Hampshire business bosses reveal bold new plan to make the Solent an economic powerhouse

The plan has been put together by the Solent Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) as part of the business body’s long-term vision to 2050.

Rachael Randall, chairman of the Solent LEP, said the proposal will ‘level up’ the region, ‘create jobs, drive innovation, and ensure a prosperous economy’.

She added that the plan aimed to promote the Solent area as a hub for ‘new-age careers’, creating jobs within environmental and technological industries that ‘will take the region to a more sustainable, net-zero future’.

‘Our Delivery Plan shows how we will work with business, schools and colleges, local councils and national organisations over the coming year to provide communities right across the region with greater opportunities that will inspire the future workforce, create an outstanding business environment that encourages innovation, fosters collaboration and enables businesses of all sizes and sectors to succeed,’ Rachael said.

‘The Solent region is a great place to be - to live, work and study. We want to maximise our region's mix of unique natural beauty and cultural heritage to ensure a thriving visitor and creative economy; ensure people at all stages of their career can build the skills they need for the jobs they aspire to, and work with businesses and educators to bridge the skills gap so our region can truly thrive.’

To read the Solent LEP’s delivery plan 2022-23, see: https://solentlep.org.uk/media/4317/solent-lep-delivery-plan-april-2022-final.pdf

To read the full 2050 strategy by the LEP, see https://solentlep.org.uk/media/4267/solent-2050-executive-summary.pdf