Plans brought forward for new Cambridge fringe business park
Developer Turnstone Estates has signed an agreement with the Ely Diocesan Board of Finance to bring forward planning proposals for a 43-acre mixed employment site at Milton north of Cambridge. The site, Milton Park on the west side of the A10, could provide space for businesses in advanced manufacturing, trade counters, final-mile distribution and mid-tech industries. It is within half a mile of jct. 33 of the A14 and near to the 800-space Milton Park & Ride. Tim Deacon, director, Turnstone Estates, said: “Milton Park presents an exciting opportunity to support Cambridge’s continued growth in a sustainable way. By providing much-needed employment space in a well-connected location, the scheme can also help release existing sites in Cambridge for housing, supporting the objectives of the Local Plan. As the site does not require significant infrastructure upgrades, subject to planning, it is immediately deliverable.” The first phase of Milton Park involves 26 acres and around 350,000 sq ft of floorspace. A potential second phase could provide a further 296,000 sq ft of space.
Growth in Ely outpaces Cambridge as ‘satellite cities’ pull in entrepreneurs
Ely is the second most entrepreneurial city in the UK and growing more than twice as fast as Cambridge. GoDaddy’s Most Entrepreneurial Cities ranking for 2026, showed Ely’s small business density grew 15 per cent against 7.1pc in Cambridge, 14 miles away and second only to Salford – close to Manchester – nationally. Cheaper premises, remote working and lower start-up costs are behind the shift and four of the top five most entrepreneurial cities were found to be ‘satellite cities’.Alexandra Rosen, economist and head of the GoDaddy small business research lab, said: “Entrepreneurship is no longer tied to major city centres. Better digital infrastructure, the rise of AI tools and lower start-up costs have changed the economics of building a business, making it possible for founders to launch and scale from places that may previously have been overlooked. What we are seeing is a more distributed model of growth, where smaller cities and towns are becoming increasingly important parts of the UK’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.” Over half of UK entrepreneurs now start a business on under £1,000.
Firms confident combined authorities and elected mayors will boost growth
Businesses in the East of England are confident about the region’s economic growth prospects as they expect a bigger contribution from local combined authorities and elected mayors over the next three years, according to a Lloyds business barometer. Nearly four in five (79pc) are confident that the East will see economic growth, with 20pc feeling very confident. Of the businesses based in areas with a combined authority or elected mayor, over two thirds now expect their regional leaders to contribute to this growth over the next three years. More than a third believe their region’s economy will outperform the national economy over the next 12 months. Kirsty Sadler, regional director for the East of England at Lloyds, said: “It’s great that so many businesses across the East of England are feeling confident about our growth prospects. With the majority believing the East gets the public investment it needs, it’s encouraging that more firms are now expecting local authorities to contribute to the region’s economic prosperity.”
Separately, most East Anglia business leaders (88pc) back a shift in decision-making and expect that giving regional mayors and local authorities increased fiscal powers will boost growth over the next three years, according to a survey from advisory firm BDO. Peter Harrup, regional managing partner at BDO in East Anglia, said: “Regional business leaders clearly agree that by giving regional mayors and local authorities greater control over locally raised tax revenues it will positively impact business growth over the next three years. The key now is making those pledges a reality in a way that flows meaningfully through the regional business community.”
Larger events drive growth as meetings market evolves
Wyboston Lakes Resort is seeing a shift towards fewer smaller events but its larger programmes are expanding, with clients investing in enhanced experiences, additions and upgrades. The venue on the Cambs/Beds border reported a strong first half, with revenue and profitability ahead of last year. However, demand for medium and large residential events is taking longer to convert into firm bookings, reflecting continuing economic and government uncertainty. CEO Steve Jones said: “We see organisations choosing either a higher end offering which focuses on the experience or a simple product at a great value price.” The resort is also seeing customers become more selective about how they use face-to-face events, with greater emphasis on the overall experience, interaction and value delivered by bringing people together. A key development has been the opening of The Box (photo), a new large-scale creative space designed for exhibitions, conferences and gala dinners for 400 or more delegates. It hosted three events in its first month and has several major events contracted for the remainder of 2026 and into 2027. The venues’s prospects remain encouraging, with forward bookings for 2027 – including contracted and provisional business – running 27pc ahead of a year ago. Jones said: “Bookers have choice and if venues aren’t at the top of their game pushing the standards in the segments that they are strongest in, they will miss out.”
Region’s wooden boatbuilders make waves at international show
East Anglia’s thriving wooden boatbuilding sector is being showcased at the Southampton International Boat Show, with yards and marine businesses from across the region taking part in the event’s Wooden Boat Stage. The stage, which runs from September 18-27, brings together boatbuilders and craftspeople to demonstrate construction and restoration skills, while highlighting training, apprenticeships and career opportunities. The programme includes contributions from Ipswich-based Spirit Yachts, as well as Kings, Woodbridge, Fox’s Marina & Boatyard and Abbey Boatbuilder. Belinda Joslin, creator of the stage, said the event highlighted the concentration of boatbuilding expertise on the East coast and the range of work being undertaken by regional yards. Will Taylor-Jones, managing director at Fox’s Marina & Boatyard – which is supporting the stage – said: “ As an industry, collaboration gives us a stronger voice, not only to celebrate the craftsmanship and expertise that exists today, but to inspire the next generation to see the opportunities a career in boatbuilding can offer.”
Solar farm takes off at Stansted Airport
A new on-site solar farm is now fully operational at London Stansted. The first of its kind at a London airport, the farm has more than 24,000 panels and on the sunniest day will be able to produce power equivalent to the airport’s peak demand. The development is part of London Stansted’s £1.1 billion transformation programme and will help meet the airport’s growing electricity demand, including powering EVs. Gareth Powell, managing director of the airport, said: “This is a significant milestone for London Stansted and a tangible demonstration of our commitment to a more sustainable future.” The farm has been built and will be operated by Onsite Power, EDF power solutions’ C&I solar division on land owned by Stansted east of the airport. It will produce up to 12.8 MW of AC power, enough to meet the annual demand of 7,000 houses.
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