EUKN - European Urban Knowledge Network - The Northern Way, UK

The Northern Way, UK - Bristol Case Study

Introduction

The Northern Way aims to bridge the economic output gap between the northern English regions and the rest of the UK within the next 25 years.

Problem

Closing the economic output gap between the northern English regions and the rest of the UK would imply that by 2030 the northern regions had achieved the national average of Gross Value Added per head of the population. The strategy would have to reverse the structural and long-run growth in regional economic disparities. This would require a quantum change in the acceleration of the economic performance of the northern regions.

Description

The initiative is designed to produce an integrated approach to regional development across the North of England. It is centred on two scales of policy development and delivery: the cross-regional, pan northern scale and the city-region. This implies not only an integration of traditionally separate policy areas (such as housing and economic development), but also significant changes to standard governance patterns. This means greater inter-institutional cooperation, as regional and local authorities work together to address problems which do not necessarily respect “artificial” administrative boundaries.

This case study was highlighted during the British presidency of the EU. It was specifically mentioned during the EU informal ministerial meeting at Bristol.

Approach

The Northern Way introduces two new additional scales of thinking to deal with this challenge:

The pan-regional growth concept of the “North” that combines the three regions of the North East, North West and Yorkshire and Humberside. The assumption is that there are policy issues that are pan-regional in scope and require a coordinated approach that cuts across the three existing regions.
The city-region concept is based on the premise that city regions are critical drivers of regional economies. The key implication is that policy interventions need to focus on improving the performance of city regional economies if they are to stand any realistic chance of reducing the growth of interregional economic disparities.

Results

A lot of results still have to be achieved, the project runs until 2030.

So far a good organisation has been established and the first “business plan” has been prepared.
Eight City Region Development Plans covering the eight main urbanised areas in the north have been developed.
A series of thematic areas has been designated, i.e. employment, training & education, infrastructural development, etc.

Contact info

Urban Policy Support Team of the ODPM
Mr. B. Kayada, tel. +44 2 07 944 8363

Project start date

01/02/2003

Report of the EU ministerial informal on sustainable communities (PDF, Eng, 1.4 MB)

Document type

case

Themes

Urban Policy > Economy knowledge & employment > Urban economy

Keywords

Competitiveness