About Plymouth
Plymouth has an ambitious growth agenda to reach 300,000 residents by 2034. With an agreed £4.4bn investment in defence at HM Devonport Naval Base requiring at least an additional 5,500 recruits at Babcock over the next 10 years, plus 2,000 additional construction jobs.
Historic, vibrant and ambitious.
It’s this creativity and vibrancy, along with our spectacular waterfront location and rich heritage that provides such a fantastic quality of life, making Plymouth, Britain’s Ocean City the perfect location to live, work and invest.
Why Plymouth?
Britain’s Ocean City is a confident and growing city, undergoing a cultural revolution, with strengths across business sectors.
Plymouth has an ambitious growth agenda to reach 300,000 residents by 2034. With an agreed £4.4bn investment in defence at HM Devonport Naval Base requiring at least an additional 5,500 recruits at Babcock over the next 10 years, plus 2,000 additional construction jobs.
Transformation:
The city continues to transform and grow, breathing new life into old buildings and re-imagining the city centre with large-scale improvements underway at the University of Plymouth, Guildhall and railway station. Ongoing and completed foundation projects include The Box, Oceansgate and Royal William Yard. These set the scene for future and ongoing transformational projects for Plymouth Sound National Marine Park and the iconic Tinside Lido.
Freeport Opportunity:
Plymouth and South Devon Freeport is the only one on the South West Peninsula. Offering businesses incentives including tax and customs breaks, business rates relief, stamp duty land tax relief and 100 per cent enhanced capital allowance among others.
Premises:
A diverse mix of high-quality business premises including city centre, Science Park and Freeport sites. On average, business premises are 35 per cent cheaper in Plymouth than in the Southeast, with the highest concentration of manufacturing and engineering employment in the whole of the south of England.
Skilled and Adaptable:
Three award-winning universities plus an expanding City College dedicated to growing and developing a talented business-focused workforce. Future skillset for growth lies in construction, green/blue technology, digital technologies, health care, marine and civil engineering, with 5,500 new roles linked to the investment in the HM Devonport Naval Base.
Affordable Housing:
Average house price is now £240,402, nearly seven times the average salary, in contrast to London being 16 times the average salary. Plymouth plans to build at least 10,000 new homes.
Good Company:
Home to world-renowned businesses, such as Babcock International, Becton Dickinson (BD), Burts Snacks Ltd, Plessey, Fine Tubes (Ametek), Kawasaki Precision Machinery, Plymouth Gin, Princess Yachts International, Thales, Rittal CSM, Mars Wrigley, Twofour Group and The Range.
Quality of Life:
Few cities can rival such a rich maritime heritage and stunning waterfront. Home to the UK’s first National Marine Park and sandwiched between Cornwall and Dartmoor, one of Britain’s finest National Parks. One of the greenest cities in the UK, with 40 per cent of the city being green space.
Culture:
There’s a thriving cultural scene supported by a growing digital and creative sector. Theatre Royal Plymouth, one of the largest and bestattended regional theatres in the UK, The Box serves as a major cultural hub with exhibitions and events. The city is also home to Europe’s first-of-its-kind immersive dome at the Market Hall, providing unique experiences that blend art and technology. Festivals like Seafest celebrate maritime heritage, there’s a lively music and performance programme.
Green and Innovation:
Plymouth is driving the global move towards autonomous and sustainable marine vessels, projected to be worth £103bn globally by 2030. The innovative Smart Sound, a real-world testbed for marine autonomy and environmental monitoring, demonstrates Plymouth’s commitment. From renewable energy and marine conservation to sustainable tourism and green construction, Plymouth offers diverse investment opportunities, fostering growth and contributing to a greener world future.
A Town in the City Centre
Plymouth’s ambitious regeneration programme will transform the city centre to create a modern, vibrant and mixed-use destination with a new community living in the heart of the city centre.
With an aim of building over 10,000 new homes in the city centre and surrounding area, plus 2,000 further afield, the first phase of 1,000 homes will be delivered in the next five years.
£4m modernisation and refurbishment project funded by Future High Streets Fund. Completion 2025.
The new ‘Town in the City Centre’ will offer access to healthcare, education and facilities. A real sense of wellbeing, a tangible connection to Plymouth and a strong community.
This revitalisation of the city goes beyond just new homes. It aims to attract new hotel developments and expand the leisure options available. Several major development sites are taking shape in the city centre, with plans being drawn up for key areas including the railway station, Civic Centre, Armada Way and the West End.
This city-wide approach recognises the need for new skilled workers and aims to attract them with Plymouth’s urban, coastal and countryside offer, with good quality housing, efficient transport links, and all the advantages of living in a culturally rich city with easy access to healthcare and education.
Plymouth’s high-quality events programme, featuring highlights like the British Firework Championships, Flavour Fest, Summer Sessions, and the Christmas Market, continues to bring the city to life throughout the year. This vibrant atmosphere contributed to a 20 per cent increase in footfall to the city centre in 2024. The city also benefits from a large student population, circa 23,000, adding to its energy and a developing opportunity around evening and night-time economy.
We are well connected:
Two hours by road and rail from Bristol. A central train station – a short walk from the city centre – with an average of 24 daily services between Plymouth and London, taking just over 3 hours.
Three international airports within a one to two-hour drive. Daily ferry sailings to Roscoff and weekly sailings to Santander. Full fibre broadband with 100% coverage expected by the end of 2025.