Invitation to Tender: Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
Inward Investment Campaign
1. Introduction
Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited (NSU) is the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) umbrella brand that
brings together our inward investment and business location offer.
The brand was launched in 2019, following 18 months of research and development work, with supporting
website and social media channels (Twitter & LinkedIn). This preceded the establishment of the Inward
Investment team which is now working to develop propositions and narrative that support the new delivery
plan and better utilise the opportunities presented by digital media campaigns.
As a first step in this process, an opportunity has arisen for the New Anglia Local LEP Inward Investment
and Innovation teams to collaborate in delivering a digital campaign that will:
•raise awareness of the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited brand
•identify opportunities, create audience engagement and provide valuable data and insights
into our potential audience demographics to form the basis of our delivery plans
We want to appoint a suitably qualified and experienced agency (or agencies) to:
•develop creative content for the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website and social media channels
•deliver, monitor and manage a digital marketing campaign that uses outputs from a previously
commissioned research project into post-pandemic opportunities, together with insights from the
‘Connected Innovation’ project being delivered by the New Anglia Innovation team.
Links:
www.norfolksuffolkunlimited.co.uk
Connected Innovation: collaboration, convergence and clean growth - YouTube
Cambridge Norwich Tech Corridor - A Corridor for Life
New-Anglia-LEP-Innovation-Prospectus-2020-V8-1.pdf (newanglia.co.uk)
Supporting documentation:
Appendix A Inward Investment Marketing campaign document
2. Background
The New Anglia LEP Inward investment team recently commissioned an independent report into post-
pandemic changes to the business landscape in Norfolk & Suffolk. One output from the research work was
to take the recommendations presented and to develop a marketing campaign that will promote the
opportunities presented by the changing landscape.
At the same time the New Anglia LEP Innovation team has been working on launching the Connected
Innovation programme which aims to promote our region to the world, support its growing network of
innovation hubs, and foster collaboration. This provides the opportunity to highlight the multi-sector
strengths we have in Norfolk & Suffolk, including the development of collaborative ventures that translate
fundamental research into commercial opportunities and development and uses disruptive technologies to
tackle some of the world’s greatest challenges, such as the activities taking place on the Cambridge to
Norwich Tech Corridor.
The complementary work of both teams presents an ideal opportunity to collaborate on a digital campaign
that will present how we should respond to the radically changed landscape created by the pandemic and
Brexit, and to showcase any new opportunities in Norfolk & Suffolk. Moreover, it presents a chance for us
to identify and gather some baseline data on our potential target audiences and to identify which approaches
resonate with those audiences. This will then allow us to develop targeted narrative, content and resources
for future communications strategy and campaigns.
This is an important step in the proactive work to be undertaken by the Inward Investment team as we seek
to develop a higher value pipeline of leads through defined commercial propositions reaching identified
audiences through targeted narrative and content. This sees us moving away from our previous generic,
place-based approach which tends to resonate more with a local audience but is less effective in attracting
attention from further afield; something that is vital for developing a healthy pipeline of inward investment
leads and enquiries.
Overview of the work
This project will be in 2 phases, both working with the Inward Investment and Innovation teams to ensure
that content, narrative and messaging meets our requirements:
1. The development of engaging content, including film and case studies, for the Norfolk & Suffolk
Unlimited website. This will provide an end destination for the social media campaign, used as a
call for action.
2. The planning, delivery, monitoring and management of a social media campaign across our
Twitter and LinkedIn channels. This includes the design of digital assets (within our brand
guidelines) and the use of analytics and testing methods to provide data on audience
demographics and what resonates with them, tweaking the campaign as necessary to get the
most from our advertising budget.
It is important that this campaign provides insights and a firm footing on which to deliver future strategy
and activity across digital and print channels, so this should be considered in planning, development and
delivery.
To aid narrative development, an ‘Inward Investment Marketing Campaign’ document was created through
the ‘post pandemic’ research project. Whilst this does not present an exhaustive list, it does provide a
starting point for narrative development as it identifies sector growth, commercial property, skills and talent
and inward investment opportunities through sectors, assets & locations.
There is also the potential to build innovation and technologies and cross sector expertise into the
narrative.
3. Objectives
The overarching primary aim of the campaign is to raise awareness of the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
brand through highlighting opportunities presented through our locations, assets, businesses and
technologies.
We have yet to undertake targeted communications activity with the NSU brand but want to move to a
more targeted approach involving the development of propositions and campaigns with narrative and
content created specifically to meet our target audiences. Therefore, our secondary aim for this project is
to use analytics and testing to form a picture and insights of our audience and potential audiences from
which we can use for future strategies and marketing approaches.
Objectives include:
• Identification and development of narrative and content to gain interest and engagement.
• Delivery of engaging creative assets including:
1. Content for the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website as a destination for ‘call to action’
purposes, driving traffic to the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website
2. Social media content across Twitter & LinkedIn channels
• Identify audience segments to provide baseline data for insight and future campaigns.
• Identify target audiences and deliver data insights through asset and copy testing.
• Development of audience insights outside of local and partner responses.
• Help to raise awareness of the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited brand
• Deliver Inward Investment, innovation and networking leads for the LEP teams
• Increase enquiries to our Innovation Centres/Hubs.
4. What is Required
The New Anglia LEP is looking to appoint agencies to undertake the following:
1. Creation of engaging content for the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website as a destination for
‘call to action’ of the subsequent social media campaign. The intended audience is investors
potentially interested in Norfolk & Suffolk as a region for location, investment and trade
activity.
2. Extension of the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website content to profile the region’s innovation
hubs1 and clusters of businesses. Including an engaging mix of content including 10 short
films and case studies. Providing a single point of entry for the region’s innovation offer to
investors, national stakeholders such as Innovate UK, KTN, Catapults as well as helping the
region’s businesses to gain greater awareness of the region’s cross-sector strengths.
3. The planning, delivery, monitoring and management of a digital advertising campaign across
our Twitter and LinkedIn channels. This includes:
• the creation of a coherent narrative, using the ‘Inward Investment Marketing
Campaign’ document content for guidance.
• design of digital assets (within our brand guidelines)
• the use of analytics and testing methods to provide data on audience demographics
and what resonates with them, tweaking the campaign as necessary to get the most
from our advertising budget. To utilise paid advertising approaches to maximise
engagement.
Please note that New Anglia LEP uses Quickfire Digital for web development. These will be commissioned
separately to add the content developed to the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website.
Given this is a two-phase project It is acceptable for the successful agency to bid for both phases and to
undertake them using inhouse capability. However, it is also acceptable to subcontract one element, as long
as the agency retains oversight of the work. We will consider partnership collaborative approaches – these
must be described in detail in your proposal.
The successful agency will be supported by the Inward Investment and Innovation teams to develop narrative
and key messages and have access to the ‘post-pandemic business landscape changes’ and ‘Inward
Investment Marketing campaign’ documents,
How will we know if you have been successful?
• The Norfolk and Suffolk will have new and revised content including:
o a landing destination as a call to action for the social media campaign and
o content to profile the regions innovation hubs and business clusters (this must include 10
short videos and case studies).
• An engaging social media campaign with assets and content that use the Norfolk & Suffolk
Unlimited brand to drive traffic to the Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited website,
• A data set that provides insights into audience demographics across social media and web and
provides baseline data that can be used for future campaigns
• A campaign report that supports the data set, highlighting the outcomes of testing approaches and
providing recommendations for future campaign approaches.
• Evidence of increased Inward Investment and Innovation leads generated by the campaign.
1 Innovation Hubs to be covered:
Hethel Engineering Centre; Scottow Enterprise Park; Norwich Research Park; Stowmarket Innovation Labs; Orbis
Energy; EpiCentre; Innovation Martlesham; Norwich University of the Arts; University of East Anglia; Ipswich
Waterfront Innovation Centre / University of Suffolk; CEFAS
Hubs due to join the Connected Innovation Network - Kings Lynn Innovation Centre / ICI; Food Innovation Centre
Additional Innovation Labs sites
5. Budget
This research project is commissioned by New Anglia LEP.
Budget is as described below but can be flexible within the total according to supplier expertise as long as
the outputs are delivered. The total budget excluding VAT for Phases 1 and 2 is £26,125.
Work package
Your proposed costs
Further detail of what you will do
to deliver this work package
Phase 1 – Web content
Creative development budget
Develop creative content for Norfolk &
Suffolk Unlimited website campaign landing
page
Design and deliver 10 short films and case
studies to profile the region’s innovation
hubs and clusters of businesses.
Develop creative content for integrated
social media campaign (using Inward
Investment Marketing Campaign document
and Innovation Prospectus).
Phase 2 – Digital Marketing Campaign
Plan, develop and deliver campaign a
campaign across our social media channels.
Monitor and manage the campaign,
employing testing methods to provide data
on audience demographics and what
resonates with them, tweaking the campaign
as necessary to get the most from paid
advertising (please note paid advertising
is included in the overall budget)
Deliver a report with recommendations to
provide campaign data, baseline data and
insights to inform future marketing activity.
Total costs exc VAT
6. Project Management and Monitoring
The project will be managed by New Anglia LEP. For the duration of the tender, the preferred agency will
be required to work with and liaise with members of the Project Team.
Day to day management of the contact will be provided by New Anglia LEP. It is expected that the agency
will take part in weekly online progress meetings and attend relevant meetings to be agreed.
Invoices submitted will require a breakdown of day input per person.
7. Timescales and milestones
• Queries and requests for clarification should be addressed to stuart.catchpole@newanglia.co.uk
• Tender proposals should be sent to Stuart Catchpole by 5pm Wednesday 1st December
• Telephone/video conference interviews - Tuesday 7th December 2021
• Notification of successful tender – Monday 13th December 2021
• Web content delivery and live on website by Tuesday 1st February
• Digital advertising campaign to commence by Tuesday 1st February
• Campaign length to be agreed with the successful supplier in order to deliver required results.
8. Tender process
Tenders must address all the requirements and be in the format requested below. Tenders not in this format
will not be considered.
Applicants are requested to provide core information in summary form with detail in appendices. The
following must be supplied:
•Organisation identity including name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, company
registration number, VAT registration number and website address.
•Details of the main point of contact within the organisation for this tender
•Name, address, telephone number and e-mail address of any third parties involved in this tender
•A brief outline of the methodology and approach.
•Examples of similar commissions previously undertaken, and examples of outputs produced
•A list of key personnel to be deployed on the project and details of their previous relevant
experience, along with details of the day-to-day inputs by level against each element
•References of three organisations that you have undertaken this type of work for.
•A completed cost breakdown using the table in 5. Budget above.
Applicants will be shortlisted based on their initial tender submissions, with shortlisted applicants being
invited to pitch their proposals to a panel. Submissions will be assessed on their ability to deliver:
•Value for money – weighting 30%
•Quality – weighting 70%, made up of:
oBe in a position to start work immediately upon appointment and complete the work as
outlined in the timescales and milestones listed above – weighting 15%
oHave previous experience of developing and delivering projects of a similar nature, with
evidence of the success of these projects – weighting 15%
oClearly demonstrate that they can meet all the specifications and requirements outlined in
this tender document and show an innovative approach to evidence and data analysis –
weighting - 20%
oDemonstrate the ability to field a team of relevant expertise, deployed appropriately and in
line with the work programme – weighting 10%
oDemonstrate the ability and experience of working with local partners within Norfolk and
Suffolk – weighting 10%
Each element will be scored using a model of 1 to 5, where 1 is poor / does not meet criteria and 5 is
outstanding / exceeds the criteria.
Short-listed companies will be invited by email to present their ideas to the tender panel in via Teams or
Zoom on Tuesday 7th December 2021. If you are awarded the contract, then you will be notified by the
morning of Monday 13th December 2021.
Consortium bids are eligible; however, a nominated lead will be required, and clear divisions of roles and
responsibilities will need to be provided.
9. How to apply
Tenders must be completed in accordance with the format specified above. Tenders which are incomplete
will not be evaluated.
Tenders should be submitted in Word or PDF format and should not exceed 10 pages no later than 5pm,
Wednesday 1st December 2021. Tenders delivered after this time will not be considered.
Main contact:
Stuart Catchpole, New Anglia LEP Stuart.catchpole@newanglia.co.uk
Inward Investment Marketing Campaign
New Anglia LEP plan to use the findings of this commission to undertake a marketing campaign
that articulates regional opportunities in a post-Brexit and post-COVID world. This paper supports
this ambition by providing strategic advice, including a consideration of potential target
audiences, as well as collateral for any marketing materials that may be commissioned.
Nature of Campaign
Any future marketing campaign should be focussed, first and foremost, on identifying the most
suitable audiences for the Norfolk and Suffolk message. This means that any campaign will require
research, data, analytics and business development tools - as well as marketing collateral. This
holistic approach will require a smarter approach to inward investment than is common in most
teams.
Once clearly defined targets have been identified, careful research and initial engagement must
time frame for expansion. This should not be a purely marketing-
Norfolk and Suffolk.
Crucially, the various sites and premises, while being key anchors of each sector proposition, are
but one aspect of it. The most important thing is to convey the wider business opportunity that
provides each company with a solution to their growth issues. New Anglia should not necessarily
lead with sites but use these as part of a holistic and well-considered campaign.
Target Audiences
Potential target audiences can be varied and many, but the following categorisation will help to
clarify the various types and scale of targeting required.
Target Companies
The most obvious and direct approach is to engage specifically with target companies in each
sector that have been identified based on a number of criteria such as:
•Current growth (either by sales, M&A, or injection of new funds);
•Sector fit (company active in one of the areas identified as a strategic priority by New Anglia
LEP and through this commission); and,
•Footprint (not currently in UK or Europe; or requiring wider UK facilities).
The optimum way of approaching these companies is to build hotlists one company at a time
based on research, rather than being tempted to send any kind of mass mailshot.
Department for International Trade
The Department for International Trade (DIT) is the lead inward investment agency for the UK and
their formidable resources should be harnessed by New Anglia LEP. There are good local and
regional relationships already, but these should be supplemented by targeted outreach to inward
investment posts overseas and sector teams in the UK. Specific targets should be the posts in
markets where there is a natural fit based on sectoral strengths.
Briefing DIT personnel on the key propositions and updating them on new developments would
be a worthwhile investment of time and resource. The opportunities below provide an excellent
starting point for a series of virtual presentations with DIT.
Given that DIT are the first port of call for so many inward investors, there is great value in ensuring
the New Anglia message is heard loud and often (in a crowded market of 50 or so other UK
propositions).
Intermediaries
Another useful indirect approach would be to target regional and national intermediaries. These
are corporate
be accountants, bankers, lawyers, property agents, inward investment consultants and/or sector
specialists.
Each type of intermediary will have different interests, specialisms and geographical knowledge.
The team should start to build a list of friendly intermediaries and those who are particularly active
in key markets, like Cambridge and London. Activities could include regular communications,
social media activity and future hosted visits to the area.
Existing Companies
An often overlooked target audience is the existing base of investors which will have their own
supplier and customer relationships with companies that could have a good fit with the New
Anglia area. Key companies in each sector should receive details about each proposition and could
be a gateway to prospects.
Local Stakeholders
Local landowners, developers, funders, universities and business park operators all play a key role
o the marketing
plan and receive collateral from the campaign which can be shared with their networks.
Marketing Channels
The optimum channels for an inward investment marketing campaign would be:
Direct
Having a selection of compelling pieces of collateral are an ideal follow-up to initial engagement
with target companies. These can be in the form of standalone PDFs or as slides which are part of
a larger presentation slide deck.
Website
The sector propositions, site opportunities and revised messaging should form the basis of all
inward investment websites which promote the area - this includes Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
and local ones too where appropriate. Downloadable PDFs or slides should be made available
online.
Social Media
Using LinkedIn posts, blogs and Tweets to raise awareness of the propositions can be effective, as
long as there is a proactive approach to constantly building and expanding networks across the
team. The team should be involved in sector and market conversations with a view to identifying
Campaign Collateral
A key part of the campaign will be ensuring that collateral is available to share with target
audiences during and following initial conversations and approaches. Drawing on information
from the overarching commission, key messages and statistics have been set out below to support
the creation of this material.
To do this, sectors that present major opportunities for Norfolk and Suffolk in a post-COVID and
post-Brexit context have been matched with assets and locations across that region that will be
attractive to investors and businesses in this changing context:
●Life Science (Norwich Research Park);
●ICT/Digital (Adastral Park);
●Advanced Manufacturing (Hethel Engineering Centre);
●Green Energy (Great Yarmouth/Lowestoft);
●Agri-Food (Food Enterprise Zone); and,
●Logistics/Warehousing (Eastern Gateway).
Key messages and statistics related these sites and the opportunities they present have been
site promotion
specifically.
It is important to note that while some information and data is site-specific, much of the
information is general and relates to a broader sector. This information can therefore be used to
support campaigns for other opportunity sites and locations and for general sector propositions.
Table 1.1 Opportunity 1: Norwich Research Park / Life Science
Description
The Norwich Research Park is a world leading community of science-focused
businesses and research, education and healthcare organisations working
together to develop solutions to global challenges in food and health. It is
home to 140 businesses, four world-class research institutes (John Innes
Centre, Quadram Institute, Earlham Institute and Sainsbury Laboratory), the
University of East Anglia and the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
Site Availability
A range of sites are available on and around the Norwich Research Park for
businesses and investors. Anglia Innovation Partnership LLP is planning to
bring forward 180,000 sq ft (NIA) of new commercial space across seven
buildings on a number of these sites. These will primarily provide laboratory,
incubator and office space. Other sites are available that can be brought
forward for office, laboratory and/or light industrial space.
Sector Growth Opportunity
●Professional, Scientific and Technical activities were the second fastest
growing sector in the UK over the last five years in terms of employment
(+18%) and businesses (+15%)1
●Professional, Scientific and Technical activities are expected to fare better
than others from the impacts of COVID-19 and Brexit and publicly traded Life
Science firms have seen relatively robust share performance
●The East of England is the third fastest growing region for Life Science
employment since 2010 (+3,200 jobs), behind only London (+5,900 jobs) and
Yorkshire & The Humber (+3,900 jobs)2
●Cutting edge research related to vaccines, cancer, genetics, immunology
and many other areas is attracting investment into the Life Science - Savills
report that in 2020 over £19.9bn of investment was secured for Life Science
businesses across the country
●Economic scenarios suggest that there may be a marginal drop overall in
demand for these uses (circa 5%) which highlights the importance of a
robust inward investment strategy.
Commercial Property
Opportunity
●PwC set out that logistics, life science and data centres have the strongest
prospects in terms of investment, development and income opportunities
in their Emerging Trends in Real Estate Report (2021)
●JLL report that commercial property investors see Life Science as providing
the greatest opportunities for returns over the next five years (2021)
●JLL set out that the occupation of laboratory and R&D space, which is
throughout the pandemic as many life science workers are unable to work
from home
●Industrial supply in Norfolk and Suffolk is currently low and nearly all space
is occupied - vacancy rates are 4%3
●The industrial market in Norfolk and Suffolk is relatively stable, with some
places seeing an increase in lease values in 2020 versus 2019 Mid Suffolk
(+95%), Babergh (+37%), West Suffolk (+20%) and East Suffolk (+14%)4
Skills and Talent
Opportunity
●The types of jobs offered by Life Science businesses are highly-skilled and
command high wages, which makes it easier to access international talent
under the new immigration regulations
●Norfolk and Suffolk continue to outperform the national average in terms
of economic activity rates5
1 BRES, 2020
2 UK Office for Life Science, 2019
3 Co-Star, 2021
4 Co-Star, 2021
5 Annual Population Survey, 2019
●The proportion of working age residents in Norfolk and Suffolk with an
NVQ4+ qualification is 32%6, this is low relative to other areas and may
present a challenge for some employers. Demonstrating a strong supply of
local skills and attracting labour from a wider areas will be important.
●Links to higher education will also be important and the University of
Cambridge, UEA and the University of Suffolk offer a wide range of degrees
and courses related to Life Science and Agri-Tech
Inward Investment
Opportunity
● -19 will ensure that
the Life Sciences sector will receive significant investment and attract
international attention. From drug discovery to pharmaceutical production,
the UK offers huge opportunities.
●An ageing, wealthy population that embraces medical technology and
science offers a lucrative potential market for incoming investors. A
Government commitment to healthy ageing, wellbeing and mental health
also creates major opportunities.
●A major driver for global life science companies is the availability for future
finance raising, with proximity to London and Cambridge being key. In 2019,
333 high-growth UK life science companies raised equity of £1.1 billion in
funding. Access to world-class science as well as the opportunity to partner
with the NHS make for a compelling proposition in Norfolk and Suffolk.
●In the last three years there have been 501 inward investment projects in the
UK from medical and health-related sectors, creating +11,165 jobs. These
include 318 Life Science projects and 183 Biotechnology projects7.
●Between 2018-2021, there were 4,774 global healthcare companies
(including 612 in Life Sciences) that received venture capital funding deals of
more than $10 million to fuel expansion illustrating the potential of the
market8.
●Key source markets of inward investment opportunity are likely to be from
the UK, United States, Germany, France and Scandinavia.
●Norwich Research Park and the wider region has been identified by the UK
Government as the best place in the country to set up a business or invest in
businesses related to Plant Science and Healthy Food as part of the High
Potential Opportunity Scheme.
Site Advantages
●World class research institutes as anchor tenants
●Ready access to talent from the University of Anglia
●Proximity to Norwich and Cambridge
●Inward investment support from both Government (via the High Potential
Opportunity Scheme) and Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
●High quality sites available and ready to go
6 ibid
7 Department for International Trade, 2017-2021
8 Crunchbase, 2021
Table 1.2 Opportunity 2: Adastral Park / ICT & Digital
Description
Adastral Park is a cluster of high-tech telecommunications and technology
companies located to the east of Ipswich in Martlesham Heath. Adjacent to the
is an established and growing cluster of 150 high-tech ICT companies.
Businesses with a presence include Ericsson, RSM, O2, Fox Robotics, Nokia,
Cisco, Ribbon and Zellabox. The site offers hotdesks, physical offices, incubator
space and an accelerator programme.
Site Availability
There are advanced plans to expand and grow Adastral Park which presents
opportunities for businesses considering locating in the region and commercial
property investors looking to a growing sector of the economy. Over the next
ten years, there are plans to build new labs, an independent Future Networks
Research Centre, an eco-lab and new space to expand the number of
businesses in the cluster. A new community of over 2,000 new homes is also
being built next to the Park called Brightwell Lakes.
Sector Growth Opportunity
●New Anglia has over 550 businesses in the ICT and Digital sector with many
of these clustered in and around Adastral Park9
●The Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport estimate that the ICT
and Digital sector contributes £149bn to the UK economy each year and
that the sector has grown more rapidly than the wider economy since
201510
●Between 2017 and 2018 the Digital sector grew by +7.7% in terms of
economic output11
●The sector was reasonably well insulated from the pandemic and has the
potential for strong growth going forwards.
Commercial Property
Opportunity
●Recessions often lead to an increase in start-up businesses which may
increase demand for the type of flexible workspace and incubator space
offered at Adastral Park, particularly given the dedicated business support
programmes on offer
●People may continue to move out of London and the South East to Norfolk
and Suffolk which could create demand for flexible workspace and
incubator space
●Remote work may push some businesses look for space in places like
Adastral Park that are outside of major urban centres and closer to where
people live
●The value of office transactions has remained relatively stable over the past
year in Norfolk and Suffolk office lease transaction values fell by -2%
between 2019 and 2020 and sale transaction values increased by +60%
which is likely to reflect new high-quality space coming onto the market12
● trends due to limited supply vacancy rates are currently just 3%13
●Industrial supply in Norfolk and Suffolk is currently low and nearly all space
is occupied - vacancy rates are 4% and demand remains relatively high14
9 UK Business Count, 2020
10 DCMS Sectors Economic Estimates, 2018
11 ibid
12 Co-Star, 2021
13 ibid
14 ibid
●The industrial market in Norfolk and Suffolk is relatively stable, with some
places seeing an increase in lease values in 2020 versus 2019 Mid Suffolk
(+95%), Babergh (+37%), West Suffolk (+20%) and East Suffolk (+14%)15
Skills and Talent
Opportunity
●The types of jobs offered by ICT and Digital businesses are highly-skilled
and command high wages, which makes it easier to access international
talent under the new immigration regulations
●Over 30% of East Anglia and 35% of East of England residents have a
degree level qualification or above (NVQ4+)16
●The number of people with GCSE qualifications or above is higher than the
national average in East Anglia and the East of England (NVQ1+)17
●Very few people have no qualifications across the East of England and East
Anglia18
●The number of people without qualifications has decreased over the last
five years in Norfolk (-14%) and Suffolk (-7%)19
●However, gaps in IT skills were specifically identified in the stakeholder
consultation so linking opportunities with skills providers in the region will
help support this proposition.
Inward Investment
Opportunity
● opportunities to explore, collaborate and expand in areas such as AI,
blockchain, creative tech, fintech, cybersecurity, immersive tech and gaming.
●In the last three years there have been 1,020 inward investment projects from
creating +33,217 jobs20.
●There were also 230 projects in the Electronics and Communications sector
and 312 from Creative and Media21.
●Between 2018-2021 there were 4,579 global technology companies (including
328 telecoms-related) that received venture capital funding deals of more
than $10 million to fuel expansion22.
●Key source markets of inward investment opportunity are largely the UK,
United States, Canada, India, Australia and Scandinavia.
●Adastral Park has been identified by the UK Government as the best place in
the country to set up a business or invest in businesses related to 5G and
Digitalisation as part of the High Potential Opportunity Scheme.
Site Advantages
●Proximity to the A12 which directly links to Colchester and London and
indirectly links to a range of other important towns and cities (e.g. Norwich,
Bury St Edmunds, Cambridge, Felixstowe and Lowestoft)
●Clear plans for expansion and growth
●World class cluster of likeminded cutting-edge businesses
●Inward investment support from both Government (via the High Potential
Opportunity Scheme) and Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
●High quality homes adjacent to site in the pipeline
15 ibid
16 Annual Population Survey, 2019
17 ibid
18 ibid
19 ibid
20 Department for International Trade, 2017-2021
21 ibid
22 Crunchbase, 2021
Table 1.3 Opportunity 3: Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft / Clean Energy
Description
Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft have been key offshore energy centres for over
specialist businesses operating within an extensive offshore supply chain.
While the area has traditionally focused on oil and gas, it is shifting towards
clean energy and has a number of strengths in this area:
●A high concentration of windfarms within 100 miles (e.g. Scroby Sands,
Sheringham School, East Anglia Array and Hornsea)
●A range of specialist support businesses (e.g. 3Sun Group, ODE and
Seajacks)
●Presence of globally significant multinationals (e.g. Siem
assembly location and installation facility for the Galloper and East Anglia
ONE windfarms)
● Renewable Engineering
Site Availability
There are six locations within the Great Yarmouth and Lowestoft Enterprise
Zone which offer prime office and industrial units, as well land for tailor-made
accommodation which provides opportunities for both businesses and
commercial property investors (South Denes, Beacon Park, Mobbs Way,
Riverside Road, South Lowestoft and Ellough Business Park). A broad range of
units and sites are currently available all benefitting from the business rate and
planning benefits provided by Enterprise Zone status.
Sector Growth Opportunity
● Employment in the Utilities and Waste sector grew by +5% at the national
level between 2016 and 201923
●The number of businesses in the Utilities and Waste sector grew by +8% at
the national level between 2017 and 202024
● +10.5%
since 2010 and the number of businesses has increased by +23%25
●Norfolk and Suffolk is home to over 600 clean energy businesses that
employ over 12,000 people, with many specialising in wind, gas and
nuclear26
●Norfolk and Suffolk has the highest concentration of offshore windfarms in
the UK27
●Planned investments in wind and nuclear energy will produce power for
58% 28
●The region has capacity to deliver 50%
wind energy production29
Commercial Property
Opportunity
●Norfolk County Council and Great Yarmouth Borough Council have
developed plans to build a new Operations and Maintenance Campus to
support the growth of the renewable sector in the region
●A 2018 study illustrates that industrial and office vacancy rates in Great
Yarmouth have fallen since 2012 to below -5%30
● likely to remain strong
23 BRES, 2020
24 UK Business Count, 2020
25 Norfolk County Council and Hatch, 2020
26 New Anglia LIS, 2020
27 ibid
28 ibid
29 ibid
30 Norfolk County Council and Hatch, 2019
●PwC identify industrial sectors as among the top five prospects in terms of
investment, development and income opportunities in their Emerging
Trends in Real Estate Report (2021)
●Industrial supply in Norfolk and Suffolk is currently low and nearly all space
is occupied - vacancy rates are 4% and demand remains relatively high31
●The industrial market in Norfolk and Suffolk is relatively stable, with some
places seeing an increase in lease values in 2020 versus 2019 Mid Suffolk
(+95%), Babergh (+37%), West Suffolk (+20%) and East Suffolk (+14%)32
Skills and Talent
Opportunity
●Some of the jobs offered in the clean energy sector are highly-skilled and
command high wages, which will make it easier to access international
talent under the new immigration regulations
●UEA offer a range of relevant courses, including a BEng and MSc in Energy
Engineering a BEng and MEng in Engineering
●The University of Suffolk offers a HNC in Operational Engineering
●The University of Cambridge offers some of the most advanced and
prestigious engineering courses in the world, including some with
specialisms in energy and renewable energy
●Over 30% of East Anglia and 35% of East of England residents have a
degree level qualification or above (NVQ4+)33
●The number of people with GCSE qualifications or above is higher than the
national average in East Anglia and the East of England (NVQ1+)34
●Very few people have no qualifications across the East of England and East
Anglia35
●The number of people without qualifications has decreased over the last
five years in Norfolk (-14%) and Suffolk (-7%)36
Inward Investment
Opportunity
●With the eyes of the world on the UK at COP26 in November, the
continue to create
inward investment opportunities in renewable energy.
●Greater reliance on wind energy and the creation of a smarter
infrastructure to support clean tech and electric vehicles opens supply-
chain opportunities in East Anglia, with battery manufacturing facilities
seeking proximity to offshore power.
●In the last three years there have been 103 inward investment projects in
the UK from renewable energy, creating +2,468 jobs37.
●Between 2018-2021, there were 463 global renewable energy companies
(including 23 in the wind energy sector) that received venture capital
funding deals of more than $10 million to fuel expansion38.
●Key source markets of inward investment opportunities are likely to be
Scandinavia, Germany, China and the UK.
Site Advantages
●History and expertise in energy production
●High renewable potential
●Strong supporting supply chain
●Good supply of land and already-built commercial space
●Business rate and planning benefits from Enterprise Zone status
31 CoStar, 2021
32 Co-Star, 2021
33 ONS Annual Population Survey, 2019
34 ibid
35 ibid
36 ibid
37 Department for International Trade, 2017-2021
38 Crunchbase, 2021
Table 1.4 Opportunity 4: Hethel Engineering Centre and Surrounds / Advanced
Manufacturing
Description
Hethel Engineering Centre is an award-winning innovation hub serving high-
performance engineering and manufacturing businesses. It is located in Hethel
to the west of Norwich and provides office, workshop, hotdesking and meeting
space for over 200 businesses. It
test track. The award-winning centre was set up in 2006 by Norfolk County
Council and the East of England Development Agency.
Site Availability
Hethel Engineering Centre has plans to expand its offer by providing new high-
gathering momentum and will provide new opportunities for businesses looking
to start-up or locate in the region. There are also several sites close to Hethel
Engineering Centre and Wymondham that provide opportunities for investors
and businesses focusing on industrial and light industrial space.
Sector Growth Opportunity
● The Manufacturing sector is a specialism of the Norfolk and Suffolk
economy, with just under 4,000 businesses providing over 66,000 jobs39
● The number of jobs provided by the Manufacturing sector grew by +2%
between 2016 and 2019 at the national level40
● The Advanced Manufacturing sub-sector is the most future-proofed part of
the Manufacturing sector and is likely to drive our technical and
mechanical future
● The number of Advanced Manufacturing and Technology businesses in
Norfolk increased by +18% between 2010 and 201641
● The number of Engineering businesses in Norfolk increased by +1%
between 2010 and 201642
● Longer term, demand for manufacturing and advanced manufacturing is
unlikely to be significantly impact by new hybrid working arrangements
given the nature of activity.
Commercial Property
Opportunity
● National industrial take up reached 49.2 million sq ft in in 2020 which is far
higher than the previous record of 34 million sq ft in 201643
● A 2018 survey with Hethel Engineering Centre tenants showed that 82% are
looking to take on more space44
● space in the region because successful companies occupy a number of
smaller units which is blocking smaller businesses from accessing the
space they need to prosper45
● PwC identify industrial sectors as among the top five prospects in terms of
investment, development and income opportunities in their Emerging
Trends in Real Estate Report (2021)
● People may continue to move out of London and the South East into
Norfolk and Suffolk which could create demand for more flexible
workspace and workshop space
● Remote work may push some businesses look for space in places like
Hethel Engineering Centre that are outside of major urban centres and
closer to where people live
39
BRES and UK Business Count, 2020
40
BRES, 2020
41
Norfolk County Council and Hatch, 2018
42
Norfolk County Council and Hatch, 2018
43
BNP Paribas, 2021
44
Norfolk County Council and Hatch, 2018
45
Norfolk County Council and Hatch, 2018
●Industrial supply in Norfolk and Suffolk is currently low and nearly all space
is occupied - vacancy rates are 4% and demand remains relatively high46
●The industrial market in Norfolk and Suffolk is relatively stable, with some
places seeing an increase in lease values in 2020 versus 2019 Mid Suffolk
(+95%), Babergh (+37%), West Suffolk (+20%) and East Suffolk (+14%)47
Skills and Talent
Opportunity
●The University of East Anglia (UEA) offer a range of relevant engineering
courses, with specialisms in computer systems, energy and environmental
management
●The University of Cambridge provides a variety of engineering courses,
including specialisms in chemical, manufacturing, aerospace, aerothermal,
electronic, environmental and mechanical
●The University of Cambridge is also home to the Institute of manufacturing,
undertaking world-leading research in manufacturing related topics and
providing undergraduate and postgraduate courses in a range of practices
●The types of jobs offered by Advanced Manufacturing and Engineering
businesses are highly skilled and command high wages, which makes it
easier to access international talent under the new immigration regulations
●Norfolk and Suffolk continue to outperform the national average in terms
of economic activity rates48
●The proportion of working age residents in Norfolk and Suffolk with an
NVQ4+ qualification is 32%49
● welding technology and inspection related training - courses are designed
to service key industry sectors such as automotive, aerospace and
manufacturing
●The number of people with GCSE qualifications or above is higher than the
national average in the East of England (NVQ1+)
Inward Investment
Opportunity
●The UK Government has set the ambitious goal to end the sale of pure
petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030. This requires transformation of
automotive manufacturing supply-chain and will be driven by inward
investors and many UK-based innovative scale-ups.
●In the last three years there have been 799 inward investment projects in
the UK from Advanced Manufacturing, creating +17,936 jobs. These
included 244 Automotive projects and 137 Aerospace projects50.
●Between 2018-2021, there were 1,235 global manufacturing companies
(including 714 in the automotive sector) that received venture capital
funding deals of more than $10 million to fuel expansion51.
●Key source markets of inward investment opportunity are likely to be the
United States, China, Japan, India, Germany and Scandinavia; with some
UK scaleups providing significant opportunities too.
Site Advantages
●Proximity to Norwich and Cambridge
●Position on the Cambridge-Norwich Tech Corridor
●
● Existing cluster of advanced and resilient businesses
●Inward investment support available from Norfolk & Suffolk Unlimited
46 CoStar, 2021
47 Co-Star, 2021
48 Annual Population Survey, 2019
49 ibid
50 Department for International Trade, 2017-2021
51 Crunchbase, 2021
Table 1.5 Opportunity 5: The Food Enterprise Park, Honingham / Agri-Food
Description
The Food Enterprise Park at Honingham offers 46 acres of commercial
development land near Norwich with Local Development Order status and
immediate build opportunities for food and agri-tech related businesses. Plots
range from 5,000 to 500,000 sq ft and benefit from enterprise zone status. The
site already includes a custom-built mustard mill and mint processing facility
for Condimentum Limited.
Site Availability
-to-
businesses working in the food and agri-tech industries. These will be
complemented by a Food Innovation Centre, which is being built at the heart of
the Park to kick-start the growth of a cluster of new food and drink firms. It is
being led by Broadland District Council, New Anglia LEP, UEA and Hethel
Innovation Ltd. It will comprise new food grade premises, a fully fitted test
kitchen, a sensory food tasting facility and a comprehensive innovation
support package for eligible businesses.
Sector Growth Opportunity
● Mining (9%) sector is double the national average which reflects the
agri-food52
● Employment in the Agriculture and Mining sector has grown by +5% at the
national level since 2016 and +6% across Norfolk and Suffolk53
● Norfolk and Suffolk accounts for 11% 54
● 12% of
cereals, 17% of fruit and vegetables, 60% of sugar and 18% of poultry55
● -food sector contributes £3.5bn to the national
economy each year, which is more than any other region in the country56
● The region has extensive, stable and self-contained supply chains that
support agri-tech businesses. These cover the full life cycle of product
development from primary agriculture through to manufacturing,
wholesale and distribution. The East of England is home to57:
⮚ 12,400 agricultural businesses employing 46,500 people;
⮚ 1,000 food and beverage manufacturing businesses employing over
35,000 people;
⮚ 15,600 transport and storage businesses employing 159,000 people;
⮚ 48,700 wholesale and retail businesses employing 477,000 people;
and,
⮚ 6,600 financial and insurance businesses employing 67,000 people.
The sector is also supported by the world-class research facilities at the
Norwich Research Park.
● The Agri-Food sector is broadly defined and provides significant growth
opportunities for the region.
Commercial Property
Opportunity
● - -food businesses (e.g. for research,
manufacturing, product development etc) adjacent to prime agricultural
land and access to a comprehensive supporting supply chain
● PwC identify industrial sectors as among the top five prospects in terms of
investment, development and income opportunities in their Emerging
Trends in Real Estate Report (2021)
52
UK Business Count, 2020
53
BRES, 2020
54
New Anglia LIS, 2020
55
ibid
56
ibid
57
ONS BRES and UK Business Count, 2019
●Industrial supply in Norfolk and Suffolk is currently low and nearly all space
is occupied - vacancy rates are 4% and demand remains relatively high58
●The industrial market in Norfolk and Suffolk is relatively stable, with some
places seeing an increase in lease values in 2020 versus 2019 Mid Suffolk
(+95%), Babergh (+37%), West Suffolk (+20%) and East Suffolk (+14%)59
Skills and Talent
Opportunity
●Norfolk and Suffolk has one of the biggest agricultural workforces in the
country, with over 93,000 people working in the field60
●Over 30% of East Anglia and 35% of East of England residents have a
degree level qualification or above (NVQ4+)61
●The number of people with GCSE qualifications or above is higher than the
national average in East Anglia and the East of England (NVQ1+)62
●Very few people have no qualifications across the East of England and East
Anglia63
●The number of people without qualifications has decreased over the last
five years in Norfolk (-14%) and Suffolk (-7%)64
●The University of Cambridge, UEA and the University of Suffolk offer a wide
range of advanced degrees and courses related to Life Science and Agri-
Tech
●Local Further Education colleges offer a broad range of agricultural courses
for young people (e.g. Easton College, Suffolk New College and East Coast
College)
●Lower value / paid occupations in the sector are impacted by the new
immigration regulations and activity to drive up productivity and provide
more capital intensive solutions will help to overcome these challenges.
Inward Investment
Opportunity
●Post-Brexit trade deals with Australia and Canada are likely to bring new
opportunities as more food and drink companies look to take advantage of
the UK market opportunity.
●Significant consumer growth in demand for meat-free alternatives will
create interest for well-funded food companies and the commitment to
healthy ageing will continue to see opportunities around nutraceuticals.
●In the last three years there have been 370 inward investment projects in
the UK from the food and drink sector, creating +13,656 jobs. There were
also a further 163 Agricultural or Chemical projects65.
●Between 2018-2021, there were 1,009 global Food and Drink companies
(including 383 in the Agri-tech sector) that received venture capital funding
deals of more than $10 million to fuel expansion66.
●Key source markets of inward investment opportunity are likely to be the
UK, United States, Canada, France, Spain and Australia/New Zealand.
Site Advantages
●Proximity to Norwich Research Park
●Position on the Cambridge-Norwich Tech Corridor
●Planning and business rate benefits from Enterprise Zone Status
●Emerging cluster of agri-tech businesses
●New specialist incubator space to be provided
58 CoStar, 2021
59 Co-Star, 2021
60 New Anglia LIS, 2020
61 Annual Population Survey, 2019
62 ibid
63 ibid
64 ibid
65Department for International Trade, 2017-2021
66 Crunchbase, 2021
● Can benefit from the inward investment opportunities provided by the
Plant Science and Healthy Food High Potential Opportunity awarded by the
Department for International Trade
Table 1.6 Opportunity 6: Eastern Gateway / Logistics & Warehousing
Description
The Eastern Gateway is a major industrial and logistics park to the west of
Ipswich next to Junction 54 of the A14. The site is strategically located on the
A14 which provides direct access to the Port of Felixstowe and to London and
Colchester via the A12. The site benefits from Enterprise Zone status and has
capacity for 1,000,000 sq ft of B1, B2 and B8 uses. Both Amazon and La Doria
have taken space on the site.
Site Availability
Outline planning consent has been secured for over 1,000,000 sq ft of B1, B2, B8,
motor sales, hotel and local retail uses. The first phase of infrastructure
setting with high quality services and landscaping.
Sector Growth Opportunity
● The Logistics and Warehousing sector is more specialised in the Norfolk
and Suffolk economy than at the national level
● The Logistics and Warehousing sector has grown by +9% at the national
level since 201967
● Logistics and warehousing is expected to be more resilient to the economic
impacts of COVID-19 than other sectors
● The changing nature of retail, accelerated by the pandemic, will ensure
that demand remains strong over the medium to long term.
Commercial Property
Opportunity
● National industrial take up reached 49.2 million sq ft in in 2020 which is far
higher than the previous record of 34 million sq ft in 201668
● PwC set out that logistics has the strongest prospects in terms of
investment, development and income opportunities in their Emerging
Trends in Real Estate Report (2021)
● E-commerce has grown year-on-year for over a decade and hit 32.8% of the
retail market share in mid-2020, which is driving demand for warehousing
and logistics space69
● Last year saw the largest ever logistics deal completed in the UK -
Blackstone acquired the Platform portfolio for £473m which included over
22 assets70
● Industrial supply in Norfolk and Suffolk is currently low and nearly all space
is occupied - vacancy rates are 4% and demand remains relatively high71
● The industrial market in Norfolk and Suffolk is relatively stable, with some
places seeing an increase in lease values in 2020 versus 2019 Mid Suffolk
(+95%), Babergh (+37%), West Suffolk (+20%) and East Suffolk (+14%)72
Skills and Talent
Opportunity
● The number of people with GCSE qualifications or above is higher than the
national average in East Anglia and the East of England (NVQ1+)73
● Very few people have no qualifications across the East of England and East
Anglia74
● The number of people without qualifications has decreased over the last
five years in Norfolk (-14%) and Suffolk (-7%)75
Inward Investment
Opportunity
● The Port of Felixstowe has recently been awarded freeport status which is
likely to create new demand for logistics and warehousing in the local area.
67
ONS BRES, 2020
68
BNP Paribas, 2021
69
ONS, 2021
70
BNP Parbias, 2021
71
CoStar, 2021
72
Co-Star, 2021
73
ibid
74
ibid
75
ibid
● ecommerce and logistics providers into rapid expansion. New thinking on
supply-chain strategies are resulting in companies looking to source closer
to the consumer and not rely on only shipping goods from Asia. The UK
consumer demand for ecommerce and rapid delivery opens a host of
opportunities.
● In the last three years there have been 313 inward investment projects
from Wholesale and Logistics companies, creating +17,012 jobs76.
● Between 2018-2021, there were 584 global Logistics and Supply Chain
companies that received venture capital funding deals of more than $10
million to fuel expansion77.
● Key source markets of inward investment opportunity are likely to be UK,
US and Chinese e-commerce firms; as well as UK and European Third Party
Logistics companies.
Site Advantages
● Proximity to A11 and A14
● Enterprise zone status
● Proximity to Port of Felixstowe Freeport
● Outline planning consent
76
Department for International Trade, 2018-2021
77
Crunchbase, 2021
