Inventing our future Collective action for a sustainable economy

What do we need to change?
The spatial response
Thames Gateway South Essex
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• business creation rates in TGSE are high with 10.76 new businesses
created per 1,000 population, against a national average of 10.08.
Job growth over the 1991–2001 period has been strong, with 18,400
jobs created, an increase of 7.7 per cent
• proximity of TGSE to the London Olympic and Paralympic site provides
the opportunity to capture business contracts and tourism investment,
as well as a cultural and sporting legacy
• over 400 hectares of brownfield land that can be brought forward for
new employment developments of a transformational scale
• a distinctive estuarial waterfront and rich cultural heritage with the
potential to form part of a package to attract and retain a skilled
workforce and strong business base.
Constraints
• TGSE underperforms in terms of GVA, growth and has low levels of skills
attainment
• 42 per cent of TGSE residents do not have entry level 2 qualifications to
underpin longer-term learning and employability
• The proportion of the working population with NVQ level 4+ is 16 per
cent, significantly lower than the regional average (25 per cent) and
there is a low proportion of economic activity in ‘knowledge-intensive’
sectors
• its competitiveness, measured by productivity, is below the national
average (90 against GB=100). Basildon is an exception to this
• TGSE has existing pressures on transport infrastructure, which are likely
to be exacerbated by further growth. Key blockages include the
A130/A13 junction and the A127 in Southend
• TGSE has a relatively poor perception as a place to do business, which has
resulted in a poor track record of inward investment.
Strategic ambitions
• achieve levels of productivity and earnings of at least the regional average
• radically improve the skills base through employer-led learning
opportunities and the creation of 21st century education facilities,
including schools, new university campuses and industry-led skills
academies
• London Gateway as a national logistics and ports enterprise hub - a centre
for research and technical support as part of an associated cluster,
including the Port of Tilbury
• reinvent and revitalise the city and town centres in Southend-on-Sea,
Basildon, Thurrock and Castle Point with thriving residential, retail and
leisure offers
• major reinvention of the Lakeside Basin and West Thurrock to include
increased leisure and industrial zones, interactive and ecological corridors
and a new residential offer
• become renowned for high-quality public and green spaces and attractive
waterfront development
• develop as a centre for investment in environmental technologies and
services, including potential leadership in automotive energy efficiency in
Basildon and a new bioenergy park in Thurrock
• become a niche centre in the creative industries, including the Production
Campus and Creative National Skills Academy in Thurrock and a focused
offer in Southend-on-Sea built around the university, METAL and thriving
arts and new media businesses
• realise and harness the potential of London Southend Airport as a key
transport gateway for the Thames Gateway, by improving operational
capacity, surface access and supporting business development in
engineering and maintenance.