As the UK faces persistent regional inequalities, economic uncertainty, and the urgent need for a just transition to net zero, the case for a more empowered, locally driven approach to growth has never been stronger. This briefing sets out seven essential principles for effective place-based growth, drawing on the lived experience and emerging evidence from city-region mayors, devolved nations, the UKRI-funded Local Policy Innovation Partnership Hub and the four funded partnerships: Rural Wales, EPIC Northern Ireland, Forth2O (Scotland) and YPIP (Yorkshire).
It aims to inform Labour’s evolving policy agenda on devolution and local economic renewal, offering actionable insights for national government based on what is already working in places.
This work is grounded in the research and practice of the City-Region Economic Development Institute (City-REDI) at the University of Birmingham, which is the lead for the LPIP Hub (Strategic Coordination Hub), the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practice and Place at the University of Liverpool, and the four LPIP pilot partnerships. These partnerships bring together local authorities, universities, business and civic actors to co-produce evidence-informed strategies for inclusive, sustainable growth. Their work highlights the importance of local capacity, collaborative governance, and long-term investment in unlocking the potential of place.