Waveney Prospectus
A plan to encourage the growth and regeneration of the Waveney district has been officially unveiled by Waveney District Council and its partners.
Launched at the Cut Arts Centre, Halesworth, the ‘Waveney Prospectus’ will serve as a framework and agreed plan for the district over the next 5-10 years.
The Waveney District is currently poised to enter a very exciting stage of development as it seeks to reposition itself as a modern and competitive destination. The area has tremendous potential for both economic and community prosperity and recent initiatives such as the Sunrise Scheme and the OrbisEnergy facility, currently taking shape at Ness Point, have kick started a period of significant change.
To help maintain this momentum organisations involved in making Waveney a greater place to live and work have created the ‘Prospectus’ which will focus on the major centres of population of Beccles, Bungay, Halesworth, Kessingland, Lowestoft and Southwold. It provides actions plans which can be integrated into the business and delivery plans of stakeholders supporting sustainable regeneration of the district and surrounding areas. It also provides an analytical tool which can be used to negotiate funding contributions, plan investment programmes and develop projects in the future.
PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (a firm of consultants) were appointed by a panel of partners in October 2006 to research and produce the Prospectus and the final document has now been submitted to WDC and partners. The Prospectus has been funded by Waveney District Council, East of England Development Agency (EEDA), Waveney Economic Partnership (through LSP performance award) and SRB Community Chest.
Amongst the plans in the prospectus is a “Waveney Dragon’s Den”, in which entrepreneurs would pitch ideas to a panel of five senior businessmen and venture capitalists, or “dragons”.
The plan says: “Each panel member could put up to £15,000 from their individual firms, giving a total investment fund of £75,000 to invest in two business ideas with high growth potential.”
Other investment ideas in the plan include managed business units for small businesses in market towns and villages; promotion of farming, especially organic or local food and drink and non-food crops such as biofuels; and a calendar of events for Waveney market towns to promote them and avoid clashes between events in neighbouring towns.
Graduates will be encouraged to stay in Waveney through work placements before and after they have graduated.
The Prospectus is available to download by using the following link:
