Economic development
Our Economy & Regeneration team works with businesses across the district, to help them to grow and prosper. We can also advise on the following:
- Grants and loans for businesses
- District profile statistics, strategies and policies which influence the work of the service
- Commercial development sites
- Innovation and regeneration information
The Heart of Suffolk website contains everything you need to know:
Visit the Heart of Suffolk website
The website also provides information about things to do, events, and attractions across the district.
New Economic Strategy
Our new Economic Strategy was approved as part of the Councils Major Policy Framework in January 2025. It outlines a clear vision and set of priorities which will support the sustainable growth of our economy for the benefit of our residents and our businesses in alignment with the Plan for Babergh and the Mid Suffolk Plan adopted by the Council in 2024.
The strategy highlights our districts’ economic strengths, identifies opportunities and barriers to growth, and outlines the actions and commitments required to support clean, inclusive and productive growth.
Our overall vision is to help create a prosperous, resilient, more sustainable future, with and for, all the residents and communities of Babergh and Mid Suffolk.
Our Ambition statement strikes a balance between the needs of local residents, businesses and organisations to deliver on the Governments growth agenda whilst ensuring that we deliver a strategy that reflects the Councils wider commitment to “put sustainability at the heart of everything we do”:
Our economic strategy will deliver sustainable, inclusive growth focused on people, prosperity and place while ensuring we work within sustainable resources and maximise our positive impact on the planet.
5 key opportunities have been identified that reflect the need for overarching areas for focus to underpin the wider strategy. These are:
- Clean Growth
- Circular Economy & Supply Chains
- Enabling Infrastructure
- Food & Drink Sector
- Freeports
The wider strategy will then be focused on the following three fundamental pillars for developing a Thriving Economy. These are:
People
Developing a skilled and adaptable workforce that meets the needs of our evolving economy.
Prosperity
Fostering an environment where businesses can thrive, innovate and grow as well as how we support our businesses to be resilient, clean and productive.
Place
Understanding the impact of the rurality of the districts, ensuring sufficient access to utilities and supporting our Town centres to be attractive, connected and sustainable.
You can download the full Economic Strategy here
Making our Stowmarket
We are committed to helping Stowmarket's town centre thrive. We have agreed upon several measures which we hope will help give people different reasons to visit Stowmarket, and spend more time there,
These measures are:
- Stowmarket Town Centre Gateway Fund
- Stowmarket Town Centre Shopfront Scheme
- Enhanced Public Realm services
- Gateway 14
Learn more about Making our Stowmarket
Stowmarket Town Centre Gateway Fund
We have created a £1.5 million fund to enhance Stowmarket's town centre. This fund is now open for enquiries, expressions of interest and proposals.
To learn more about this initiative - and to submit a proposal, or submission of interest - please click the button below:
The deadline for the first round of considerations is at 12pm on Friday 15 November 2024.