The Prime Minister in February set out his six-point long term economic plan for the East of England showing what has been delivered, what is underway and what more can be done to make the regional economy prosperous in the long term and set out a specific timetable to deliver the key concepts of this plan over the five years of the next parliament, and the following decade.
The plan aims to deliver 250,000 new jobs and boost the East of England’s growth by over £12 billion between 2015 – 2030.
Timetable for Action – Implementation in the East of England 2015-2030
2015
Employment and productivity
- In the £48.5m expansion of the New Anglia Growth Deal, announced 29 January, government committed to:
- This includes the King’s Lynn Innovation Centre, which will house 15 new businesses, and the Ipswich Waterfront Innovation Centre
Agri-tech and rural economy
- a total of £49.18m has been invested in the East of England between 2010 and 2015 under the Rural Development Programme. Some of the projects funded include:
- £125,000 to build an irrigation reservoir for an arable farming business (Charles Wharton Ltd) in Norfolk. The reservoir increased the irrigable area by 235ha, safeguarding 6 jobs and raising profitability
- first project supporting the Wash East Coastal Management Strategy will be developed in partnership with the Borough Council of Kings Lynn and West Norfolk and the local community. This project will look to provide continued protection to 570 properties and 4,500 static caravans
2016
Transport and connectivity
- government is extending in 2015 the study already underway of the East-West Rail (Bedford to Cambridge) to explore the options for the Eastern section of the line. Specifically the study will consider how East West Rail could connect Oxford with Ipswich and Norwich.
Science, technology and education
- as part of government’s £300m investment, infrastructure work will continue at RAF Marham in order to get it ready as a base for the new Joint Strike Fighter fleet
2017
Science, technology and education
- as part of government’s £300m investment, infrastructure work will continue at RAF Marham in order to get it ready as a base for the new Joint Strike Fighter fleet
2018
Transport and connectivity
- IEP trains start service on the East Coast Main Line – the Intercity Express Programme represents a £2.7bn investment into new rolling stock, maintenance depots including a full maintenance regime serving the East Coast Mainline, increasing the number of seats during morning peak into Kings Cross by 18%. Passengers will benefit from more reliable services, more seats, increased luggage space, faster journey times (from 2019), and improved wi-fi and mobile coverage
Science, technology and education
- RAF Marham will be ready to receive the first Joint Strike Fighters to arrive in the UK, following infrastructure works as part of a £300m government investment
- HMS Queen Elizabeth will begin sea trials for JSF. JSF will be based at RAF Marham
2019
Transport and connectivity
- completion of upgraded railway junctions at Ely and Peterborough and capacity enhancements on the Felixstowe – Birmingham line that will enable both growth in Port of Felixstowe container traffic to be met and growth in Kings Lynn and East Coast main line passenger services
2020
Transport and connectivity
- IEP and Agility will have delivered 122 new trains to replace the InterCity 125 and 225 fleets running on both the Great Western and East Coast main lines – representing £5.7bn of rail investment designed to improve reliability, services and connectivity reducing journey times from the regions
Science, technology and education
- HMS Queen Elizabeth will reach Initial Operating Capability for Carrier Strike with JSF based at RAF Marham
2021-30
Science, technology and education
- blocks in 39 schools in the East of England will have been rebuilt or had their condition needs addressed as part of phase 2 of the Priority School Building Programme
For the full report click here https://www.gov.uk/government/news/prime-minister-announces-long-term-ec…
