How should local and regional leaders encourage investment in their communities? Around the world, cities struggle with a legacy of industrial decline. In England, devolution of planning policy to mayoral combined authorities has allowed for regions like Greater Manchester to outpace national growth. But within regions, local areas can themselves fall behind, and require a joined up approach to planning and investment.

When this episode was first recorded in September 2024, the focus was on how places can unlock investment by understanding their own histories, strengths and opportunities. Today, as the debate around Britain’s infrastructure ambitions intensifies, and the former Mayor of Greater Manchester looks increasingly likely to become the next Prime Minister, the intentions of the government in this area are worthy of speculation.

The infrastructure industry is not waiting, an open letter from leading infrastructure and construction organisations, including the Association for Consultancy has called on the next government to prioritise long-term infrastructure delivery and provide greater certainty for investment.

Could the principles of Manchester transfer to the nation at large? Will infrastructure be a priority for the incoming government? Can the required investment be funded? The engineering sector waits to see.

Guests

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester

Susan Hinchliffe, Council Leader, Bradford City Council

Tim Newns, MD, Levelling Up, Office for Investment, UK Department for International Trade

Richard Robinson, CEO, UK and Europe, AtkinsRéalis

John Rayson, MD for Northern Transformation, AtkinsRéalis

Resources

For the open letter from the ACE to Andy Burnham, click here