Understanding the future for East Suffolk towns

East Suffolk Council is working with the People & Places Partnership to deliver a ground-breaking study aimed at understanding the future for East Suffolk towns. 

The first phase of this ambitious study is completed and has involved gathering key data, interviewing customers and surveying all town centre businesses in 12 East Suffolk communities.  This provides a unique body of data to help understand and plan for each place as well as enabling comparisons and the sharing of success stories across East Suffolk.

Twelve communities involved

The communities involved in this research are:  Aldeburgh, Beccles, Bungay, Felixstowe, Framlingham, Halesworth, Leiston, Lowestoft & Kirkley, Saxmundham, Wickham Market and Woodbridge.  The work builds on the findings from a pilot study completed last year in Southwold  aimed at understanding the future for East Suffolk towns. It uses a tried-and-tested approach pioneered in East Suffolk and now recommended as national good practice by the Local Government Association for revitalising town centres.

Stakeholders’ central role

Local business associations, town councils and neighbourhood planning groups are key, local partners in helping to roll-out the surveys and will be central in understanding the findings and working with East Suffolk Council to plan for the future of each town centre.  Not only will the groups receive reports on the issues and opportunities specific to their communities, they will also be able to compare with and learn from their neighbouring East Suffolk towns.

Next phase planned

East Suffolk Council are now planning the next phase of the initiative with People & Places.  This is being done in a way that maximises the sharing and learning opportunities between town groups for understanding the future for East Suffolk towns.  This will help plan for the future of individual East Suffolk towns and create opportunities for shared solutions on issues such as parking and digital development.

Timetable unveiled

The timetable from this autumn involves the following opportunities for shared learning within and between East Suffolk communities and their businesses:

• Next step support available through Economic Development Officer with People & Places to develop ‘Forward Framework’ for town centre
• Support from the Economic Development Programme Team to identify /access external funding opportunities
• Access to subsidised & free training through East Coast College and New Anglia Growth Hub
• Special focus on the future of town centres as part of the two-week long East Suffolk Business Festival
• November launch of East Suffolk Business Association Development Fund
• The development of “How to” guides to share good practice guidelines for committees through the East Suffolk Means Business website
• Close links with the emerging Community Partnerships in each locality
• Potential to roll out the Digital Towns Pilot taking place in Framlingham

More information

Business associations and town councils will be kept up to date directly including receiving their town centre reports.  This has been accompanied by an invitation to host a local business engagement event with East Suffolk Council and People & Places between September and November.

Individual business can find out more about the findings and opportunities to get involved through their local business association.  They can find out more about the 2019 East Suffolk Business Festival here.