50 projects have been delivered or are in delivery across Norwich that align with the City Vision’s five themes, with 108 intersections across the themes.
A Creative City (16)
Norwich is a place where culture and creativity play an important part in how the city feels about itself and others perceive it. In 2040, Norwich will be world renowned for its creativity – a leader in innovation, culture, education and invention.
• The Norwich Creative City Compact was formed in 2020, bringing together local partners to develop a 5-year plan to support growth in the city’s arts, culture and heritage sectors.
• The Norwich 2040 Cultural Education Partnership has been established between education providers and cultural organisations in the city to help deliver cultural and creative opportunities for young people.
• As part of the Town Deal work, Norwich Make Space aims to ensure that The Halls is fit-for-purpose to support the local economy, transforming it into a state-of-the-art digital making space.
A Liveable City (26)
The city takes pride in being a place with a great local environment that people value. We are committed to shifting to clean energy by 2040 (carbon-neutral by 2050). We will support and promote sustainable living – where today’s citizens meet the needs of the present without compromising future generations.
• The Norwich City Council-owned Goldsmith Street development is one of the largest collections of Passivhaus in the UK, and in 2019 won the RIBA Stirling Prize.
• The “100 Day Challenge” – funded by the Community Renewal Fund - ran from March-May 2022, delivering a range of workshops and training to residents in Lakenham, Mancroft, Heathgate, and Mile Cross.
• In 2022, the Norwich Climate Commission was set up to bring actors from the public, private and third sectors together to support, guide and track the impact of ambitious climate and sustainability actions across the city.
A Fair City (23)
Norwich is a place where many already enjoy a great quality of life. By 2040, the health, wellbeing and life chances of all our citizens will be improved. We will remove barriers to achievement and a high standard of living will be enjoyed by everyone.
• In 2021, Norwich was officially designated a Social Enterprise City, with 53 social enterprises working across the city in diverse sectors such as education, arts, law, and housing.
• As part of the Norwich Good Economy Commission, an emergency databank was launched providing free data to Norwich residents struggling to afford internet access.
• New U is a Community Renewal Funded scheme supporting young people with complex needs into employment.
A Connected City (17)
At the heart of any good city is how well it connects with both its citizens and the world at large. In 2040, Norwich will have a modern transport system, be at the forefront of digital connectivity and create opportunities for all residents to link with each other.
• In 2018, Norwich became the UK’s first Sharing City, a testament to the city’s uniquely collaborative community.
• In 2020, the Norwich City of Stories was launched to help promote Norwich to the wider world and share what makes the city a great place to live and work.
• The Norwich Together Alliance aims to tackle loneliness in Norwich, helping people connect and feel supported in the city.
A Dynamic City (26)
Norwich has two successful universities and thriving life sciences, creative, tech, leisure and retail sectors. In 2040, Norwich will be a place where entrepreneurs, social enterprises, national and global companies choose to provide good jobs, prosperity and success.
• The East Norwich Masterplan is continuing at pace, representing a transformative opportunity for regeneration and creating a sustainable new urban quarter for Norwich.
• The Norwich Town Deals programme is still progressing, with £25million of government investment across 8 different projects aligning to the City Vision themes. The Digi-Tech Factory was the first Towns Deal project to be completed in the country, with the Digital Hub, public realm work, and the Advanced Construction and Engineering Centre (among others) on track.
• The Norfolk Chambers of Commerce have recently launched their Business Climate Leaders programme, which aims to support SMEs as they begin their climate journey.
