centre and the Port of Felixstowe is nearby. Firms with a major presence in Ipswich include Willis Towers Watson and Axa and the wider Ipswich area is host to BT s global research and development headquarters, an internationally important and pioneering centre of technology and telecommunications. 1. Upper Orwell Crossings. A new 99m crossing of the Wet Dock. 2. Cornhill Enhancement. More than 3m to completely revitalise the town s central square. 3. Ipswich Flood Defence Management Strategy. More than 50m to protect central Ipswich from tidal flooding. 4. Rail Service and Infrastructure Investment. A major remodelling of Ipswich Station Forecourt will be delivered during 2016. The Great Eastern Mainline to London has been promised significant infrastructure improvements and with the new franchise announced this summer, there promises to be significant investment in state-of-the-art rolling stock. 5. Waterfront Innovation Centre. A 7m centre which will further establish Ipswich as a UK centre of excellence for science, technology and innovation. 6. Transport Investment. More than 26m invested in Ipswich s transport network between 2012 and 2018. 7. Port improvements. A 23% increase in the number of ships since 2014 and a 2.2m investment in facilities by Associated British Ports. 8. Leisure and Retail Redevelopment a 35m revamp of the Buttermarket Shopping Centre, with a new twelve screen cinema and restaurants, which follows a recent 4m upgrade to the Sailmakers shopping centre. Upper Orwell Crossings 1 3 Ipswich Flood Defence Management Strategy Port improvements 7 Ipswich Wet Dock. Photo taken by John Fielding: http://www.flickr.com/photos/john_fielding/
IPSWICH LIVING With major investment in the public realm, in new retail and leisure facilities, with award winning parks and more nationally recognised performing arts institutions than anywhere else in the East, Ipswich has so much to offer to those who live, work and visit here just another reason why demand for new homes is so high. London is an hour away, the world-renowned Suffolk coast with world-famous music, food and drink festivals and flagship wildlife destinations is nearby and there are two Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty on the doorstep. Ipswich is a highly desirable place to live and work. Together the county town and county of Suffolk attract visitors from across the globe. Six Arts Council-funded National Portfolio Arts organisations, including Dance East and the Pacitti Company. Pacitti Company - National Portfolio Theatre Company New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich Museum and Art School Christchurch Mansion museum and gallery, within the award winning Christchurch Park Ipswich Waterfront, home to cafes and restaurants. Corn Exchange Theatre Christchurch Mansion, with the largest collection of paintings by Constable and Gainsborough outside of London. A new Waterfront Heritage Centre planned for 2019. The thriving Saints Quarter offering small, quirky shops, fabulous restaurants, cafes and bars, half way between the town centre and the Waterfront. Investment at Buttermarket Centre - restaurants and a new cinema National touring productions visiting the Regent and Corn Exchange theatres. IPSWICH TOWN FC Cardinal Park - cinema and restaurants St Peter s by the Waterfront - music and arts venue Ipswich Waterfront Investment in a new Waterfront Heritage Centre A1022 The Avenue Theatre, home of the Red Rose Chain theatre company DanceEast - National Portfolio Organisation A137 The Suffolk Coast, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and world famous Aldeburgh Festival Jimmy s Farm, the Dedham Vale AONB and Constable Country Arthur Pita s The Little Match Girl at DanceEast (photo credit: Philip Conrad)
Assisted Area A14 MIDLANDS AND NORTH SPROUGHTON ENTERPRISE PARK EZ DEVELOPMENT INCENTIVES The majority of commercial development opportunities in Ipswich can benefit from Assisted Area Status (as shown in dark green) providing grants of up to 10% on capital investment for larger businesses and up to 30% for smaller companies. Business premises renovation relief is also available. In addition, Suffolk and Norfolk have just been awarded ten new Enterprise Zone sites, of which four have been designated in or adjacent to Ipswich. These sites will act as a powerful magnet to attract new business looking to capitalise on Ipswich s economic strengths. The four sites, detailed overleaf, will benefit from: A business rate discount of up to 275,000 over five years Simplified planning Access to superfast broadband BROOK PRINCES STREET EZ ADASTRAL PARK A14 GIPPING WATERFRONT ISLAND EZ ALEXANDRA HOLYWELLS What is different in Ipswich is how the organisations work together. The leading organisations in the town are both proactive about regeneration and are on the same page. That makes it much easier to construct and fulfil a business plan. - Clive Thompson, Property Developer FUTURA PARK EZ A12 LONDON PRIORY HEATH A14 FELIXSTOWE
PRINCES STREET Princes Street is an office district offering new high quality office developments alongside existing accommodation including the landmark Grade 1 listed Willis building. Princes Street links the town centre and the railway station. With frequent rail services to London, Norwich and Cambridge, Princes Street is ideally placed to accommodate businesses that wish to take advantage of these connections, providing a competitive cost in relation to other centres in the UK. WATERFRONT ISLAND The Waterfront Island will provide space for further high quality development in the Waterfront Quarter, which is fast becoming a centre for excellence in high-tech STEM goods and services, as well as cuttingedge creating arts. Delivery of the site will be enabled by the Upper Orwell Crossings, which was made possible by the coordinated efforts of the Vision partners. 1156 214 A1071 Upper Brook Street West End Road Portman Road Ipswich Town Football Club Birketts ch Town ball Club Portman Road Lower Brook Street Star Lane Bond Street A1022 Fison House A1022 Commercial Road Commercial Road Ipswich Railway Station A137 A137 to A14 Ipswich is a strong insurance and financial services centre with both AXA and Willis Towers Watson amongst its largest employers. The Princes Street area is an exciting location for ICT, digital and professional services development. The area is already seeing much activity, including a 9 million redevelopment of a major office site (formerly Fison House), plans to create a new HQ for major law firm Birketts and the marketing of a prominent site opposite this. Publishing group Archant has also recently chosen Princes Street as their new home. Planning permission has been granted for 25,000 m 2 of office development on Ipswich Borough Council s 2.2 hectare enterprise zone plot west of Princes Street, which is available for a large-scale comprehensive development scheme. The area includes additional development opportunities along the River Gipping for residential and commercial purposes. Improvements have been made to pavements and crossings along the length of Princes Street as part of a multi-million pound investment to improve travel across the town. Major redevelopment of the nearby railway station forecourt will be completed later in 2016. Major investment in rolling stock and infrastructure on the line to London has been promised. Also in Princes Street Office District, but outside the Enterprise Zone, the Council is marketing a prime development opportunity near the station, a redundant malthouse in a prominent location. The Island is located in the heart of the Ipswich Waterfront on land that was reclaimed when the Wet Dock was constructed over 150 years ago creating an Island linked to the mainland by a narrow connection at St Peter s Dock. A tidal flood barrier is under construction to be completed in 2017. The Vision Board is in discussion with partners including the universities of Cambridge and Suffolk to unlock this site s high-tech potential. This site offers 2 hectares of employment land with an initial 2,000m 2 of office space. Early stage development work clearly shows the capacity of the site, both for high tech employment and a vibrant mix of leisure and employment with adjacent new residential development, creating a new community with the wider Waterfront area.
SPROUGHTON ENTERPRISE PARK A former British Sugar site offering strategic development opportunities. The site s excellent location and access to the A14 via junction 54, west of the Orwell Bridge, provides excellent road links to Greater London, Felixstowe Port, Cambridge and the Midlands. FUTURA PARK This is a market ready site in south-east Ipswich with potential for up to 600,000 sq ft of new build units in 44 acres of superb landscaping. It is served by a new road infrastructure and is very close to the A14, giving excellent access to London, Cambridge, the Midlands and beyond. Futura Park Enterprise Zone offers many opportunities for employers to build new commercial property units on a flexible land sale or design & build basis. There is potential for office space, industrial units and warehouse facilities. A1189 A14 to Bury St Edmunds & Cambridge B1067 Sproughton Road Ipswich A A1214 Ipswich Town Centre James Bennet Ave A1189 A A14 to Felixstowe Hadleigh Road A14 to A12 & Felixs A1214 4 to A12 & Colchester A1189 44ha Enterprise Zone site offering 50,000m 2 of commercial space. Businesses will be able to develop bespoke accommodation tailored to suit their individual needs, especially those with a focus on in the agri-tech, food and health sectors. Adjacent to the A14 for excellent connectivity to Eastern England, the Midlands, the North and London. A masterplan is in progress for this key employment site and it is anticipated that on-site infrastructure work will commence in 2017. The park includes the first ever combined John Lewis at home and Waitrose store, opened in November 2012. The store sits opposite the non-food retail phase which opened in August 2013. Let to DFS, Paul Simon, Oak Furniture Land, Furniture Village, Carphone Warehouse and Costa Coffee. Ipswich has strong concentrations of companies in key growth sectors. Advanced Manufacturing and Agri-tech are target employment sectors for this site.
GUMMER Ben Working hard for Ipswich For more details please contact: Robert Feakes Ipswich Vision Coordinator 07392 081377 robert.feakes@newanglia.co.uk For more information visit www.ipswichvision.org.uk