From the Manor: Investing in innovation and boosting economies

Forward-thinking companies like Thales UK, Siemens, and Elekta proudly call Manor Royal ‘home’ contributing to our diverse place and our talented emerging workforce. As Chair of Coast to Capital LEP, I see first-hand the fantastic work that is accomplished across our region. We have a number of extraordinary businesses that have shown marked resilience over the last two years, and we have a large pool of talent thanks to education and skills partners, ready to enter tomorrow’s workforce. With the green light for Crawley’s Innovation Centre given earlier this year, I am looking forward to seeing what this much-needed economic and technological boost can bring to place Crawley firmly on the map for innovation. At the LEP, we have approved £8.4million of funding from the government’s “Getting Building Fund” to enable the centre’s design, build and launch in the Manor Royal Business District by the end of 2023. The project has also secured £2.5 million from the Crawley Towns Fund programme to invest in the operational establishment of the centre. The project is a major priority in Crawley’s Economic Recovery Plan 2022-2037 and it is also closely aligned with Coast to Capital’s plan to Build Back Smarter, Stronger and Greener. In the first instance the aim is for the centre to help create over 200 new jobs and directly benefit up to 40 local businesses. In the longer term, the aim is to help attract significant new manufacturing business investment into Crawley, including at new industrial space in the Manor Royal. Located in the former Travel House building in the heart of the Manor Royal Business District, the centre will be a major technological innovation asset to support Crawley’s existing advanced engineering businesses in Manor Royal and to enable growth in new and emerging business sectors such as clean energy and quantum technologies. It will provide vital “grow-on” space which will enable hi-tech small businesses (SMEs) to “scale up”, prototype and demonstrate new technologies in clean energy, quantum tech and transportation tech. The centre will help boost innovation and research and development output in Crawley and the Gatwick Diamond as well as unlock manufacturing jobs and attract business investment. This really is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attract more high value businesses into the area and cement our status as a leading part of the country driving innovation and trade. What’s more, the innovation centre will be actively engaging with the new Institute of Technology for the region – working with Chichester College Group (including Crawley College), Nescot and the Universities of Brighton and Sussex on opportunities for local workforce tech apprenticeships and skills, SME research and development and business support, and for the centre to accommodate hi-tech academic “spin out” enterprises. Having w orked in the regional education sector for more than 10 years, I speak with confidence when I say how collaborative approaches like this can benefit our local students and communities. We know that there is a skills gap in our region and it is vital that we address this to ensure that businesses thrive, continue to innovate and contribute to the success of our economy. To keep up-to-date with all the latest news about Crawley’s Innovation Centre, follow Coast to Capital LEP on Twitter, I can’t wait to welcome you when it opens!