Kent is more than just the ‘Garden of England’

The case for making real estate investments in Kent and Medway are well rehearsed. We can all point to the region’s unique strategic location between London and Europe. Kent is the UK’s key gateway for trade and transportation with the world’s largest single market, directly across the English Channel.

The Channel Tunnel – celebrating its 30^th year of operation in 2024 – and Dover, the busiest ferry port on the continent, have kept the UK connected to Europe. In addition, London Thamesport on the Hoo Peninsula along with Tilbury and London Gateway, just across the river Thames, are our global sea bridges to Asia.

Kent today is more than the Garden of England. It boasts a diverse economy with significant employment sectors including manufacturing, logistics, pharmaceuticals, construction, tourism and the creative industries. Research and innovation taking place now in the region is leading to exciting technological advances, knowledge transfer and a growing pool of talented; people with the skills and expertise to lead tomorrow’s world.

Locate in Kent recently set out the opportunities for growth in Kent and Medway with an estimate of the financial contribution future investment could bring, in our first ever Investment Prospectus.  We have run many marketing campaigns, of course, as you would expect from the region’s inward investment promotion agency, but for this piece of work we wanted to provide the evidence as to why investment here can benefit the whole of Britain – and not just the South East.

The University of Kent carried out research on our behalf and their findings were quite remarkable, estimating that the Kent and Medway region can deliver a regional economic boost of £23bn over the next 25 years to the UK economy, based on gross value added (GVA).

Their analysis also suggested an investment in Kent yields a 13.8% larger contribution to GVA than a similar magnitude investment in other English counties, outside of London.

We  set out to show how Kent has and continues to be strategically important to the nation’s prosperity with the potential to deliver so much more, if investment is unlocked – from faster distribution and trade through our ports to green energy, additional manufacturing space for businesses onshoring or moving out of the capital to the prospect of an additional 1m sq ft of space, half of which could be provided over the next five years at the Discovery Park science campus near Sandwich.

The timing of our prospectus is no accident. Independent government advisers have said that Britain’s infrastructure needs a big cash injection, with public transport, power and water networks all in need of renewal to prepare for the new green economy.

To continue being a leading contributor to UK plc investment in Kent and Medway’s transportation infrastructure is essential to support that growth. We may have the UK’s only high-speed train service and one of the fastest growing broadband and 5G networks, but our motorways are at capacity, with a permanent solution needed for when traffic builds up at our strategic ports.

The widening of the M2, for example, with upgraded junctions would facilitate easier access to markets, attract investment nationally and encourage more businesses to establish or expand their operations around our ports and new airport at Manston. Add in the Lower Thames Crossing (pictured) – awaiting a positive decision next year – and you get a good idea of what investment along this important trade enabling corridor could bring.

It has the power to unlock thousands of much needed new homes, over 100 acres of new employment land at junction four and bring forward a game changing expansion of Kent Science Park – doubling in size from its existing 565,000 sq ft footprint – with the delivery of long held proposals from developer Quinn Estates for Highsted Park, including the first direct road link for science businesses to the M2. The benefit of unlocking growth through investing in Kent’s infrastructure isn’t just for our region; it’s for the whole country, creating jobs, reducing inequality and improving the region’s competitiveness.