Over 1,700 jobs are expected to be created thanks to a £5.7 million funding boost for East Sussex.

New employment space and transport improvements in Bexhill, Eastbourne and Hailsham will result from the expansion of the Government's Growth Deal scheme.

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The Bio-Innovation Centre, a business incubator for new life-science projects, was awarded £5.5 million funding.  It will provide opportunities for skills training, work experience and employment for Life Sciences students. 

In this round of funding, cash has also been awarded to: New Monks Farm and Airport Business Estate; Croydon Fairfield Hall and College Green; Burgess Hill Growth Sustainable Transport Package; Horley Business Park Access Road; and Worthing Central (Phase 1).

The funding will support projects to create new employment space to secure up to 2,300 jobs across the region and deliver the infrastructure to support up to 1,000 new homes in key locations.

Projects to redevelop Anston House, a vacant lot in Blackman Street and a former petrol station in Kingsway, Hove, estimated to be worth around £100 million were given planning permission at the city council's planning committee. The seven-storey block on Blackman Street, will bring "desperately needed" grade A office space to the city and potentially support 680 jobs. A nine-storey block of 55 flats and the redevelopment of the historic Alibi pub in Hove have also been granted consent.

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The coffee shop chain, which operates more than 3,000 cafes in 30 countries, has now nearly finished building work.

The site will employ about 50 people and is expected to open in the next few months.

Exact details will be revealed closer to the opening date.

The new Basildon site will have the capacity to make up to 45,000 tonnes - which could see it producing most of the 464 million cups of coffee sold in Costa branches each year. 

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Plans for Swan's new High Street with shops, landscaped space, a new Swan office, a modern health centre and homes, have been approved by Basildon Council.  Enabling works will start on site later this year. Swan will also be progressing with detailed design work and anticipate main construction starting on site with the first phase in early 2018.

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Plans for a £70 million state-of-the-art train depot near Manningtree have been welcomed as a major boost for Essex by County Hall bosses.  The regeneration of the derelict former Wardle Storeys and ICI site, will see the creation of between 30 and 100 jobs.  

Wethersfield is one of 12 MOD sites to be disposed of as part of the departments plans to reduce the size of its estate by 30% and has previously been considered for housing.  A freedom of information request has revealed the site could now be used for a Mega-prison capable of housing 2,000 inmates.  It would create 1,000 jobs, not including construction.  

Lakeside Shopping Centre has got the go-ahead for its £180million expansion.

The Centre will be extended to add up to 40 shops, restaurants, and cafes after Thurrock Council's planning committee gave the application the green light.

The project is expected to create 1,000 jobs during the three-year construction, and 2,600 permanent jobs within the shopping Centre itself.

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Over £10 million has been awarded to Thurrock from the Local Growth Fund for the Grays South Project, which will transform Grays town Centre over the next decade with a new crossing of the rail line, public squares, retail, leisure facilities, residential and offices.

The Grays South Project will support the wider programme for the town Centre including improvements to Grays Beach, developing options for a new theatre, improving the road system and supporting the creation of more than 4,500 new homes and over 1,600 new jobs in the area.

Ventrica is opening its new contact Centre penthouse suite in Tylers Avenue.  This expansion and a second site planned in 2017 will create 200 new jobs.

The extension is due to an increased demand for its customer services and forms part of the company's ambitious growth plans.

An additional site at another location is also part of the company's future strategy over the next 12 to 18 months, and will ultimately add a further 300 pl­­­­­­­­aces to the operation.

This will help deliver the Innovation Centre which will be the heart of the business park and will create an exciting modern environment for young and growing businesses to locate into flexible and serviced office and workshop space which can grow with their business.

The funding also includes important investment to complete the road infrastructure and also improve the cycling and walking network around the Airport Business Park which will improve connectivity to local train stations and Jubilee Country Park.

Overall plans will generate thousands of new jobs in attractive, modern business space around London Southend Airport and are crucial to the area's future prosperity.

The long-awaited redevelopment of Folkestone seafront is due to start in March, which will see plans for up to 1,000 homes come to fruition, along with 10,000 sq. meters of commercial space and a 500 jobs boost.

A new planning application has been submitted to expand the Ashford Designer Outlet.  The multi-million pound proposal includes demolishing part of the existing mall, to make room for extra retail units, more restaurants and a visitor Centre.  Work has not yet begun, but it will be delivered in two stages, with the initial phase adding 30 shops to the 80 already there. The Centre currently employs more than 1,000 people and the expansion is set to create a further 500 jobs, plus 170 construction staff who will work on the build.

A husband and wife team are investing £1.5m to launch a trampoline park in an old packaging factory on the Henwood industrial estate, Ashford.  The 28,000sq ft. building will feature connected trampolines along floors and walls, including zones for stunts, slam dunks, dodgeball, fitness classes and a Ninja Warriors course.

The new venture is expected to open in April and will create up to 60 jobs.

A former cement works is to be transformed with up to 532 new homes in Ebbsfleet Garden City.  The plans will also include a new neighborhood Centre, 46,000 sq. m of employment space creating up to 1,500 new jobs, food and drink outlets along the River Thames and a new riverside promenade in Northfleet West.  Further plans are expected this year for more than 600 more homes and a primary school by Keepmoat and for a new commercial scheme with up to 690 jobs in a £35million joint venture between Gravesham Borough Council and the EDC.

St James retail and leisure development is expected to open in March 2018.  It is soon to be the site of a six-screen Cineworld, 108-bed Travelodge, M&S Simply Food store and a range of other retail units, creating 580 jobs.

The Maritime Skills Academy at Whitfield, which was formally opened two months ago aims to capitalize on more than 600 jobs set to be created as part of the Port of Dover's investment in reviving its Western Docks.

Hancock's American Restaurant and Bar is due to open at Pier 5, Chatham Dockside at the start of May and will create 25 jobs, including management roles.  Hancock's is the latest business to move into the development at Chatham Dockside, leaving only a few units vacant.  Already in place are Flip Out trampoline Centre and TruGym, as well as Starbucks, Zippers, Creams, Burger Priest and Wok&Go.  Also set to open later this year is a Shepherd Neame pub and a planning application has been submitted for a tanning salon.