Loving where we live Welcome to Southampton
Southampton has so much to offer visitors – a leading retail centre, vibrant nightlife, living history around almost every corner and a thriving, forward-looking cultural scene. Southampton has a thriving port handling in excess of 42 million tonnes of cargo annually. The city is also undoubtedly the cruise industry capital of Northern Europe – in 2011 cruise ships are expected to inject over £400 million into the local economy. Southampton is thinking positively and welcoming a number of major projects from some leading developers who are working with us to add more to this exciting city. The city is proud to boast a rich history on sea and on land and a bright future in a whole range of sectors. We are developing the city to cement our place as leaders in research and innovation as well as a great place to do business in a thriving and dynamic environment. There is a real buzz about Southampton.
The changing face of a city The cityscape is undergoing a massive transformation with new developments worth more than £800 million in key locations underway or about to start. Southampton is building on its heritage to create a dynamic place for people to live in, work, visit and study. From the Cultural Quarter in the north of the city centre to the Old Town in the south (and just about everywhere in-between it seems), Southampton isn’t so much reinventing itself – it’s more a case of
fulfilling its considerable potential. Long cherished schemes to develop and improve key areas are now happening and the effect of all this activity is palpable. Money is also being invested in improving our estates, injecting fresh life into the heart of our communities. Southampton is also proud to once again play host to the PSP Southampton Boat Show, the largest onwater boat show in Europe.
A dynamic business environment Southampton is a major draw for some top class businesses and with the further development in and around the city this is set to continue. The recent arrival of the Carnival UK headquarters and the construction of the new Hampshire Constabulary headquarters, along with the plans for the new base for the Ordnance Survey are just a few examples of investment in Southampton. With great connections to local transport networks and a large pool of employees in the surrounding areas businesses are recognising the potential to base their operations in the city.
Learning & Innovation at its heart The city is such a great place to be that it’s hardly surprising many of the students attending the city’s two universities make it their long-term home. From autumn 2010 the £4 million state-of the-art Ocean Village Innovation Centre will be home to specialists in the Internet, product design, digital mapping, oceanography, security, biotechnology, navigational systems, electronics and biometrics.
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