The East of England and EEDAPaul Burall
Board memberEast of England Development Agency
29 April 2006
One of the fastest growing regions
EEDA’s statutory responsibility
• set up in April 1999 under the 1998 RDA Act
• a non-departmental public body
• statutory responsibilities:- further economic development and regeneration
- promote business efficiency, investment and
competitiveness
- promote employment
- enhance development and application of skills relevant
to employment
- contribute to sustainable development in the UK
EEDA’s statutory responsibility
• set up in April 1999 under the 1998 RDA Act
• a non-departmental public body
• statutory responsibilities:- further economic development and regeneration
- promote business efficiency, investment and
competitiveness
- promote employment
- enhance development and application of skills relevant
to employment
- contribute to sustainable development in the UK
The vision for the East of England…
…is for ‘a leading economy, founded on our
world-class knowledge base and the
creativity and enterprise of our people, in
order to improve the quality of life of all who
live and work here.’
The regional economic strategy
a leading information society
skills base that can support a world-class economy
global leadership in developing and realising innovation in science, technology and research
high quality places to work and live
making the most from the development of international gateways and national and regional transport corridors
growing competitiveness, productivity and entrepreneurship
social inclusion and broad participation in the regional economy
an exemplar in environmental technologies and the efficient use of resources
The regional economic strategy
high quality places to work and live
an exemplar in environmental technologies and the efficient use of resources
Priorities include environmental issues
• Strategic Goal 4, Priority 4 - Developing and enhancing green spaces and infrastructure to support economic growth
• Strategic Goal 8, Priority 4 - Establishing the region as an exemplar of environmentally sustainable development
Focusing on priorities
• improving skills for employment
• better business support
• success in science and innovation
• Growth Areas and urban renaissance
• regenerating communities
• sustainable economic growth, particularly in rural areas
• international quality transport and infrastructure
• promoting the region
Focusing on priorities
• improving skills for employment
• better business support
• success in science and innovation
• Growth Areas and urban renaissance
• regenerating communities
• sustainable economic growth, particularly in rural areas
• international quality transport and infrastructure
• promoting the region
Climate change is the biggest threat to biodiversity
EEDA has a role both in:
• reducing global warming emissions
• ensuring that development is designed to support adaptation to the changes that are inevitable
Renewables East aims ‘to drive forward the deployment and development of a full range of low carbon energy solutions into the East of England economy whilst ensuring that the region exploits the best economic benefit’
Scroby Sands
This 60 MW, 30 turbine project has been developed on a sand bank approximately 3 km east of Great Yarmouth
Wissington sugar plant
British Sugar is building a plant to convert sugar beet into bioethanol motor fuel at its Norfolk factory. The plant will have a capacity of 50,000 tonnes of bioethanol a year
Key objective is ‘to drive up skills and knowledge in the related fields of regeneration and neighbourhood renewal’
Inspire East is developing an Excellence Framework to provide a guide for development. This will include a substantial environment section
Wildlife corridor
Major regeneration projects
EEDA is funding major regeneration projects around the region
These are assessed for their environmental impact using the regional Sustainable Development Toolkit
The global challenge
The East of England’s environmental footprint is 5.64 global hectares per capita (gha/cap)
The UK average is 5.36 gha/cap
The world average is 2.2 gha/cap
Source: Counting Consumption, WWF & the Swedish Environmental Institute, 2006
The regional challenge
Water resources are close to capacity
Climate change emissions are still rising
Biodiversity is declining
Sea level rise threatens key habitats
Fenland soils are losing their fertility
The regional challenge
Development rates are increasing and include:
Nearly 500,000 new homes in the next 15 years
The Olympics
Major transport expansion at Stansted & Felixtowe
What more should EEDA do?
• The review process for the key Regional Economic Strategy will begin soon
• Need to better understand and work within the environmental constraints
• Wide consultation
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