Suffolk Chamber of Commerce has welcomed major investment by the private sector in the East of England’s infrastructure which, it says, will make a “major difference” to the UK’s economic recovery.

The comments come after a week in which Anglian Water set out plans to spend £5billion on the region’s water distribution and sewerage system and Stansted Airport unveiled the first improvements forming part of an £80million transformation of its passenger terminal

“The Prime Minister was correct back in 2010 when he said that private business would be the driver of economic recovery in the UK,” said John Dugmore, chief executive of Suffolk Chamber. “That is why to see investment from leading national business on a major scale is really good news. This will help to secure and create jobs.”

Anglian Water’s proposals, part of its submission to regulator Ofwat covering the industry’s next five-year regulatory term, would represent one of the biggest private investments by any company in the eastern region.

Stansted Airport owner MAG, meanwhile, is spending £40m on a new lay-out for the passenger terminal ? accompanied by a further £40m of investment by commercial partners such as restaurants and retailers ? as part of a total planned investment of around £250million at the airport.

The first three lanes of a new, enlarged, security check area which is intended to allow passengers to move “airside” in a quicker and more relaxed fashion, came into use last Friday, with the new facility due to be fully open by Christmas.

“We work closely with businesses like Anglian Water and London Stansted as they play a key leadership role in Suffolk and the East of England,” Mr Dugmore added. “Their role in providing key infrastructure ? air travel and water ? is of vital importance to the business community. We are now seeing future investment in the integral infrastructure services of our region.

“Recently we have heard of new investment in our rail network and we are seeing real on the ground changes to our superfast broadband. With the announcement last week too that the A14 improvements will go ahead without the toll burden we are now seeing the opportunity that a real difference will be made.”