I think it’s basically the Cambridge brand, which is itself the product of having a global top ten university. Businesses that need a lot of brainy people desperately want to be there and not just any old place.qwertyK wrote: ↑Fri Mar 08, 2024 18:48 Cambridge is a very interesting place, regionally the East is the fastest growing region of the country but it just doesn't have the infrastructure to support it. Water is one thing yes, but also roads. I wonder if they are choosing cambridge partially because of the vulnerability of the east coast to flooding, to better justify money spent on flood defences etc.
This new Cambridge would have about the same population as Sheffield, give or take.
I don’t think there are any insurmountable barriers to growth - look at the way places like Birmingham and Manchester exploded in size with industrialisation. They fixed the water thing with e.g. Welsh reservoirs. This is just the 21st century equivalent.
The East has been high-growth for years but it’s been a bit below the radar so far, rather than a national story. I think the growth is almost inevitable. The secret will be planning to channel that expansion so that the new residential areas are attractive places to live.