New economic taskforce looks to have ‘transformational impact’ on Gatwick region, says chair

Regional businesses leaders and local authorities met this week at London Gatwick’s annual Economic Summit to discuss opportunities to unlock economic growth through a new Airport Economic Zone (AEZ).

The AEZ will bring together a taskforce of senior economic development and business leaders, including representatives from the UK’s Department for Business and Trade, from across the six local authority areas within the Gatwick region early next month.

London Gatwick is already a major catalyst for growth, contributing 76,500 jobs and £5.5 billion to the UK economy UK every year. The AEZ aims to build on this regionally, by unlocking new trade, tourism, and benefits for business, and attracting global investment for the region, in line with some of the priorities identified in the Government’s Industrial Strategy Green Paper.

Alison Addy, Head of External Engagement and Policy, will chair the taskforce and she believes the unified voice will have a ‘transformational impact’ on the region.

She said: “We're really excited about this announcement today and actually I feel really privileged to be the chair of that task force. This is something that we've been working towards for some time and really hearing what stakeholders from across the region have been telling us around the need for a one unified regional voice to promote this amazing region that London Gatwick is located within.

“What we're doing is we've got a range of people who are representing strategic economic development from across the region. They're drawn from local authorities, business, tourism and the main pillars of economic development for the region. They're drawn from areas across East Sussex, West Sussex, Surrey, Kent, Brighton and Hove and Croydon so that we're really covering that economic footprint of the airport.

“We'll be meeting before the end of the year and the role of that task force will be to work together over the course of next year to really identify what the shape of that region should be, what the priorities should be, where we should be focusing and really drawing on input from the business community, from local authorities and other partners to make sure that we then have a roadmap to creating a long-term formal airport economic zone that can really have a transformational impact and build on the strengths that we already have.

“All of those strategic activities that already happen, but just leverage that a little bit more so that we can really come together and promote the area and attract inward investment into the area and ultimately help businesses grow and thrive.”

One of the businesses involved in the taskforce will be Ridgeview Wine Estate, which is based in Ditchling Common.

Mardy Roberts, Brand Ambassador for Ridgeview, said they were delighted to be part of the new taskforce. “We've been involved with Gatwick as part of the local visitor economy and now it's fantastic that this is going to be furthered with the economic zone,” she said.

“Gatwick have just been so supportive of us as a region and also for our visitor economy and really, really supporting and championing local produce, which is fantastic.

“We're just 30 minutes from Gatwick, so we have an increasing number of international tourism and it's so important to have Gatwick as that gateway for us.

“Not only that, it's really exciting our wines are now available in Gatwick for on their journeys home and even more importantly we do export our wine all around the world, so access to all these markets around the world is very, very important and the ease of being able to come in and out of Gatwick is fantastic. It's all about investment.

“It's all about believing in our local economy, it's all about putting us up on an international stage and how we can work together as stakeholders and local businesses are really, really working together in partnership and Gatwick have just been so supportive of that journey.”

Stewart Wingate, CEO, London Gatwick said:“London Gatwick has a strong track record as a catalyst for regional growth. We are excited to be working with the community and business leaders to leverage what has already been achieved, promote the many benefits of the region and attract future inward investment.”