Major economic growth opportunities for town suggested
Thursday, 16th June 2011.
Two major opportunities for economic growth in Haverhill could be provided by a world-class biosciences hub in west Suffolk and a world-class cluster of equine businesses around Newmarket, town business people were told this morning.
Tim Passmore, chief executive of the doomed development agency Choose Suffolk, and board member of its replacement Norfolk and Suffolk Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), was addressing a meeting of thebestof Haverhill at Days Inn.
Mr Passmore said he had seen how Haverthill had changed dramatically in recent years and as now a dynamic, forward-looking town which Suffolk should be proud of.
He put forward some views about how Suffolk should develop and what he thought were important issues for the LEP to take forward.
Among these were the chance to build a world-class cluster of biosciences and regenerative medicine technologies around Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds, where there already significant players and opportunities for others as well as spin-offs for other industries.
There was also an opportunity to build a cluster of equine businesses around Newmarket, which could bring a huge amount of cash into Suffolk, and would have spin-offs for Haverhill because it was nearby.
Both opportunities needed to be grasped before continental or other international competitors got in first, and therefore it was important those working towards Suffolk'seconomic growth went about it in the right way.
There was also a lot of space available at cheaper rates in Suffolk, Mr Passmore said, and development could be achieved tastefully and with full regard to the environment.
Suffolk's location was very advantageous, as was Haverhill's, and Mr Passmore, who is the tourism lead on the LEP board, said there were opportunities coming along with the 2012 Olympics to show people what a good destination it was, either for spectators from abroad or for Londoners trying to get aweay from it.
Choose Suffolk has produced a booklet about a new heritage trail based on the Suffolk wool towns.
Mr Passmore said when he came to Haverhill a few months ago and discovered it, too, was a wool town, he insisted it was included in the booklet, which now has a page devoted to the town.
But, as leader of Mid-Suffolk District Council he had a stark warning for local authorities that if tourists found towns had problems of litter and general untidiness it would put them off.
"It is crucial local authorities focus on this area and do not cut it back in the current financial climate," he said.
Tim Passmore, chief executive of the doomed development agency Choose Suffolk, and board member of its replacement Norfolk and Suffolk Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), was addressing a meeting of thebestof Haverhill at Days Inn.
Mr Passmore said he had seen how Haverthill had changed dramatically in recent years and as now a dynamic, forward-looking town which Suffolk should be proud of.
He put forward some views about how Suffolk should develop and what he thought were important issues for the LEP to take forward.
Among these were the chance to build a world-class cluster of biosciences and regenerative medicine technologies around Haverhill and Bury St Edmunds, where there already significant players and opportunities for others as well as spin-offs for other industries.
There was also an opportunity to build a cluster of equine businesses around Newmarket, which could bring a huge amount of cash into Suffolk, and would have spin-offs for Haverhill because it was nearby.
Both opportunities needed to be grasped before continental or other international competitors got in first, and therefore it was important those working towards Suffolk'seconomic growth went about it in the right way.
There was also a lot of space available at cheaper rates in Suffolk, Mr Passmore said, and development could be achieved tastefully and with full regard to the environment.
Suffolk's location was very advantageous, as was Haverhill's, and Mr Passmore, who is the tourism lead on the LEP board, said there were opportunities coming along with the 2012 Olympics to show people what a good destination it was, either for spectators from abroad or for Londoners trying to get aweay from it.
Choose Suffolk has produced a booklet about a new heritage trail based on the Suffolk wool towns.
Mr Passmore said when he came to Haverhill a few months ago and discovered it, too, was a wool town, he insisted it was included in the booklet, which now has a page devoted to the town.
But, as leader of Mid-Suffolk District Council he had a stark warning for local authorities that if tourists found towns had problems of litter and general untidiness it would put them off.
"It is crucial local authorities focus on this area and do not cut it back in the current financial climate," he said.
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