Pic: Jason Kitcat signing the City Deal with cities minister Greg Clark (centre) and John Peel of Coast to Capital (left)
Brighton & Hove City Council, neighbouring councils and local businesses have successfully negotiated a deal with Government to bring new funding to the city region.
The ‘Greater Brighton’ City Deal includes commitments from a range of public and private organisations to invest in environmental, digital and other business sectors whilst unlocking key development sites.
The flagship development will be a £4.9m investment to expand and upgrade one of the core sites for the city’s tech cluster, New England House. This alone will create nearly 900 new jobs.
Other plans as part of the deal include:
- A regional programme of business support, developed in conjunction with companies in the area to help them access networks, advice and other support;
- A new Central Research Laboratory at Preston Barracks to support start-up businesses linked to university research, which will create 740 new jobs;
- A ‘Digital Exchange’ at New England House to provide ultrafast broadband to small businesses at affordable prices;
- The expansion of the successful ‘Fusebox’ scheme, a start-up space for small creative digital companies;
- Clean and environmental technology centres at Newhaven and Shoreham, as well as flood defence funding for those sites, creating 6700 new jobs in the area.
Confirmation of the City Deal formally recognises the city region’s name as ‘Greater Brighton’ and sets it on a path towards ever greater freedoms and powers being devolved from government.
Councillor Jason Kitcat, Leader of Brighton & Hove City Council, led the City Deal bid and will chair the inaugural year of the Greater Brighton Economic Board.
Cllr Kitcat said: “I’m delighted that after a huge amount of work, collaboration and negotiation with government, we’ve been given the go ahead and the resources to build on our city region’s strengths.
“We welcome the government’s willingness to devolve powers and funding to city regions. As a result we’ve developed a deal which shows how the whole really is greater than the sum of its parts. We will now see millions invested in green technologies, the creative and digital sector, and business support for companies across the city region, creating many thousands of new jobs.
“Our residents and businesses live and work across municipal boundaries. As a result, working with our neighbours is essential to building on the success we’ve had in recent years, and to developing our growing reputation as an economic powerhouse.”
Notes
- The Greater Brighton city region includes councils and businesses in Brighton & Hove, Worthing, Mid-Sussex, Lewes and Adur. The bid is supported by local businesses and organisations including both the University of Brighton and University of Sussex, and companies investing in the area such as EON, American Express, Ricardo, and EDF
- Under the government scheme successful city areas are able to access new powers, funding, and the flexibility to spark new economic development. More information can be found here:https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/giving-more-power-back-to-cities-through-city-deals
- Brighton’s creative and technological sectors have grown substantially over recent years, and now boasts over 1,500 high-value businesses – as many as east London’s Tech City
- Recent research by the Centre for Cities found that that the Brighton, Hove and Adur area created 6,400 private sector jobs between 2010 and 2012, the seventh highest total of all 64 UK urban areas. The region has the highest growth rate in England, and is even out-competing London for private sector job growth. More information can be found here: www.centreforcities.org
For more information please contact the Brighton and Hove Green Party office on 01273 766 670.