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Opportunity Peterborough, an economic development company, today launches an online consultation inviting business leaders and entrepreneurs to join a debate on the location and shape of the UK’s future business hubs.

The online debate, hosted in partnership with Forum for the Future, the independent sustainability experts, invites respondents to identify the key characteristics they look for in a modern-day business environment and where their ideal UK business capital would be located.

The findings of the debate will inform a wider report developed jointly by Opportunity Peterborough and Forum for the Future into sustainable business destinations. The report will aim to map the UK’s future business hotspots and identify a framework for the ideal business environment taking into account environmental, geographic, economic and social criteria.

Neil Darwin, Director of Economic Development at Opportunity Peterborough, commented:

“Economic development has traditionally been focused on London and the major urban centres, but digital innovation, improved mobility and changes in government policy have all combined to give greater autonomy and opportunity to the UK’s regional cities.

“We want to hear from today’s business owners, entrepreneurs and start-ups about what they are looking for in a business location, the criteria that matter most to them and where they are thinking of expanding to in the future.

“As sustainability, localism and community spirit all become increasingly important to consumers and businesses alike, where and how we do business in the UK is on the cusp of major change. We believe more compact regional hubs like Peterborough could represent the future of enterprise in Britain and we eagerly anticipate the outcome of the debate.”

Ivana Gazibara, Senior Adviser, Forum for the Future added:

“Today’s employees have different expectations about where, how and when they work. Increasingly, employees are not just looking for a functional office in a city centre, but want a more rounded business environment which is sustainable, flexible and accessible.

This online debate will give us a unique insight into the needs and preferences of the next generation of business leaders and enable us to re-draw the business map of Britain – one which we expect will have sustainability very much at its heart.”

Businesses interested in taking part in the debate can visit: www.opportunitypeterborough.co.uk/rightenvironment. The debate will close for input at the end of October and the final report will be published and shared with respondents later this year.