East Sussex

East Sussex is made up of five district & borough councils, covering 666 square miles, which encompasses 47 miles of coastline. Total population currently stands at 492,324. 18% of the population live in inland market towns, 25% in rural parishes and 57% on the coastal strip. 63% of the County lies within designated Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty. East Sussex has the advantage of being well placed within the South East coastal region, close to London and mainland Europe. With easy access to Gatwick Airport, the UKs second largest airport, the Channel Tunnel and its cross-channel ferry service in Newhaven, East Sussex is an ideal location. It has a wealth of historic and cultural heritage, a broad range of affordable housing, an excellent education system and a wide range of shopping facilities.

The Economy & Industry of East Sussex

East Sussex is home to a modern, thriving business community with market firsts, company headquarters, a varied manufacturing base and traditional craft industries. Added to this are a large number of new media companies and talented people.

Eastbourne is a centre of excellence for pump manufacturing with no fewer than 4 manufacturers located here. Hastings and Rother are home to an established manufacturing base consisting of many world class companies. The Wealden District's economic character is built upon a bedrock of thriving small businesses, ranging from cottage to high-tech industry. Wealden benefits from the presence of a number of significant national & multinational companies in key sectors. Finally, the Lewes District has a strong administrative and service sector with an ever-growing number of multi-media and cultural related businesses.

The LabourForce

Direct labour costs in East Sussex compare favourably with other southern counties and the national average. Over 50% of unemployed people in the County were recorded as usually employed in skilled occupations. This is also reflected in the employment structure of the County. Out of a total workforce of 216,000 over 64% are employed in skilled occupations. In addition, there is a large pool of multi-lingual labour.

Overseas Companies

East Sussexis becoming a popular location with businesses looking to locate in the UK. Recently, a successful bid secured money to develop Inward Investment in Rives Manche, France. The aim of which was to reinforce opportunities for partnerships and business relationships between both countries. Overseas companies located in East Sussex include Parker Pen, Computing Devices, West Pharmaceutical, Goldwell Products, General Dynamics and Hastings Direct.

Education & Training

East Sussex has one of the best Learning and Skills Councils in the country. Sussex Enterprise is a highly pro-active organisation, which provides a wide range of business support, funded by central government, with particular emphasis on training packages & human resource development solutions for business and the unemployed. East Sussex also benefits from two Universities on its doorstep and five large pro-active colleges, working in harmony with business requirements. The Sussex Academic Corridor aims to build upon these strengths enabling companies to keep themselves at the forefront of innovation through the availability of a well-trained local workforce and the use of state of the art research facilities. In 2000/1, the universities produced over 7,700 graduates.

Infrastructure

East Sussex is well situated for all modes of transport for national and international movement of freight & passengers. The county is ideally situated adjacent to Kent, West Sussex, Brighton & Hove and Surrey for road travel and it is within close proximity of London, accessed via the M23 & M25. There is a frequent rail service connecting all parts of the county with London and Gatwick Airport and many parts of the county are within one hour of London by train. There are rail links to Ashford International for Eurostar, Le-Shuttle and the Channel Tunnel, providing fast access to destinations in France and other European cities.

Besides the major airports of Gatwick, which serves 300 destinations worldwide, 20 of which are US cities, and Heathrow, there are two local airports, Shoreham and Lydd, which operate a charter service. Heliport facilities are also available at Hailsham & Hastings. Ferry crossings are available to the continent from Newhaven, Folkestone and Dover.

Land and Property

East Sussex offers potential inward investors a wide choice of commercial properties. From new developments and existing premises on modern business parks to serviced office accommodation - all of which boast some of the most competitive prices in the South East. Future developments and initiatives in East Sussex include the conversion and refurbishment of rural buildings; ideal for New Media Companies. In addition, there is the development of some of the County's key industrial sites. There is also the extension of the Sussex Innovation Centre, an ultra modern, prestigious building, aimed at start-up 'High-Tec' knowledge based industries. A number of other sites for future Innovation Centres are currently being considered.

Financial Assistance

Financial assistance is available for qualifying projects in some parts of the County, including RSA and Enterprise Grants. There are also various training initiatives & solutions available. Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grants can provide up to 15% towards costs for companies looking to expand, relocate or create jobs in the Brighton & Hove, Lewes and Adur district county regions. For more information and free advice contact Paul Jordan, Grants Advisor, on +44 (0)1273 292 734.