Brighton will become one of the "supercities" that will save the country's economy (From The Argus)

Brighton will become one of the "supercities" that will save the country's economy

10:00am Saturday 30th May 2009

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Brighton is set to become one of five "supercities" that will save the country's economy.

Britain's traditional landscape of factories, power stations and farms could be replaced with areas devoted to robotics and wind farms according to the new HSBC Future of Business report.

The report says Brighton, along with Leeds, Liverpool, London and Newcastle would become a supercity focusing on new economic endeavours like nanotechnology, cybernetics and other bio and technological sciences over the next 20 years.

The report says Brighton will emerge as a powerhouse economy in what will be the biggest shake-up since the industrial revolution.

The supercity phenomenon has been driven by the recession which has highlighted the need to find innovative ways of working in order to increase international business and entrepreneurship.

The term will apply to a select few cities that have a specialism that sets them aside from other cities in the country.

While Newcastle and Leeds are expected to become science and financial hubs Brighton will cash in on its 'liberated' image to create an alternative economy.

Report author, Martin Raymond of the Future Laboratory said: “Despite being by far the smallest of the five supercities Brighton has a growing number of people involved in creative media and marketing, known as 'soft skill industries' that are popular points of investment.

“It also has a lot of grass roots research and investment in stem cells, robotics and renewables.

“The combination of this technological vibrancy and good schools and universities make it a very appealing place to invest.

“The report became interesting when we realised there were other cities with these qualities but they didn't have the lifestyle that Brighton offers, which is the human aspect of investment.

“It is close to the sea, it has a nice city centre and the Downs all around it - people want to live, work and stay in Brighton.”

Mr Raymond said that while Brighton had long since been known as a 'media hotspot' and a leading light in the computer gaming industry it is also laying the foundations for a future in cutting edge technology.

He predicts that over the coming two decades more sea farms and renewable energy stations will be built off shore and Brighton will lead the way in developing robots to monitor the bases so humans don't have to.

He said: “It might not be obvious to people living in Brighton but the city is a leading force in robotic technology – there are lots of start up projects and they are lucky enough to receive support from Institute of Computational Neuro-Science at Sussex University.”

The report will come as a relief to many business leaders worrying that the recession will stifle investment in the city.

Mark Froud, Chief Executive at Sussex Enterprise said, “This report clearly highlights the importance of Brighton’s success in creative, new media and knowledge-based industries.

“Over recent years the City has gained an excellent reputation for nurturing innovative and entrepreneurial talent, so it’s fantastic that this is being recognised at a national level.

“The opportunities for economic growth are huge and the attractive lifestyle offered by Brighton only adds to its desirability as a great place to invest.”

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