York and North Yorkshire’s Local Growth Plan

York and North Yorkshire has developed its Local Growth Plan, one that demonstrates how it will be a trailblazing City Region Rural Powerhouse, driving growth for the UK in the North. We will build on our high-performing economy to raise productivity further and deliver transformative economic growth.

This will create opportunities at a local level, including higher quality and more secure jobs, increased investment and ensure that York and North Yorkshire is home to healthy and thriving communities.

York and North Yorkshire is starting from a strong baseline, often outperforming other northern counterparts. But there is an opportunity to raise that performance.

This will be addressed through targeting growth within our competitive advantage sectors.

Growing the UK

Hungate Court in Hunmanby which has benefitted from retrofit technology

“Ours is a region full of pride and potential. My ambition is simple: to help create places where people can thrive – where good health, good jobs, and a good quality of life are part of everyday experience, not just ambition.

Regions such as ours hold untapped potential for driving the nation’s economic future. That’s why we are positioning York and North Yorkshire to be a trailblazing City Region Rural Powerhouse, which will drive transformative growth for the UK in the North.

Our region is home to nearly one million people and spans more than 3,000 square miles of stunning landscape – historic cities, vibrant market towns, rich countryside, and a spectacular coastline. But it’s not just our geography that sets us apart. We are the most productive combined authority in the North. We also boast the highest skills levels – a powerful foundation for the future.

This Local Growth Plan sets out the areas where our region has a clear competitive advantage.

We are home to world-class strengths in engineering biology and life sciences, rail innovation, clean energy, the creative industries, and food and farming innovation. Over the past year, I’ve seen first-hand the remarkable work happening across these fields. This plan makes clear our belief: unlocking our potential will deliver transformative growth.

We have a proud history of feeding the UK, powering the UK, connecting the UK, healing the UK, promoting the UK and protecting the UK – and by continuing to harness all those strengths, we are growing the UK.

I am proud to launch this plan and excited about what lies ahead. By focusing on what we do best, we will fix broken foundations, raise living standards, and help lift people out of poverty – building a modern, connected, and ambitious city region and rural powerhouse at the heart of the North.”

David Skaith,

Mayor of York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority

Top facts about York and North Yorkshire

Economy and home to York, one of the highest performing cities in the UK outside of London

of the most skilled and productive economies in the North

Square miles, covering urban, rural and coastal

Universities, and a world-class science and innovation base

What is a Local Growth Plan?

All Combined Authorities were tasked with a requirement to develop Local Growth Plans.

The role of the Local Growth Plan is to unlock national growth by addressing regional inequalities in productivity and provide a framework that helps inform priorities for public and private investment and interventions to drive growth.