UK Capital Investment

great.gov.uk | UK Capital Investment 2

great.gov.uk | UK Capital Investment 3

Helping you invest successfully in the UK

The UK is a leading global destination for investment, consistently attracting high international capital inflows. The UK offers investors an excellent business environment, strong demographic growth and a thriving economy, with a broad and diverse range of businesses and projects to invest in.

The UK’s Department for International Trade (DIT) helps investors find appropriate projects, smoothing investment journeys with tailored advice, insight and introductions. We promote investor-ready schemes selected by our specialist teams.

DIT’s Capital Investment Directorate focuses particularly on large-scale property and infrastructure development projects as well as opportunities to invest in high-growth UK businesses, particularly in the technology sectors, where we also offer support to encourage entrepreneurs to move to the UK. Sitting at the heart of government, we can provide support, guidance and introductions to open up opportunities for successful investment.

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14%In the first half of 2017, 14% of global commercial property investment transactions occurred in the UK, second only to the USA

Jones Lang LaSalle

1 in 6Of the top 100 universities in the world, 16 are in the UK

QS World University Rankings, 2018

£6.7bnMore than £6.7 billion ($9.5bn) was invested into UK tech firms in 2016, the highest total in Europe

PitchBook

5.5GWThe UK is consistently ranked the best country to invest in offshore wind with 5.5GW of installed or under construction offshore wind generation, expected to increase to 10GW by 2020

Crown Estate

The UK has an open, liberal economy, world-class talent and business-friendly taxation. Government support is substantial in terms of generating the right environments for capital investment: in infrastructure, energy and property, and in growth capital

and entrepreneurship. The UK is truly international in outlook and many international investors benefit from strong personal links to the UK, having been educated here, or enjoying our famous culture and heritage.

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DIT’s Capital Investment DirectorateThe UK Government is committed to supporting international investment into high-growth businesses and profitable property development and infrastructure projects.

The Department for International Trade’s Capital Investment team leads on this agenda for the UK Government and we have a strong track record of working closely with institutional investors and project promoters. Our team has been instrumental in securing billions of pounds of investment.

We work closely with commercial and governmental organisations across the country to understand their priorities and offer support as they promote their projects to potential investors. We also work with investors, building relationships to highlight the UK’s diverse range of investable opportunities - in terms of investment scale and timeframes, risks and returns, sectors and geographies.

The Department for International Trade realises the value government can add to the investment process, using its global network of international offices to manage relationships locally. We can introduce interested international parties to UK companies with a wealth of sectoral expertise, or to blue-chip domestic investors interested in co-funding models. We also offer expert advice, utilising a range of specialists in Property Development and Finance, Project Finance, Energy, Transport, and Regulated Assets.

Our network of UK specialists includes representation across the country, ensuring expert local insight into projects, local government and businesses can be quickly and reliably provided.

For further details or to discuss the potential for an initial meeting, please email: capitalinvestment@trade.gov.uk

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HS2 is the flagship project of a major railways investment programme. Across the whole HS2 route, an overall planned £55.7 billion investment will put the cities of Birmingham, Leeds, London, Manchester and Sheffield at the heart of a new high speed rail network, with other cities such as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle benefiting from reduced journey times. HS2 is already driving investment and development activity along its route and in wider local areas.

Opportunities in infrastructureThe UK’s 2016 National Infrastructure Plan sets out a £483bn infrastructure pipeline over five years, designed to sustain the UK as a competitive and productive economy that works for everyone. The UK government is committed to working in collaboration with the private sector to deliver this and has recently introduced a number of supporting measures:

• Establishing the National Infrastructure Commission as an independent body to advise on long-term infrastructure needs

• A commitment to proceed with the HS2 high-speed rail network offering faster journeys and more capacity between London, the Midlands and the North of England

• A decision to proceed with Hinkley Point C, the first new nuclear power station for a generation

A £2.3bn Housing Infrastructure Fund which could unlock 100,000 new homes in areas of high demand. This will help to fund vital physical infrastructure projects like roads, bridges, energy networks and other utilities.

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Opportunities in energyAn affordable, decarbonised, secure and integrated energy supply for businesses and consumers is at the heart of the UK’s Industrial Strategy. The Government incentivises investment into the infrastructure needed to deliver on this strategy in a number of ways, including:

• A statutory target to achieve at least an 80% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2050 against a 1990 baseline

• Private law contracts fixing the price that low-carbon electricity generators receive for output, indexed to inflation

• A commitment to close all unabated coal-fired generation plants by 2025

• A capacity market providing energy generators with inflation-adjusted

income in return for making electricity available when required

• An inflation-linked renewable heat tariff and a £330m grant programme to support heat infrastructure delivery

• A tradeable certificate regime under which suppliers of transport fuel must be able to show that a percentage of the fuel they supply comes from sustainable sources

• A commitment to ban new diesel and petrol cars and vans from UK roads by 2040

• A plan to deliver a smarter, more flexible energy system, enabled by energy storage, demand flexibility, smart metering and interconnector infrastructure.

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Opportunities in property developmentRapid demographic, economic and technological changes are opening up diverse new opportunities in property development. A shortage of stock means that housing represents a major opportunity for large scale capital investment, including in sub-sectors such as private market sales, build to rent, student accommodation and senior living. Alongside this, the way people work, shop and spend their

free time leads to new developments in retail, leisure, offices and industrial, whilst our successful universities have an increasing role to play in the regeneration of our towns and cities offering co-investment opportunities.

Government support is evident, setting out policies including the Housing White Paper and Industrial Strategy that provide a clear and stable framework for investment.

Demographic and economic factors have supported the emergence of the build to rent sector. Household formation is outstripping house building and demand for rented housing is high. PwC has predicted that 25 per cent of households will be living in the private rented sector by 2025, up from 19 per cent in 2014-15. This is translating into attractive returns from residential property compared to other investments. The government has supported this opportunity through the £3.5 billion Private Rented Sector Housing Guarantee Scheme and the £1bn Build to Rent Fund.

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Opportunities for growth capitalThe UK offers a wealth of capital investment opportunities into exciting companies across fast-growing sectors, from technology and financial services to food and drink and life sciences.

The UK remains an innovation-rich environment due to its diversity, entrepreneurial spirit and strength of its research base, underpinned by world-class scientific and academic institutions.

The UK continues to be one of the most attractive places for investment into dynamic, young companies looking for growth capital — being open for business, open to new ideas and welcoming the best talent from around the world.

It is for good reason that the World Bank rates the UK’s business environment as the best of any major European country.

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Opportunities for entrepreneursThe UK is one of the world’s best places to start or scale an entrepreneurial business, with the joint lowest corporation tax rate in the G20. Doing business in the UK is easy — streamlined processes mean that a company can be registered and ready to trade within 48 hours. The government also

supports innovative businesses through world-leading tax relief. Companies engaged in innovation or research to claim up to 100% relief on their corporation tax, while SMEs are able to access rebates for as much as 125% of their expenditure on research and development.

In 2016, the UK had the highest number of start-up companies valued at over $1billion, known as ‘unicorn’ companies, of any country in Europe. These include companies such as Blippar, Just Eat, Shazam, Skyscanner, Transferwise, Zoopla and Rightmove. As a trend, around one-third of all European unicorn companies are based in the UK.

8 reasons to invest capital in the UKThe UK retains its position as a leading destination for global capital due to its many strengths and assets. The UK offers:1

Varied and liquid markets with transparent pricing

2. The City of London as the key global finan-cial centre

3. World-leading advisory services 4. Strong long-term economic and demographic growth 5. World-class universities 6. A regulatory environment, including the planning system, and rule of law that protect investments 7. The benefits of conducting business in English 8. Strong support for investors from a government committed to keeping the UK as a leading destination for global capital.

Bargate Quarter Southampton

OpportunityOpportunities are available for forward commitment, forward funding and debt finance for this major retail and leisure, residential and hotel development in the heart of Southampton City Centre. Investor interest is invited for the whole or just for one or more of the asset classes to be developed with opportunity for occupational return.

Project Promoters: Tellon Capital.

Scale:£150 million GDV.

Sector: Retail, leisure, residential, and hotel.

Location: Southampton City Centre.

Investment Type:Forward funding and debt finance. £100m investment funding required.

Programme: Completion of blocks 2021-2022.

Planning Status:Full planning permission in place.

www.bargatequarter.co.uk

OverviewBackgroundSouthampton is the dominant city in the region with an international airport carrying 2 million passengers per annum; is the capital of the UK’s expanding cruise liner industry catering for over 1 million passengers each year via 452 visiting cruise ships; and is home to 2 leading universities and a premiership football club.

The city centre is a major retail destination hosting IKEA, John Lewis and Debenham’s but still maintains an under provision of quality aspirational retail space, a position to be directly addressed by the Bargate Quarter development.

Project DescriptionThe project is situated at the heart of the historic Southampton City Centre, a rich heritage area that includes the C12th Bargate medieval monument and ancient city walls.

As part of the Bargate Quarter development, the medieval walls will be exposed and restored to their former glory and will form an important feature of the new development.

The intention is to create a hub for local residents and visitors providing a place to eat, drink, relax, explore and shop. Retail and leisure (24 premium units and 5 pavilions), residential (187 apartments), hotel (240 bedrooms) and a new subterranean car park serving the retail and residential elements.

Project PromoterTellon Capital is the developer and project promoter, and are advised by Stace, C+W architects, CGW, Brasier Freeth and Lewis and Partners. Full support for the project is provided by Southampton City Council.

Bexhill Enterprise Park East Sussex

Opportunity The Bexhill Enterprise Park offers commercial investment opportunities of circa £150 million GDV. There is flexibility for an investor to enter a partnership (up to £100 million) to provide finance through each construction phase and then end purchase/retain completed buildings.

Project Promoters: Sea Change Sussex.

Scale: Circa £150 million GDV.

Project Type: Office, research and development plus light industrial.

Location: Strategic connections to Brighton and London.

Investment Type: Development finance, development and joint venture.

Planning Status: Detailed consent for initial phase. Outline consent for future phases.

Bexhillenterprisepark.co.uk

Overview

Background This is a major investment opportunity on the South Coast of England. The business park is part of a planned extension to Bexhill which includes employment, residential and retail/leisure uses, community facilities and open spaces.

There is strong demand for a range of premises driven by a combination of latent demand from local and regional occupiers and inward investment from companies looking to benefit from lower occupation costs. The scheme has been designed with flexibility to accommodate a wide range of occupiers.

Project Description This “state of the art” business park lies in an attractive countryside setting and is designed to enable growth of local companies and attract inward and foreign direct investment. It has capacity to accommodate at least 60,000 sqm of office, light industrial and R&D uses.

The first offices, Glovers House, were completed in December 2015 and was immediately fully let. The second office building, High Weald House is due for completion in 2019. The Bexhill-Hastings Link Road was completed in December 2015 with public investment of over £120 million. The promoter has invested £30 million in

connecting roads to provide access to the development land.

Project Promoter The promoter, Sea Change Sussex, has freehold ownership of the business park land, totalling 26 hectares.

Sea Changes Sussex is backed by the area’s local authorities, major companies and the University of Brighton. There will be an opportunity for an investor to be involved in a relevant Project Board.

The delivery team includes commercial agents Bray Fox Smith, AHR Architects and Campbell Reith, consulting engineers.

The wider regeneration programme has been backed by significant government investment and the project is supported by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Bicester MotionOxfordshire

OpportunityThe promoters for this project are seeking investor partners to invest £140 million as either co-investors for the whole development or as a development partner with options for providing debt/equity for any of the four elements comprising phase 1 of the £390 million major new leisure resort and visitor attraction in the automotive sector.

Project Promoters: Bicester Heritage Ltd

Scale:£390 million GDV

Sector: 4 star hotel; conference centre; automotive brand centre; technology hub

Location: Bicester, Oxfordshire

Investment Type:Investor partner for the full project or for individual assets

Planning Status:Local Plan allocated site

bicestermotion.co.uk

Overview

BackgroundAs the map indicates, this exceptionally well located site near to the famous University City of Oxford is within 90 minutes travel for 50% of the UK’s population. It is just 2 miles from Bicester Village, a retail and leisure experience which attracts 6.3 million visitors each year, one of the most popular tourist attractions in the UK.

Bicester Heritage Limited owns the 180 hectare former airfield of RAF Bicester and has already restored and re-activated over 35 buildings within the historic Technical Site to provide space for 40 businesses creating a National Centre of Excellence for the historic motoring industry/sector.

The wider site and peripheries to the airfield provide the opportunity for the promoters to realise their vision of creating the world’s first experience centre for vehicles of the past, present and future which will be a top 20 UK tourist destination with over 1 million visitors per year, incorporating a unique brand experience centre, luxury branded hotel, conference centre and future technology centre.

Project DescriptionThe first phase of the £390 million Bicester Motion project comprises 4 discrete but synergistic elements which are formed around the 2-mile driving experience track facilities. Phase one includes:

• 4 star hotel – 18,000 m2 344 keys with restaurant and leisure facilities

• Conference and events centre – 4,000 m2 with seating for up to 3,000 in an existing Grade II listed WW2 hangar

• Automotive brand centre – 25,000 m2 – multi brand driver experience centre including restaurants and retail benefiting access to 4x4 and driving experience facilities on site.

• Technology hub – 20,000 m2 – vehicle workshop and labs for innovative high performing advanced technology automotive businesses benefiting close proximity and access to demonstration track facilities on site.

The promoters of this project are in negotiation with a number of world class blue-chip operators and occupiers. The GDV for this first phase is estimated at £150 million and the investment required £110 million.

Project Promoter and PartnershipsThe project promoter is Bicester Heritage Ltd, a company which is located at the site and owns the entire land required for the Bicester Motion development. The project has the full support of Cherwell District Council and the Oxfordshire Local Enterprise Partnership (OxLEP).

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Camro Ely

Opportunity The site has the potential to accommodate a hyper-scale data campus with a GDV of up to £800 million (or smaller phases). The promoters are looking for either a purchaser (design and build) or a JV partner.

Project Promoters: Lasercharm.

Scale: Circa £800 million GDV.

Sector: Data Campus B1 business.

Location: Sutton near Ely 10 miles from Cambridge.

Investment Type: Purchaser (design and build) Joint venture.

Planning Status: Permission for 40 acre site.

www.camro.co.uk

Overview

Background Camro is a 40-acre data campus located 10 miles north of Cambridge. It will respond to the increasing demand for new, energy efficient data centres particularly from high tech businesses.

Cambridge is a prime location for science parks and technological businesses including Astra Zeneca, Microsoft Research, and Amazon. Camro is well placed to serve Cambridge, London and regional hubs.

Project Description Planning permission is in place for 65,000 sq metres data centre buildings (Use Class B1) with plant, services, offices, car parking, associated infrastructure and landscaping. Reserved matters have been approved for 8,353 sq metres. Potential 50-acre extension subject to planning.

A substation designed by Aecom supplies 6MVA with second phase to supply additional 19MVA. Planning permission includes an on-site energy centre. Terms recently agreed to develop a further 50 MW gas fuelled CHP facility.

Openreach Ethernet is on-site with diversely routed nodes. New interconnect options and dark fibre are deliverable linking to core fibre infrastructure networks to London, the United States and Europe.

Project Promoter and Partnership Lasercharm owns the site and has invested in project planning, development and infrastructure, including access roads, on-site substation, connectivity and drainage.

The project team is led by Adams Group Real Estate with support from Aecom and Arc:MC data centre specialists. The scheme is supported by the Greater Cambridge and Peterborough Combined Authority.

Fawley WatersideOpportunityThis is a strategic opportunity to shape a project at its earliest stages. Flexible discussions about investment structures could include options such as debt finance, co-investment, direct development, equity, development partner. The project promoters are keen to join with an investment partner that shares their vision for Fawley Waterside and will add value in one of the projects key sectors – digital infrastructure; smart city; advanced marine manufacture; sustainable energy and infrastructure.

Project Promoters: Fawley Waterside Ltd.

Scale:£1 billion GDV; 1,500-2,000 homes and 100,000 sq metres commercial.

Sector: Mixed residential; employment; technology; academic; leisure and retail; marine.

Location: Fawley, New Forest, Hampshire.

Investment Type:Various options and opportunities are available.

Planning Status:Local Plan allocation; Outline planning application ongoing.

fawleywaterside.co.uk

OverviewBackgroundThe project is located on the site of, and on land adjacent to, the Fawley oil fired power station decommissioned in 2013. The situation is dramatic, at the head of Southampton Water opposite the major UK port that is Southampton City, and looking out across The Solent to the Isle of Wight. It has been used as a location for many film and TV productions.

Fawley is relatively deprived amongst the economically dynamic and affluent south coast ‘Solent corridor’ that runs from Bournemouth in the west to Portsmouth in the east, and Fawley Waterside represents an important legacy regeneration project for the local landowner and project promoter behind Fawley Waterside, Aldred Drummond.

Project DescriptionConceived and designed as a sustainable and Intelligent Merchant City, with a vision to transform the site into a thriving waterside community, and aiming to be the first true Smart City in the UK.

The project offers an exciting workplace environment built on high technology and digital infrastructure alongside advanced marine engineering and manufacturing; whilst also providing an attractive living environment in a beautiful and natural scientifically significant setting.

The site is well connected to Southampton by road, an existing railway connection is to be upgraded and extended, and new ferry and water taxi services are also planned.

The combination of considered master planning, classical architectural design and innovative connectivity has the potential to deliver significant economic benefits and commercial returns.

Built over a 47 hectare site, the whole project will deliver:

• 1,500-2,000 new homes.

• 100,000 sq metres of commercial.

• 2,000 new jobs created across industrial/manufacture, retail, leisure and hotel sectors.

A university hub is to be established as well as new health and education facilities. Demolition of the power station is taking place with development expected to commence in phases over the following 10 years.

Promoter:Fawley Waterside Ltd is the development vehicle for the project and Long Harbour the fund manager, supported by a team of consultants led by Deloitte.

Partnerships:Fawley Waterside has a huge range of supportive partners, including, for example –

• A collaboration between Siemens, Cisco, IBM, and Vodafone is designing the digital infrastructure to underpin the project and ensure sustainability.

• Academic partners from several UK universities committed to establishing an innovation hub at Fawley.

• Local authorities, Local Economic partnerships, and central government departments co-operating to facilitate the project.

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KimmerfieldsSwindon

OpportunityWith the Kimmerfields scheme provisionally anchored by a Global Top 200 office occupier, investors have the opportunity to form a joint venture as a site wide development/investment partner, or to invest in specific residential (inc. PRS), grade A office, retail, or 4 star hotel accommodation. This is a £150 million investment opportunity to support the creation of a new commercial and residential quarter in the centre of Swindon, just 50 minutes from London.

Project Promoters: Swindon Council and Homes England

Scale:£200 million GDV

Sector: Residential (inc.PRS) and Commercial, Hotel

Location: Central Swindon

Investment Type:Joint venture with developer/investor for the whole or asset-specific investments

Planning Status:Full outline permission

switchontoswindon.com/invest/kimmerfields

Overview

BackgroundSwindon, with a population of 225,000, is one of the fastest growing towns in the UK, and part of the Fast Growth Cities Network with Oxford, Cambridge and Milton Keynes. Only 50 minutes by train from central London with 4-5 trains per hour, it is also close to Heathrow airport and central to the M4 corridor. Swindon has a vibrant business cluster hosting many major UK and global brand names including Nationwide Building Society, Zurich Insurance Group, UK Research and Innovation, and BMW. Swindon boasts the 8th highest Gross Value Added per worker in the UK.

Compared to neighbouring large towns and cities such as Reading, Oxford, Bristol, and Bath, rents in the office, retail and residential sectors have considerable scope to rise given the right conditions. The Council’s response is a bold vision to create a new and thriving centre for the town based on quality development and a real sense of place to encourage new companies to locate, and for people to live, work and play.

Project descriptionThe Kimmerfields site is located in Swindon town centre, 200m from the railway station, and is the focus of the Council’s vision of creating a new commercial and residential centre for the town, with details as follows –

• 450 residential apartments including the potential for 200-300 PRS units

• Up to 30,000 m2 grade A office space

• Up to 10,000 m2 retail space

• 100 bed 4 star hotel

• New civic public realm

• The ‘Bus Boulevard’, a high quality public transport interchange and place making initiative

A global top 200 company is already in advanced negotiations with the promoters to deliver a 10,000 m2 office building at Kimmerfields, demonstrating confidence in the project.

Project Promoter and PartnershipsThe project is being promoted jointly by Swindon Council and Homes England who between them own all the land required for this development. Their advisors include Montagu Evans, Savills, and Barton Wilmore. Investors may wish to be aware that this is the first of £1 billion Swindon town centre regeneration pipeline that will come to the market in the coming years and the Council is open to discussing a long term relationship with an investor partner for these opportunities.

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MK:U - A new technology higher education institution from Cranfield UniversityMilton Keynes

OpportunityA strategic investment opportunity requiring up to £200 million of debt funding (or JV partner) for the creation of phase 1 of a new city-centre University Quarter including education facilities, student accommodation, a conference centre and hotel, and related educational facilities. The project is being led by Cranfield University under the MK:U undergraduate brand, focusing on the needs of the future economy and filling skills gaps in new technologies including AI, robotics and cyber security.

Project Promoters: Cranfield University (MK:U brand)

Scale:£400m GDV

Sector: Educational, Student Residential, Conference Hotel and retail

Location: Milton Keynes

Investment Type:Development/ Debt funding of £200m (minimum investment £50m) or Joint Venture

Planning Status:Site is allocated within the draft Local Plan for education use.

www.cranfield.ac.uk/mku

OverviewBackgroundMK:U is a unique initiative, a new model university in the UK’s fastest-growing city, that will focus directly on the future needs of the economy, providing cross-disciplinary working in 3 faculties

• Business and Entrepreneurship

• Design Engineering

• Data and Digital Technologies

This flagship project is strategically positioned, just half-an-hour by train from London and in the centre of Milton Keynes, a ‘Smart City’ at the centre of the Oxford-Cambridge Arc. The city’s success, and its aspiration to almost double in size to 500,000 people by 2050, has highlighted the need for an undergraduate university, as Milton Keynes is the largest urban area in the UK without its own residential university.

Project DescriptionThe 10 hectare city centre site for the project is ideally located between Milton Keynes Central railway station, the thriving employment area, and the retail and leisure core.

The project will be delivered over 15 years in three phases and ultimately supply courses to over 15,000 students and business delegates.

Debt funding or a joint venture investment partner is sought for phase 1 to provide a diverse range of accommodation including

• 60,000 sqm of faculty/teaching/research/lab space

• 1,000 student apartments

• 100 bed conference hotel

• Independent retail and other related services

Project Promoter and Partnerships Cranfield University is the UK’s only specialist postgraduate university in technology and management, and partners with business, industry and government across the world.

MK:U is a wholly owned subsidiary of Cranfield University, working closely with its strategic partner Milton Keynes Council and the Milton Keynes Development Partnership (development company of Milton Keynes Council and land provider for MK:U).

Grant funding from UK government is applied for, whist private companies such as Santander Bank have already invested (committed) £30million in to MK:U.

North Essex Garden CommunitiesOpportunityA significant strategic partnering opportunity with North Essex Garden Communities Ltd with the potential for significant investment at scale over a long-term horizon. This aims to deliver 43,000 new homes with physical, digital and social infrastructure in three new garden communities across the North Essex corridor – located to the north east of London and less than an hour from the Capital. It is the largest of the projects within the government’s Garden Towns and Villages (GTV) programme.

Project Promoters: North Essex Garden Communities Ltd (NEGC)

Scale:Significant investment opportunity

Sector: Residential (inc. PRS), employment, rapid transport, physical, digital and community infrastructure

Location: North Essex

Investment Type:Strategic partner

Planning Status:Draft Local Plan

ne-gc.co.uk

Overview

BackgroundThe UK’s housing market requires a significant increase in the supply of high-quality homes across the country. In response, Government has committed to a key goal of building 300,000 new homes each year. Garden communities are a crucial element of this agenda. By building urban areas from the ground up we can create digitally integrated, future-proofed housing that provides high quality living in brand new communities alongside long-term, low risk investment opportunities.

While the programme is predicated on the need for new communities, investors should be aware that these new settlements will be the most advanced in the country, likely to be innovative in their use of digital infrastructure and modern methods of construction, and will offer transformational investment opportunities in digital, physical and community infrastructure, rapid transport, and employment land as well as residential (PRS) opportunities.

There is the potential to offer a range of opportunities to deploy capital at different stages in the project delivery cycle and through multiple investment platforms to maximise potential returns and diversify risk either across a single garden community or a portfolio of multiple garden communities.

Project descriptionNorth Essex is a key strategic location in the UK, placed to the north east of London and less than hours travel to the capital. It is well served by road and rail, home to the UK’s largest freight port at Felixstowe/Harwich and the third-largest airbound freight gateway at London Stansted Airport. It is also within half an hour of Cambridge and the Oxford-Cambridge Arc.

North Essex has seen significant growth in recent years and growth is forecast to continue. Dealing with these anticipated levels of future growth requires a radical approach that transcends administrative boundaries, an approach that focuses on North Essex as a whole.

As a strategic response, three new garden communities have been identified in North Essex which could deliver a total of around 43,000 homes over the next 50 years. North Essex Garden Communities Ltd (NEGC) is exploring the wide range of delivery mechanisms available to best deliver and finance the programme, including creating a Locally Led Development Corporation which could have planning as well as compulsory acquisition powers.

The project is in its early stages but NEGC is particularly interested in opening up discussions with investors and employers for whom participation in such a large, long-term, high profile and strategically significant project has a particular appeal.

Project Promoter and Partnerships NEGC has been formed and is owned by the 4 local authorities covering North Essex as a necessary strategic delivery company to plan, progress and deliver the 3 new communities. NEGC has UK government backing as a designated Garden Town within the national GTV programme.

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Otterpool ParkFolkestoneOpportunityOtterpool Park is a proposed garden town in Kent which offers substantial residential and commercial investment opportunities with an estimated GDV of circa £2.8 billion.

Discussions with investors will be welcomed in due course to inform design of options and structures. These might include joint ventures/partnering for the whole site or early phases, or investment in infrastructure.

Project Promoters:Folkestone and Hythe District Council, Homes England, and Cozumel Estates.

Scale:Circa £2.8 billion GDV.

Sector: Residential and commercial.

Location: Kent near Folkestone, Ashford and Eurotunnel linking to London and Europe.

Investment Type:Joint ventures, partnering or infrastructure investment.

Planning Status:Site allocated in draft local plan.

Otterpoolpark.org

Overview

BackgroundOtterpool Park is around 700 hectares, set between Folkestone and Ashford. The proposal comprises around 10,000 homes and approximately 100,000 sq metres of commercial floor space with supporting infrastructure including transport improvements.

Project descriptionThe vision for the new community includes:

• High quality and innovative design

• Community facilities including schools, health facilities and local services

• Cutting edge technologies

• Local employment opportunities

• Strategic landscaping, parks and open space

• High quality public realm

The site has excellent transport links. Westenhanger Station, on site, has direct trains to Charing Cross, Folkestone and Ashford International with services to Paris (2 hours), Brussels (3 hours) and London via HS1. The Channel Tunnel is 5 minutes away and the Port of Dover 25 minutes.

The surrounding landscape includes the Kent Downs Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. The site is also close to the seaside town of Folkestone which offers beaches, a thriving cultural scene and a good range of services including shops, further education and health facilities.

Project Promoter and PartnershipThe promoters, Folkestone and Hythe District Council and Cozumel Estates are in a collaboration agreement and control around 72% of the site, through ownership and land options. Homes England has recently acquired 150 acres of land and is looking to become a strategic delivery partner.

Central Government granted the project garden towns status in Nov 2016 and is providing £1.5 million capacity funding, access to the Planning Inspectorate on policy preparation and assistance with unlocking issues across government. The project is supported by the South East Local Enterprise Partnership.

Engagement with local communities and stakeholders started in December 2016 and is ongoing. This includes Kent County Council, neighbouring authorities, businesses, parish councils, statutory agencies and the local community.

The preferred option for delivery is through a joint venture. There may be an opportunity for key investors to be directly involved in the delivery arrangements.

Winter Gardens Bournemouth

OpportunityFlexible investment and funding opportunities are available (development finance, forward funding investment, debt finance, equity) to invest c.£125 million supporting the delivery of this strategically significant and visually stunning mixed-use development overlooking the sea in the thriving south-coast town of Bournemouth.

Project Promoters: Bournemouth Development Company LLP

Scale:GDV £150 million

Sector: Residential led (including PRS and shared equity), with restaurants, supermarket and leisure

Location: Bournemouth

Investment Type:Development finance, forward funding, debt finance, equity

Planning Status:Outline planning permission

Overview

Background

The Council’s Town Centre Vision is to create a world class destination for both residents, visitors and enhancing employment opportunities, so re-positioning Bournemouth from a popular coastal town to a dynamic and prosperous ‘City by the Sea.’ Bournemouth boasts a Premier League football club, two universities contributing £500 million to the local economy per annum, a tourism sector contributing another £500 million, and a financial services sector at £1.1 billion per annum.

Since 2013 Bournemouth has seen an unprecedented level of development, with over £300 million of development being completed. £250 million is currently in the construction phase with £350 million in the pipeline. In 2016 Bournemouth was recognised as the town with the third most development activity outside of London.

Project DescriptionThe Winter Gardens is a landmark site in Bournemouth, occupying a prominent site slightly set back from the sea front. This dramatic but elegantly designed scheme with tall buildings is deliberately transformational in concept to better meet the needs of Bournemouth residents now and in the future.

Reflecting a demand for contemporary town centre living, the plans envisage the complete transformation of the two-hectare site, to include 352 high-quality homes involving one, two and three-bed apartments and penthouses. Most will have balconies or terraces with extensive views of the sea, coastline and conurbation.

The full development comprises:

• in excess of 352 apartments (including the possibility of PRS and shared equity)

• 4,000 m2 of leisure space

• Range of restaurant units

• Small supermarket

• New underground car park

• Significant landscaping and public realm

Project Promoter and PartnershipsThe Bournemouth Development Company LLP is a public-private partnership between Bournemouth Borough Council and Morgan Sindall Investments Ltd, owned jointly (50/50) by the two partners, and established to deliver much of the Town Centre Vision through the development of Council-owned land.

The company will be developing a number of additional significant sites around the Town Centre for a variety of uses over the next 5-10 years.

M5 M40

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Southampton

Bournemouthstation

Bristol

Poole Christchurch

LondonLondon Heathrow Airport

Bournemouth Airport

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M3Southampton AirportBournemouth

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NorwichTelford

Nottingham

Leicester

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WisbechGarden TownCambridgeshire

OpportunityA strategic investment opportunity with an estimated GDV of £2 billion. The promoters are open to early stage discussions on potential investment options including joint ventures, strategic land purchase and infrastructure funding.

Project Promoters:Fenland District Council, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority and Cambridgeshire County Council.

Scale:£2-3 billion GDV. 10,000-12,000 homes.

Sector: Residential and commercial.

Location: 40 miles to Cambridge 21 miles to Peterborough.

Investment Type:May include JV, purchase and infrastructure funder.

Programme:Business case – late 2019 Land acquisition strategy – Mid 2019

Planning Status:Initial master plan completed Planning permission – late 2019.

wisbech2020vision.co.uk/gardentown

Overview

BackgroundThe project will double the size of Wisbech by providing up to 12,000 homes and 85 hectares of employment land. It aims to promote Wisbech as a sub-regional centre by capitalising on the success of Cambridge and offering greater choice to house buyers and businesses.

Project DescriptionWisbech is an historic Georgian market town which sits alongside the River Nene, close to the Norfolk coast. It is a vibrant town with a significant proportion of working age residents, including a diverse range of skills.

The vision is to integrate growth with the existing urban area to support the town’s pivotal role in boosting the North Cambridgeshire economy. It is anticipated that the scheme will provide a high quality and sustainable mixed-use development comprising:

• 10,000-12,000 homes

• 26,000 sq metres retail

• 97,000 sq metres commercial

• 197,500 sq metres light industrial

• Health, education and greenspace

Project Promoter and partnershipThis collaborative project has support from, the Local MP and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority which has provided £6.5 million for feasibility work and is promoting infrastructure improvements including the dualling of the A47.

Other key partners include: Cambridgeshire County Council, Wisbech Town Council, Greater Cambridge Greater Peterborough Enterprise Partnership, Environment Agency, Chamber of Commerce, Anglian Water and Internal Drainage Boards.

The scheme is also supported by:

• The Dutch Government and Royal Haskoning DHV on flood mitigation strategies

• The University of Cambridge and Imperial College on commercialisation

• Local businesses on industrial and skills strategy

great.gov.uk

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© Crown copyright 2017You may re-use this publication (not including logos) free of charge in any format or medium, under the terms of the Open Government Licence. To view this licence visit: www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/doc/open-government-licence or e-mail: psi@nationalarchives.gov.ukWhere we have identified any third party copyright information in the material that you wish to use, you will need to obtain permission from the copyright holder(s) concerned.

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Published October 2017 by Department for International Trade.

Image credits: Front cover: © Bristol City Council.