Norwich

Norwich has the largest economy, in terms of employment, in the East of England. As a result, it’s a hub for big brands, with over 50 national or regional companies headquartered in the city, including Aviva, Virgin, Unilever, Kettle Foods, Lotus and PricewaterhouseCoopers. Norwich has a good opportunity to embrace flexible working as a way to keep its workers happy and productive. Our Connected Britain research found that although 82% of Norwich residents would like to work flexibly some or all of the time, only 35% are currently able to do so. In future, universal connectivity could, of course, transform businesses across Norwich, with more people being able to work from a place of their choice.

Greater Norwich is one of the East of England’s seven areas designated by the government as a new growth point, which will deliver 35,000 new jobs by 2021. There are also a number of independent regeneration projects on the go. One example is an innovative partnership between the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and Norwich City Council that will create a supply of new homes and jobs over a 12-year period. Under the deal, the HCA will invest £7.5m, while Norwich City Council will invest a number of sites, resulting in 1,300 brand-new, jointly-developed homes around the city.