Table of Contents€¦ · 5 1. Executive Summary Introduction to our Strategy, Vision and Growth Plan Cheshire and Warrington Matters is a new and ambitious strategy to support growth

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Table of Contents

Foreword

1. Executive Summary

2. The Context for Intervention

3. Vision and Strategic Framework

4. Intervention Priorities

The Atlantic Gateway in Cheshire and Warrington

The Cheshire Science Corridor

Crewe High Growth City

Enabling Programmes

5. The Growth Deal

The Deal

Foundation Investments Table

Intervention and Investment Prioritisation

Strategic Conversations

6. Delivery and Programme Management

Programme Management

Managing Risk

Managing Conflict of Interest

Scalability

7. Governance and Collaboration

Annexes A) Financial Summary Table

B) Transport Case for Investment

C) Investment Action Plan

D) Schedule of Contributing Partners

E) Project Proformas

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Foreword

This ten year Strategic Economic Plan is about enabling major growth and transformation in our economy and,

with our Liverpool and Manchester partners, adding renewed vigour to the economic fortunes of the North West

and the nation. However we are focusing on the next 3 years in particular – the accelerated delivery of 3,125

additional homes and 12,473 additional jobs for LGF investment of £124.8m, of which £48.76m would be drawn

down in year one.

We have welcomed the strong support from Government in the preparation of our Growth Plan, and also taken

account of the feedback given at our recent meetings with the Minister Greg Clarke MP and Lord Hesletine.

We are a LEP with the private sector leading the agenda, backed up by Local Authorities with strong political vision

and governance. Preparation of this Economic Plan has meant that the LEP has made some hard choices. We

present a clear set of deliverable projects for this initial three years, which fits within an overall integrated ‘Growth

Investment Plan’ for the sub-region which has a strong pipeline of projects, many of which will be achieved without

the need for any Government support but essential to delivering our ambition.

Our Intervention Priorities reflect the ambition of our LEP to look outside our area and connect into the two major

cities of Liverpool and Manchester through the Atlantic Gateway (what Lord Heseltine and Sir Terry Leahy termed

‘Britain’s Second Engine of Growth’), and a Science Corridor linking key centres of excellence such as Thornton,

Daresbury, Birchwood and Alderley Park into the science and research community in Manchester. Sir David

Higgin’s report now proposes that Crewe be at the centre of the HS2 route as a super-hub at the heart of the

country’s major infrastructure network. This means that our plans for a new High Growth City for Crewe can

now start to take shape.

We are focusing on a small number of big interventions for the first year that best match our strategic priorities. In

addition all these projects are deliverable, offer excellent value for money and have the necessary scale, to make

a real impact in securing local and national economic growth.

Our programme also has a major focus on enabling transport interventions to unlock economic growth. This

reflects the important role that infrastructure plays in making economies successful, but also the connectivity that

our sub-region has that can be further unlocked by delivering new road and rail schemes and working closely with

our strategic partners in Network Rail and the Highways Agency. We also have a strong track record of delivery

on infrastructure and robust governance to ensure we stay on track. Our transport programme for is on track to

deliver £75m of investment from a combination of Pinchpoint, Better Stations Funding and our first round of Local

Transport Board investment.

But, we cannot focus on infrastructure, sites and housing without having big plans to ensure we have the skilled

workforce in place and the right support in place to help our businesses to grow.

Our proposals for investment in our FE colleges is just one element of a much bigger agenda for skills which starts

to challenge some fundamental issues from educational systems through to work based learning. Our new models

of delivering real employer-led educational choices through UTCs in Warrington and Crewe are examples of how

we are pushing this agenda strongly with our local authority partners and we would welcome further dialogue with

Government to debate wider policy issues that need addressing.

Business Support and particular SME growth is a core element of our growth plan. We have made good progress

in bringing together all the representative business organisations to form a fledging federation, and we have a

single digital platform for business information; but we have much more to do on this to create a strong platform

which rivals our European neighbours in Germany for example.

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This plan has been prepared following extensive consultation and will be delivered by a range of sub regional

partners.

Cheshire and Warrington has already shown that partners across all sectors are united in their pursuit of growth

and that difficult decisions can be made for the greater good of Cheshire and Warrington. Most encouragingly of

all, we are already in delivery mode. By 2016 over 96% of premises in Cheshire and Warrington will have access

to high speed broadband. This £35m project is the fastest roll out of its kind in Europe. In addition we have invested

over £100m in our FE estate and generated 1,400 jobs from our Growing Places Fund programme.

Cheshire and Warrington does genuinely offer 871 square miles of opportunity, innovation, ambition, inspiration

and growth and I commend this plan to Government.

Christine Gaskell MBE, DL

Chair, Cheshire and Warrington Enterprise Partnership

31st March 2014

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1. Executive Summary

Introduction to our Strategy, Vision and Growth Plan

Cheshire and Warrington Matters is a new and ambitious strategy to support growth and economic development

over the next decade. Developed in response to a call from Government for sub-regionally-defined Strategic

Economic Plans, it has been progressed through an extensive partner and stakeholder engagement process over

a nine-month period.

This Strategy sets out our investment proposals for the Local Growth Fund and how we will deploy this fund to

deliver 3125 additional homes, and 12,473 new jobs over the next three years.

The Context for Intervention

Cheshire and Warrington is already a strong economy, regularly ranking within the top LEPs in the country. Our

ambition is to continue to build on our strengths and overcome challenges to deliver to our full potential. Some of

the features of our economy that have informed our programme are summarised below.

Cheshire and Warrington SEP: Context for Intervention - Key Factors

Strengths/Opportunities Weaknesses/Threats

Place

Diverse offer – localised and urban economies providing wide

housing and employment offer; mix of business sectors and

range of site and premises.

Polycentric nature means no core to drive agglomeration,

hampers optimal labour market and supply-chain connectivity.

A well connected strategic location – economically linked to

Liverpool and Manchester City regions and North Wales

Poor East/West linkages

Some sections of road amongst the top 20 most congested

Rail network in need of modernisation

Poor quality rolling stock

Poor links to Liverpool Airport

Integral part of Atlantic Gateway Infrastructure impeding logistics distribution and Superport freight

movements.

Potential superhub for HS2 Constraints on development sites

Key locations for high growth and available sites for development

at: Warrington, Crewe, Chester, Ellesmere Port, Macclesfield

Constraints on key development sites

Supporting transport infrastructure missing

Costly legacy of brownfield land and industry.

Attractive place to live and work Unaffordable housing market in places

Lower than average levels of housing completions

Economy

One of best performing economies in England and strongest

in North England (annual GVA of over £20bn) 430,000 work

based employees

High levels of employment growth (1998-2008 42,000 net

jobs created)

One of highest employment rates (74.7% in 2012)

Gradual erosion of advantage (GVA 1997 116% of UK, by 2011

106%)

Low levels of productivity in parts of the economy

Lower proportion of population is working age

(63.6% compared to 64.7% England)

Top-10 LEP area for employment density; private employment

(68 businesses per 1,000 working age); employment in

export intensive industries; economic resilience

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Diverse economic base: Key sectors for growth:

- Advanced Engineering

- Life Sciences and Chemicals

- Energy and Environment

- Nuclear

- Financial and Professional Services

- Manufacturing.

Relocation of much of AstraZeneca R&D facility will have a

negative impact on Cheshire and Warrington economy

Transport infrastructure hampering development of sites

Ageing population will create demand for managers and

professionals

Recognised skills gaps and limited connection between

provision and need.

Assets

Strong industrial and innovation assets

Private sector research and industrial base

University of Chester, MMU, Reaseheath, Jodrell Bank

Loss of advanced energy skills following Shell departure

from Thornton.

Limited innovation/product development beyond large

companies.

People/Skills

Highly skilled labour market (35% of working age population

qualified to Level 4 or above; 43% work in highly skilled

occupations)

Good school and FE provision

Training activity does not align to local employment opportunities.

Need up to an extra 63,000 employees to be trained to Level 4 or

higher to close gaps with top performing areas would

Only 34% of graduates return

Net importer of labour (39,150 movements Source: Commute

APS, ONS)

80,000 adults inactive

Pockets of worklessnes in Winsford, Ellesmere Port and Crewe.

Further details of the context in which the programme has been developed and will be delivered are provided in

Section 2.

Vision and Strategic Framework

In response to these opportunities and challenges, an ambitious new Vision and Strategic Framework for Cheshire

and Warrington has been developed. The Vision formalises our goal to reverse the decline in GVA per head

experienced over the past decade and a half and establishes the following transparent growth targets:

By 2021 Cheshire and Warrington will be:

An economy of £26.6bn with GVA per head 110% of the UK average


An economy of £35bn with GVA per head 115% of the UK average

Home to an additional 100,000 residents, 75,000 new jobs and 70,000 new homes

The Strategic Framework sets out how we will achieve this Vision, with a set of Strategic Imperatives that will frame

and guide our actions and investments going forward. These imperatives reflect the opportunities and challenges

we face as an economy and all interventions delivered through the SEP must contribute to at least one of them.

The Strategic Imperatives are: are:

SI1: Specialised and differentiated sectorally, and delivering a manufacturing renaissance

SI2: Attracting and retaining

SI3: Equipped for market and technology change

SI4: Maximising our growth assets – property and place

SI5: Restoring our worker productivity premium

SI6: Internationally connected and engaged

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Intervention priorities and Enabling Programmes

We have identified and developed three Intervention Priorities:

Atlantic Gateway in Cheshire - the world trade, logistics, business and innovation corridor stretching from

Deeside and Merseyside through the northern part of Cheshire and Warrington to Manchester

Cheshire Science Corridor - a string of interconnected centres of excellence located in Cheshire which are or

have the potential of contributing significantly to national innovation in science

Crewe High Growth City - placing Crewe at the heart of HS2 as a superhub central to the countries’ major

infrastructure network

These are particular spatial locations or themed opportunities which, by virtue of their spatial scale, economic

relevance, profile, and long-term potential offer the prospects for substantial and accelerated growth fuelled by the

Local Growth Fund and other funding opportunities.

To translate the Vision and Strategic Framework from policy to practical delivery we also plan six enabling

programmes to create the conditions for growth – these support the intervention priorities but also enable additional

and accelerated growth in themselves. These complementary programmes are grouped into two themes:

Creating the Conditions for Sustainable Growth: Transport, Housing Growth, and wider Infrastructure

Accelerating Smart Growth: Business Growth, Innovation and Skills and Employment

The Growth Deal

Cheshire and Warrington can already demonstrate significant levels of ongoing investment from both the private

and public sectors in support of economic growth. However, challenges remain in relation to: -

Unlocking key growth sites through removal of pinchpoints or site-specific remediation issues

Improving connectivity between our LEP area, Liverpool and Manchester City Regions and North Wales

in order to increase access to employment opportunities

The ongoing repercussions of the financial crisis on access to finance and scheme viability for some

development projects

Ensuring effective and consistent support locally and sub-regionally to our businesses

The Local Growth Fund is now the main route for securing allocations from the Department for Transport and from

the Department for Education for the FE Capital Fund. Importantly, the Local growth Fund offers an opportunity

to accelerate delivery of a series of what we call “Foundation Investments”. The combined programme for which

Cheshire and Warrington is seeking Local growth Fund support is set out in the table below.

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In return for a Local Growth Fund settlement of £124.8m (of which £48.76m is in year 1) we commit to

deliver:

Total Outputs 2015/16 – 17/18 2018/19+

Jobs

Homes

Floorspace (sq. m)

Private sector leverage

Public sector leverage

12,473

3125

230,294

£172.31m

£80.16m

60,070

7170

972,923

over £2000 million

over £70 million

Delivery and Programme Management

In managing the delivery of the Growth Plan and the C&W European Programme the LEP will utilise the ‘Managing

Successful Programmes’ (Office of Government Commerce) approach and methodology. The Growth

Implementation Group will take the key Programme Management role for the LEP as well as managing the LEP’s

Investment Programme.

A Local Authority Chief Executive will lead the Group to ensure leadership and oversight. Clear Senior Responsible

Owners will be identified for each of the programme components and projects - being both accountable and

responsible for delivery, monitoring and feedback. The LEP Board will receive regular programme monitoring

reports and important issues and successes will be escalated to it for consideration and / or resolution.

A staffed Programme Office has already been established as part of the LEP Core team through secondments

from the Local Authorities – this will support the Growth Implementation Group. The LEP’s Chief Operating Officer

will lead the Programme Office.

The delivery of the Growth Plan will be proactively managed and will have a dedicated Risk Management Plan and

Register, overseen by the Growth Implementation Group. The Growth Implementation Group will escalate risks to

the LEP Board, if these cannot be readily resolved. The Risk Management Plan will follow Orange Book principles

and will not only identify potential risks but will identify mitigation measures to manage such risks.

Governance and Collaboration

In developing this plan, and the parallel EU Structural & Investment Funds Strategy, the LEP undertook a formal

review of its governance arrangements to ensure they are fit for purpose and will facilitate effective delivery, whilst

managing risk and maximising accountability to national and local funders. A ‘Combined Leadership Board’ has

been established comprising the LEP Chair and the three Local Authority Leaders. This new Board provides the

over-arching governance role to discharge Cheshire & Warrington’s twin strategic priorities of growth and public

service transformation.

The SEP’s strategic interventions are critical to the delivery of its growth ambitions – therefore the LEP will create

groups to take an oversight role to ensure the effective delivery of these important programmes.

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LEP Governance Structure

Leadership, direction and

performance monitoring

LEP Board

Leadership and strategic responsibility for

the Growth Plan

Business led

A private sector / public sector fusion

Programme & investment

management

Performance management and

risk management

Transport lead

Local Transport

Body

Growth

Implementation

Group

Operational arm of the LEP Board

Keeping strategies up-dated, economic

intelligence & research

Ensuring delivery activity is aligned to

priorities

Mar

keti

ng

& P

R

Big Ticket Project Teams

Strategy Groups

Eu

rop

ean

Gro

up

Atl

anti

c

Gat

eway

in C

&W

Ch

esh

ire

Sci

ence

Co

rrid

or

Cre

we

– H

igh

Gro

wth

Cit

y

Tra

nsp

ort

Ho

usi

ng

Infr

astr

uct

ure

Bu

sin

ess

Gro

wth

Inn

ova

tio

n

Ski

lls &

Em

plo

ymen

t

Promoting the work

of the LEP

Communicating

Success

Oversight of the delivery of

Growth Plan priorities

Oversight of the delivery of Growth Plan

at thematic level

Developing thematic delivery plans

Stimulating project pipelines

Ongoing partner engagement &

participation

Strategic direction,

commissioning frameworks

Assess funding bids

Monitoring programme

performance

Provide technical oversight

of EU programmes and

projects

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2. The Context for Intervention

This section sets out an overview of Cheshire and Warrington, including:

consideration of its characteristics, both as a place and economically;

the area’s current economic performance;

the rationale for intervention; and

the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats presented by the area’s population, business base,

places and environment.

This analysis has informed the focus of activity within the strategic imperatives outlined in Section 3.

Why Cheshire and Warrington Matters

The quality, scale, growth potential and outward-facing nature of Cheshire and Warrington’s economy, coupled

with its strategic spatial positioning, mean our sub-region really matters. Cheshire and Warrington is, evidentially:

One of the strongest and best performing economies in England, and the strongest in the North of

England, with workforce productivity levels rivalling those generated anywhere in England outside of the

capital. The economy of Cheshire and Warrington is characterised by a highly active resident population,

a strong in-built enterprise culture, and a highly skilled workforce. This economic strength provides

employment opportunities beyond our boundaries, with the area being a net importer of labour.

A major economy with a large cohort of world-leading firms, with an annual Gross Value Added

(GVA) of over £20bn, and 430,000 work-based employees. Our economy is equivalent in scale to cities

such as Birmingham and Leeds. Our key firms include Bentley Motors, Tata, Vauxhall and Barclays, and

we have distinctive sectoral specialisms in advanced, high-value engineering, energy, and professional

and business services as well as growth potential in food, agri-tech and biological engineering. To grow,

we intend to focus on our specialisms to support us to be competitive in growing markets and where we

already have a competitive advantage1.

A diversified and internationally-oriented economy, with around one-fifth of employment in Cheshire

and Warrington in export-intensive industries, the third highest of any LEP area across England. Cheshire

and Warrington has a consistently strong record in attracting new inward investment compared to the

national average2, with the area offering a diverse range of investment locations for investors: in urban

centres, in and around attractive market towns, and in high-quality, yet accessible, rural spaces.

A private sector-led and knowledge-rich economy, with a high density of private sector jobs relative

to its population, one of the highest outside of the capital. The area boasts a large private sector business

base, with business density rates well above the national average; the business base contains a well-

defined mix of high profile international companies, well-established and substantial medium-sized

companies, and a dynamic and growing small business base.

A well-connected economy, with long established linkages to Manchester and Liverpool and their city

centres, higher education, and innovation assets, as well as strong economic links to North Staffordshire

and the ‘Potteries’, and across the border to North Wales. Our people and businesses benefit from a high

quality strategic transport infrastructure – the West Coast Main Line, the national motorway network, the

M6, M62, and M56 axes – and proximity to international transport linkages at Manchester and Liverpool

airports, and the Port of Liverpool.

1 Details of work completed to assess the LEP area’s smart specialisations is contained in our European Structural and Investment

Funds Strategy 2014-2020 2 A recent report for BIS identified that the LEP has a location quotient of 1.269 based on employment in foreign-owned businesses.

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An attractive place where people want to live, work and visit, with the natural environment and

excellent location, combined with factors such as high educational attainment and employment

opportunities in quality occupations, ensuring that Cheshire and Warrington is a place offering a very high

quality of life to its residents and is an attractive place to visit and do business.

Despite all of these strengths, there remains room for improvement to ensure Cheshire and Warrington exploits

local, national and international opportunities and makes its full contribution to the national economy. As outlined

later in this document, there are pockets of deprivation, unemployment, low skills and job losses that are harming

our overall economic performance. Without intervention, Cheshire and Warrington will lose its competitive position,

both against other LEPs and internationally, and fail to build on its economic assets.

Cheshire and Warrington – The Place

Localised and Urban Economies

Cheshire was traditionally, and remains in many places, a rural area, with agriculture and land-based industries, a

network of generally affluent and prosperous villages, mid-sized market towns, and one historic city (Chester),

serving as important service and functional centres. Alongside their roles as retail, commercial, educational and

leisure focal points, these places developed specific sectoral specialisms, including extractive industries and

chemicals across the Weaver Valley, and silk manufacturing in Macclesfield. These rural areas are now

increasingly home to a wide range of non-land based businesses that appreciate the rural setting, including the

visitor economy.

Alongside this rural dimension, significant urban economies are also present. With manufacturing and industrial

strengths underpinning their development, these urban locations, notably Warrington (initially steel/wire, and then

growing rapidly in the post-war period following its designation as a new town), Crewe (the railways and later

automotive), and Ellesmere Port (energy, advanced manufacturing), have provided a complementary economic

offer. With increasingly diversified offers, these major ‘urbanisation economies’ contribute substantially to the

overall economy of the sub-region, and also serve as important retail, leisure and service centres.

The diversity of spatial offer is a real strength for Cheshire and Warrington, providing a wide housing and

employment offer to residents, a diversified mix of business sectors to employees, and a range of sites and

premises to investors. However, it also confers challenges, including no immediately recognisable economic ‘core’

to drive agglomeration, meaning that the poly-centric nature of the geography can hamper optimal labour market

and supply-chain connectivity.

A Strategic Location

Cheshire and Warrington is a major economy in its own right but it also shares important economic linkages with

its neighbours, and the wider national and international economy. Crucially, the sub-region is bounded by the

Liverpool and Manchester City Regions. This link matters fundamentally to the area; Manchester and Liverpool

are – on any measure – cities of international stature, and – with a major port and two international airports,

universities of international repute, and strong cultural identities – both are global economic nodes that the

residents and businesses of Cheshire and Warrington can exploit.

Just outside the sub-region’s administrative area, but core to its functional economic area, is Daresbury Science

and Innovation Campus, with its rapidly developing Enterprise Zone. The West of the area also adjoins North

Wales, which provides unique opportunities for cross-border collaboration on the growth agenda. Taken together,

Cheshire and Warrington is at the heart of one of the largest concentrations of people, businesses and growth

assets in England, and at the apex of the national transport infrastructure including the motorway network, West

Coast Main Line rail link and trans-Pennine routes.

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Given its spatial location, Cheshire and Warrington is also key to the successful delivery of two of the most

significant economic and regeneration interventions to be taken forward in England over the next two decades,

namely Atlantic Gateway, which has the potential to generate major new investment and employment

opportunities for the north of England, and the proposed High Speed 2 route that will run through the heart of the

sub-region via Crewe High Growth City.

Figure 2.1. Cheshire and Warrington LEP area

© Crown copyright and database rights 2012. Ordnance Survey 100049045

A Strong Performing Economy

Performance in the Last Growth Cycle

Cheshire and Warrington is one of the strongest economies in England. During the last growth cycle, pre-2008,

employment growth in Cheshire and Warrington was stronger than most of the core city regions and in line with

that experienced in London and competitor locations such as Cambridge/Peterborough. The number of net

additional jobs created in this period in Cheshire and Warrington was significant – some 42,000, with a peak

employment of over 430,000 prior to the downturn.

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Figure 2.2: Employment growth in Cheshire and Warrington over the last growth cycle

Source: Annual Business Inquiry (taken from Cheshire and Warrington Economic Synthesis Report, July 2013)

This net employment growth was achieved at the same time as jobs were lost in manufacturing. However, Cheshire

and Warrington retains a significant and increasingly high-value manufacturing sector on which to build, with well-

established employment specialisms in areas such as automotive, chemicals and pharmaceuticals.

A Top Ten Economy

Cheshire and Warrington is competing with other leading economies across England, for investment, for jobs and

for residents. However, across a range of indicators, the area is well-established as a top-performing economy, in

a national context outperforming many of the leading economies in the Greater South East in a set of key indicators.

Table 2.1: Cheshire and Warrington – a top-10 economy (rank descending 1=top)

Employment

Density

Private and other service

employment

Employment in export

intensive industries

Economic Resilience

Thames Valley London Gloucestershire Enterprise M3

London Thames Valley Berkshire Northamptonshire Bucks Thames Valley

West of England Hertfordshire Cheshire & Warrington Thames Valley

Oxfordshire Bucks Thames Valley Cumbria Hertfordshire

Cheshire & Warrington Enterprise M3 Black County Coast to Capital

Coventry and

Warwickshire Cheshire & Warrington

Leicester &

Leicestershire

Cheshire & Warrington

Hertfordshire South East Midlands Swindon and Wiltshire London

Northamptonshire Coast to Capital Thames Valley Berkshire Oxfordshire

Enterprise M3 Swindon and Wiltshire London Gloucestershire

South East Midlands West of England Lancashire Swindon and Wiltshire

Source: BRES, LEP Network Report – Creating Successful Local Economies

360,000

370,000

380,000

390,000

400,000

410,000

420,000

430,000

440,000

1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Cheshire and Warrington North West (trend line) England (trend line)

Employment Peakc.434,000 Jobs

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Overall the area performs well. However, productivity has not kept pace with national performance, seeing gradual

erosion in comparative terms. Furthermore, the area faces clear demographic challenges, with a smaller, and in

relative terms declining, working age population.

Highly Skilled Employees and Residents

The Cheshire and Warrington economy benefits from a highly skilled labour market. The skills profile of the working

age population has improved over the past decade as national and local initiatives to encourage upskilling have

taken effect.

Over time, the LEP area has typically had a slightly higher than average proportion of working age residents holding

qualifications at Level 4 or above, while the proportion with no qualifications has remained low. There are, however,

signs that too many people are completing training activity that does not align with local employment opportunities

(see Table 2.2 for details of key sectors). For example, there is anecdotal evidence that there are too many people

seeking sales and customer service roles and not enough with the skills required by the area’s engineering sector.

The recently produced Employment and Skills Strategy further explores current and anticipated future skills gaps.

Figure 2.3: Qualification Profile of Working Age Population, 2012

Source: Annual Population Survey3

Both the skills profile and availability of jobs, following significant employment growth, are two of the factors which

contribute to the area having one of the highest employment rates. When the level of highly skilled residents is

compared with other strong performing LEP areas, Cheshire and Warrington outperforms the likes of Manchester,

Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool and is most similar to the Greater Cambridgeshire and Greater Peterborough

LEP area.

In terms of future aspirations, in order to close the gap with the top performing areas, including Bristol and

Oxfordshire, between 17,000 and 63,000 additional residents would need to be qualified at Level 4 or above. This

reflects long term trends of employers demanding higher level skills and growth trends in sectors and occupations

that require high skills, e.g. professional services. Replacement demand trends suggest that managers/senior

officials, professional and associate professional and technical occupations will generate significant demands in

the period to 2025. The 2011 Cheshire and Warrington Business Needs Survey also identified strong demand for

soft skills including communication, team working, customer care and marketing across a range of sectors.

3 It is recognised that the Annual Population Survey and other survey based data (such as the Business Register and Employment Survey) is subject to survey sampling error which increase as geographical areas get smaller and the detail explored greater.

35%

34%

31%

26%

17%

17%

15%

15%

19%

17%

16%

16%

12%

12%

14%

15%

8%

9%

13%

14%

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

Cheshire and Warrington 2012

England 2012

Cheshire and Warrington 2005

England 2005

L4+ L3 Apprenticeship L2 L1 Other Qs No Qs

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Occupational Profile

The occupational profile of both those who live in Cheshire and Warrington, and those who work in the area

highlights the diversity and quality of the job opportunities available. These profiles are both broadly in line with the

national average, including that for the level of highly skilled occupations (43% compared to 44% nationally).

Figure 2.4: Resident and Workplace Based Occupational Profile, 2012

Source: Annual Population Survey

It is likely that the sources of growth will differ in the coming years, and this may have implications for future

changes in the profile and the associated labour market requirements. The ongoing decline of process, plant and

machine operative occupations is likely to continue and whilst there will be replacement demand, given the local

demographics, there will be a requirement for individuals to re-train for new advanced manufacturing sectors (e.g.

low carbon or environmental technologies) or opportunities in the service sector. Cheshire and Warrington’s ageing

population will create significant replacement demand, particularly amongst managerial professionals, which is

also forecast to be one of the fastest growing occupational areas, as a result of expansion demand.

Working Age Population Outside Employment

Although Cheshire and Warrington’s employment rate is high relative to other parts of the north of England,

approximately 80,000 adults are inactive. Pockets of worklessness are evident in the area, for example in parts of

Winsford, Ellesmere Port and Crewe (i.e. deprived urban areas), and at least half of those that are inactive do not

have at least a Level 2 qualification, which is an increasing prerequisite for employers. Challenges of low skills and

high worklessness are now being compounded by limited employment opportunities in parts of the LEP area. This

is accompanied by a trend for under-employment as more people enter or re-enter the labour market through part-

time work.

Reducing worklessness is a high priority to allow all residents to make an economic contribution, and, in the context

of an ageing population and growing productivity gap, important if the economy is to deliver to its maximum

potential. Increasing the proportion of the population in employment will help to raise the sub-region’s productivity,

raise disposable income levels and reduce the welfare burden.

DWP data for November 2012 shows that 45,000 people aged between 24 and 64 in Cheshire and Warrington

experience specific barriers to employment and may therefore require more intensive forms of support to become

active members of the workforce. Long term unemployment amongst young people is also a growing challenge

and approximately 1,800 young people were not in education, employment or training in 2012, up from 1,500 in

2010.

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Employees Residents

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A Diverse Economic Base: Key Sectors

The current LEP Business Plan identifies four key sectors as having the potential to grow further, faster: advanced

engineering; financial and professional services; life sciences and chemicals; and energy and environment. Each

of these sectors is covered in detail in the 2012 Mickledore Sector Research Report, which highlights important

sub-sectors and strategic employers. These sectors have an important role to play in terms of wealth generation,

increasing exports, research and development and innovation.

Table 2.2: LEP Key Sectors, C&W 2011

Employment Companies

Advanced Engineering 23,600 1,613

Life Science and Chemicals 8,800 689

Energy and Environment 30,600 7,422

Financial and Professional Services 45,000 7,178

Total 108,000 16,902

Source: Mickledore 2012 based upon BRES

Although there are a very large number of companies in these key sectors, this number reduces to some 1,900

when micro companies (less than 10 employees) are removed. The number of medium sized companies is

considerable, and many of these are major local employers, with in excess of 200 employees.

Table 2.3: LEP Key Sectors, C&W 2011

Small

10-49

Medium

50-249

Large

250+

Advanced Engineering 280 67 21

Life Science and Chemicals 122 47 11

Energy and Environment 510 113 27

Financial and Professional Services 588 107 33

Total 1,500 334 92

Source: Experian

Analysis of Cheshire and Warrington’s sectoral strengths has also been enhanced through smart specialisation

research, prepared to accompany this submission. The Witty Review (published in 2013) and a subsequent report

issued by BIS4 also highlighted the diverse nature of the Cheshire and Warrington economy as of 2012, including

strengths in automotive (Location Quotient (LQ) 3-4), aerospace (LQ 3-4), nuclear (LQ 2-3), life sciences (LQ 1-

2), agritech (LQ 1-2), professional and business services (LQ 1-2), oil and gas (LQ 1-2) and construction (LQ 1-

2).

An Economic Driver for Neighbouring Places

The balanced economy operating across Cheshire and Warrington, as indicated in the earnings data, draws in

part from the level of self-containment of the economy. The latest data available on commuting patterns indicates

that over three-quarters (77%) of the employed residents of Cheshire and Warrington work within the sub-region.

Viewed from the opposite perspective, 70% of employment in Cheshire and Warrington is accounted for by

residents of the area. Despite the important economic linkages to neighbouring economies, including the presence

4 Localisation of Industrial Activity across England’s LEPs: 2008 and 2012.

17

of two major urban centres in Manchester and Liverpool city-regions, Cheshire and Warrington as a whole acts as

a net importer of labour, i.e. more people travel into the sub-region to work than travel out of it on a daily basis.

Table 2.4: Inflows and outflows from Cheshire and Warrington

Type Number

Self-containment – residents of Cheshire and Warrington working in

Cheshire and Warrington

325,250

Outflow – residents of Cheshire and Warrington working elsewhere 98,150

Inflow – residents elsewhere working in Cheshire and Warrington 137,300

Net inflow to Cheshire and Warrington 39,150

Source: Commute APS, ONS

This role as a net importer of labour, more traditionally associated with large urban cores, reflects both the strength

of the economy of Cheshire and Warrington itself, and to a degree the relative weakness of some of those areas

that surround it. In both cases, Cheshire and Warrington plays a key role as a source of employment for the

residents of other places. The locations of where Cheshire and Warrington residents work (outflow), and where

employees in Cheshire and Warrington live (inflow) are shown in Table 2.5.

Table 2.5: Key locations for outflows and inflows

Key locations - outflow Key locations - inflow

Local Authority Movements Local Authority Movements

Manchester 18,450 Flintshire 16,350

Halton 8,400 Wirral 9,800

Stockport 8,150 Stockport 9,200

Liverpool 7,250 St. Helens 7,950

Stoke-on-Trent 6,000 Halton 7,750

Trafford 5,750 Wigan 6,700

Wirral 5,100 Trafford 6,600

Wrexham 4,250 Liverpool 6,350

Flintshire 4,150 Manchester 5,850

Salford 3,100 Newcastle-under-Lyme 5,650

Source: Commute APS, ONS

Opportunities for Growth

On top of strong existing performance, the area has the growth assets and opportunities to perform even better

and to drive sustainable growth over the next two decades at a national as well as local level. Specifically, Cheshire

and Warrington has the locations for growth, the knowledge assets, and a range of diversified technology

and market specialisms that provide significant economic opportunities.

18

Locations for Growth

The area has a number of important investment locations with potential to attract new inward investment and take

forward nationally significant development opportunities. Some of the key ‘locations for growth’ in Cheshire and

Warrington are summarised below.

Cheshire and Warrington: key locations for growth

Warrington: one of the fastest growing employment centres in England, and recently ranked

as one of the top places to do business nationally, Warrington has emerged as a premier

investment location for high-value and knowledge-based activities, as well as retaining a

significant manufacturing base. Warrington is home to a wide range of leading companies

and has a number of strategically

important existing and emerging

development sites e.g. Birchwood Park,

Lingley Mere, and Omega. At Birchwood,

Warrington hosts one of the largest

clusters of nuclear research and

technology firms in the UK employing an

estimated 4,000 people, and supports

major clusters of firms in sectors as

diverse as distribution and logistics,

precision engineering, energy, telecoms

and software, and business services. Now with a population of around 200,000, Warrington

is one of the largest urban centres in the North of England.

Crewe: situated in the heart of

Cheshire, Crewe is recognised as the

‘gateway to the North’ given the quality

of the town’s strategic transport

connections both in terms of road and

rail providing connectivity to the rest of

the UK. Growing as a ‘railway’ town in

the 19th Century, Crewe retains

industrial expertise in transport and

automotive industries, and is home to

the international HQ of Bentley Motors, providing over 3,500 jobs and exporting to numerous

markets around the world. Crewe is the largest economic driver in the sub-region outside

Warrington, to which it is linked on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). Crewe supports

around 60,000 work-based employees, and contains around 5,000 businesses. Crewe will

play a key role in the delivery of HS2, offering wider sub-regional benefits from the enhanced

connectivity. Crewe benefits from a substantial bank of development land, which offers

significant potential for future economic growth, employment and wealth creation. Major

economic development proposals are currently being progressed across the locality,

including the High Growth City concept, the 150ha Basford East and West strategic

employment site opportunities to the south of the town and the North East Science Corridor.

19

Ellesmere Port: sits at the heart of an industrial, science and technology corridor, cutting

across the Atlantic Gateway, which encompasses a diverse range of high value sectors

ranging from aerospace and defence, automotive, petrochemicals and energy, and applied

R&D (at Daresbury Science and

Innovation Campus just minutes from

the sub-region). Ellesmere Port’s

heritage as an industrial powerhouse

remains significant today, with around

a fifth of local jobs in manufacturing,

well above national levels; the area

also offers considerable available

employment land in and around the

town. Ellesmere Port is also home to

Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet, the

biggest shopping centre of its type in Europe, strategically located close to the M53/M56

motorway intersection.

Chester: Cheshire’s historic administrative centre, Chester continues to play a major role in

the sub-regional economy, with important retail, commercial and academic assets, as well as

a growing cultural and visitor economy offer. Chester supports a strong financial and

professional service sector,

including leading names such

as MBNA, M&S Financial

Services and Santander.

Plans for a new business

district will complement

investment in transport and

other investments, building on

a strong leisure, tourism and

higher education offer to

support new investment in key

service sectors.

Macclesfield: The town grew out of the production of silk during the 19th Century, with the

development of housing, transport infrastructure and a local service economy to support the

industry. The town is now home to flourishing banking, finance and insurance and other

service sectors. It is also working positively with AstraZeneca and partners to retain a fully

functioning biotechnology centre, offering state of the art laboratory and research facilities.

Plans to revitalise Macclesfield town centre with a new £90m retail and leisure scheme are

progressing, with a planning application approved by Cheshire East Council in mid-2013.

Knowledge Assets

Cheshire and Warrington hosts an exceptional private sector research and industrial base, supported by world

class brands and companies, taking advantage of globalisation and smart specialisation. Key assets in the private

sector and industrial research base include the Waters Corporation’s new Mass Spectrometry (MS) Facility near

20

Wilmslow, the National Nuclear Laboratories and AMEC Laboratories in Warrington, Birchwood Park Nuclear

Cluster, Bentley Motors in Crewe, and the collection of firms forming the North East Cheshire Science Corridor.

However, the knowledge and research excellence across the region is not confined to these major sites, with a

high proportion of businesses across Cheshire and Warrington engaged in knowledge-based and high-technology

activity. The area is in the top 10 in England in terms of the proportion of employment in high and medium

technology production and the knowledge economy5, well above major urban centres such as Greater Manchester,

Leeds and Birmingham.

Further to the industrial base, the area is home to two major teaching universities, the University of Chester and

Manchester Metropolitan University (at Crewe), and hosts key sites for two leading research-oriented Russell

Group Universities, with the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Manchester, and University

of Liverpool Veterinary School both based in the sub-region. The local universities and research sites are important

employers and further expansion plans will increase their economic contribution, including through the

development of the University of Chester’s Thornton Research Centre, a high quality international technology

campus focused on advanced engineering, including the University of Chester’s engineering faculty.

The LEP area is also home to a strong Further Education base, with eight colleges catering for almost 50,000

students. This provision allows for the development of technical and generic skills required by employers, including

specialisms for example through Reaseheath College’s expertise in animal husbandry and agri-tech.

The Need for Intervention

Despite its strengths, Cheshire and Warrington faces some major challenges which emphasise the need for

intervention to allow the LEP area to satisfy its economic potential. Four key challenges have been identified

through the data analysis and wide consultation process to inform the development of the LEP’s Strategic

Economic Plan and this ESIF.

Maximising our Potential and the Productivity Imperative

Headline statistics indicate that Cheshire and Warrington performs strongly on the key economic measure of GVA

per head. The latest data from ONS for 2011 show that GVA per head in Cheshire and Warrington was c.£22,750,

compared to c.£21,350 in the UK, i.e. sub-regional GVA per head was 106% of the national level. However, despite

this positive ‘current’ position, sub-regional growth in nominal terms has not kept pace with the national trend over

the past decade and a half, in total GVA or GVA per head, as shown in Figure 2.4 below.

5 LEP Network, Review of Local Enterprise Partnership area economies in 2012

21

Figure 2.5: GVA growth and GVA per head trends 1997-2011

Total GVA growth GVA per head

Source: ONS

These trends are reflected in annual GVA growth rates over the long-term (1997-2011), medium term (2003-2011),

and short-term (2007-11), the last period accounting for the effects of the recession and subsequent sustained

downturn on the sub-region, as shown in the table below.

Table 2.6: Annual Nominal GVA Growth Rates to 2011

Period Cheshire and Warrington UK

1997-2011 3.4% 4.3%

2003-2011 3.1% 3.6%

2007-2011 1.4% 1.6%

Source: ONS

Taken together, the data indicate that Cheshire and Warrington performs well, but that GVA performance in the

sub-region is not fully meeting its potential, with growth in recent years consistently below the national level. Put

simply, GVA performance in Cheshire and Warrington could be higher.

Understanding the GVA ‘missed opportunity’ …

What explains this missed opportunity? At a very headline level, GVA performance is dependent upon a number

of key factors:

how many people are available to work;

how many of those are in work;

how many hours they work; and

how productive they are in what they do.

Table 2.7 shows Cheshire and Warrington’s performance against each of these indicators, indexed to the UK

average. In terms of the employment rate the sub-region outperforms the national level, and the hours worked in

22

the sub-region is the same as nationally. However, productivity is below the UK level (based on Cambridge

Econometrics data) and the proportion of the population who are of working age is also below the national level.

Table 2.7: The GVA missed opportunity in Cheshire and Warrington

Prosperity

(indexed to

UK)

Components of GVA (indexed to the UK = 100)

How many

people are

available to

work (i.e.

productive

potential)

How many

people work

How much

people work

How

productive

workers are

GVA per head

WAP as % of

total

population

Employment

rate

Hours per

worker

GVA/

employment

Cheshire and

Warrington 106% 97.6%

105% 100% 98.6%

Source: SQW analysis of ONS, NOMIS, ASHE and APS data, and data produced by Cambridge

Econometrics. Note that the data for population, employment and hours per worker are on a residential

basis; the data for productivity are on a workplace basis

From an economic development and sub-regional public policy perspective, addressing the proportion of the

population who are of working age is challenging; although policy decisions and investment can have an effect –

ensuring that the area provides the employment, housing and lifestyle offer required to retain and attract people of

working age – long-term demographic and structural economic factors will be the driving factors. The inference

therefore is that the primary issue in responding to the GVA ‘missed opportunity’ in Cheshire and Warrington is to

address the underperformance (albeit modest) in workforce productivity.

… and the productivity deficit

The evidence above suggests that productivity performance is acting as a drag on economic growth across

Cheshire and Warrington. Given that the sub-region is home to some global innovation assets, especially in the

manufacturing and engineering sector, the high skills of the population, and the strong employment and business

base, we might expect productivity performance to be higher, at the level of, or potentially above, the UK. A wide

range of factors influence overall productivity performance, however, at a sub-regional level the sectoral mix of the

business base, and the level of productivity within each sector is crucial.

In terms of the sectoral mix, over time, the sub-region has seen a structural shift away from manufacturing towards

service jobs, both those driven by population, and business-related services: in 1981 manufacturing accounted for

26% of employment in Cheshire and Warrington, by 2011, just 9%. This shift in the sectoral mix of the economy

has been experienced across the UK, however, it matters fundamentally for productivity in Cheshire and

Warrington given the scale of the manufacturing base in the area where productivity has been consistently above

other sectors over the past decade and a half, even as (and to a degree because of given increasing automation)

employment in the sector was reducing.

Figure 2.5 below shows the current share of employees in Cheshire and Warrington in detailed sectors (the vertical

y axis, shows the scale of the sector in the area), and the location quotient of employment compared to the UK

average (the horizontal x axis, UK = 1, shows in relative terms how the area compares to the national picture). It

is evident that Cheshire and Warrington‘s is over-represented in a number of typically lower productivity sectors

such as retailing, distribution, agriculture and basic metal, and underrepresented in some high productivity sectors

such as electrical engineering/instruments and insurance. However, the sub-region also has an over-

23

representation of employment in generally more productive sectors in both services (professional services, banking

and finance), and production sectors (electricity, chemicals), and importantly a lower representation in public

administration, education and health and social work.

Figure 2.6: Share of employment in Cheshire and Warrington and relative concentration against the UK

Source: SQW analysis based on Cambridge Econometrics. Note: GVA in 2005 prices

Overall, the data suggest that the sectoral composition of the economy is generally conducive to strong productivity

performance. As such, it is the levels of productivity within individual sectors that is likely to be key to the (modest)

productivity deficit, and addressing sectoral productivity is key to addressing the ‘missed opportunity’ in terms of

GVA. Figure 2.6 therefore shows current (2011) productivity in Cheshire and Warrington and the UK.

The data indicate that some sectors are more productive in Cheshire and Warrington than the UK, such as motor

vehicles, electrical engineering/instrumentation, and communications. However, the analysis also suggests that

Cheshire and Warrington’s productivity is lower than average in a number of important (largely service-based)

sectors such as professional services, banking and finance, and insurance, as well as chemicals, mechanical

engineering and distribution.

24

Figure 2.7: Sectoral productivity in Cheshire and Warrington and the UK

Source: SQW analysis based on Cambridge Econometrics. Note: GVA in 2005 prices

If productivity in all the sectors that the sub-region underperforms matched the UK level (and the scale of

employment and productivity in other sectors remained constant), the economy of Cheshire and Warrington would

generate an additional £2bn per annum (at 2005 prices).

However, based on the scale of the sectors (in a number of areas, a deficit is evident, but the scale of the sector

in the area is small, for example, electronics), the data suggest that productivity enhancement in a number of key

(well defined) sectors will be crucial to closing the productivity deficit. These sectors include:

professional services

banking and finance

other business services

distribution

chemicals.

Manufacturing – Decline and Renaissance

Cheshire and Warrington’s place in the top division of LEP areas has been based in part on a very strong, high

end manufacturing base. The manufacturing base remains important to the economy, with production responsible

for 21% of sub-regional GVA in 2010, compared to 14% across the UK.6 However, the traditional manufacturing

base in the area is slowly eroding: both in terms of GVA (the equivalent proportion of GVA in 2000 was 29%), and

in employment terms, with the area losing around one third of its manufacturing jobs in a ten year period (some

25,000 jobs) to 2008. This loss of often high-productivity manufacturing activity is impacting upon sub-regional

GVA performance.

6 ONS, Headline1 GVA2,3 by 10 industries at current basic prices, September 2012

C&W above UK average

C&W below UK average

25

The renaissance of manufacturing in Cheshire and Warrington, capitalising on the skills and industrial legacy in

the sub-region, is therefore critical to maintaining Cheshire and Warrington’s position in the leading group of LEPs.

Realistically, given shifts in global economic patterns, the re-thinking of where goods can be manufactured, and

smart specialisation based on local/regional strengths, delivering employment growth in the manufacturing base

is not realistic. However, as the manufacturing base concentrates on advanced manufacturing, there is an

opportunity to stabilise employment in the sector through new investment, innovation, supply chain development

and global trade, thereby driving up productivity and generating additional GVA.

Public Sector Employment

Despite the large cohort of businesses and high level of employment in the private sector in Cheshire and

Warrington outlined above, public sector employment accounted for almost half (32,000 jobs, 46%) of total

employment growth in the last growth cycle. This growth of public sector jobs, whilst helping to maintain

employment levels, contributed to the productivity deficit that emerged in the sub-region.

Figure 2.8: Employment Change 1998-2008

Source: Annual Business Inquiry

This scale of employment growth in the public sector will not be repeated in the next growth cycle, and nor would

this be a preferred option. Employment growth will need to be private sector-led, capitalising on the enterprise

culture and key growth assets in the sub-region.

Ensuring Opportunities for All

Not all of Cheshire and Warrington’s residents make a full contribution to or fully benefit from the area’s success.

The 2010 Index of Multiple Deprivation shows that there are pockets of deprivation across the area, for example

8.8% of Warrington’s Super Output Areas fall within the 10% most deprived parts of the country.

In March 2013, 115,200 16-64 year olds in the LEP area were classified as economically inactive. We recognise

that there are groups within our society that face barriers to economic engagement for a variety of reasons including

physical disabilities, caring responsibilities and a lack of qualifications. Whilst it will not be appropriate for all of

these people to be engaged, we need to help remove the barriers for those residents who do wish to engage in

training activities and employment.

18,269

15,302

12,391

5,5244,886

4,1243,084 2,802

2,2131,597

537

0

5,000

10,000

15,000

20,000

26

Unemployment is therefore a challenge to be overcome if Cheshire and Warrington is to deliver to its potential. In

August 2013, claimant count unemployment in the LEP area stood at almost 15,000 (2.6% of 16-64 year olds).

There are persistent pockets of unemployment within the LEP area that must be overcome if all residents are to

make a contribution to growth. Department for Work and Pensions Benefits Data (as reported in the Cheshire and

Warrington Employment and Skills Strategy) shows high concentrations of out of work benefit claimants in the

urban areas of Warrington, Ellesmere Port and Crewe where some Lower Super Output Areas have over 30% of

working age residents claiming out of work benefits.

Rationale for Investment

There are a number of core market opportunities which are influencing our investment priorities in Cheshire and

Warrington. These include:

Changing technologies, which are allowing regions to capitalise on technical enterprise and their company

bases to develop new areas of competitive advantage.

Growing global markets, with the increasing purchasing power of the developing economies opening up

new markets in areas such as healthcare.

The economic value of the natural environment as an underpinning contributor to sustainable

development, with a greater recognition of the value of the environment to realising ambitions.

Opportunities to develop the low carbon economy, for example through new technologies and products

such as renewable energy.

Building on the exceptional SME base, its breadth and depth, particularly with regard to advanced

manufacturing.

Taking advantage of location and the ability to accommodate significant investment in locations such as

Warrington and Crewe and through Atlantic Gateway.

While these factors provide opportunities for Cheshire and Warrington, there are a number of well documented

constraints which need to be addressed in order to remove barriers to growth. These include:

The risks and development costs of undertaking innovation and commercialisation, a key strand in

improving productivity.

The resources and expertise available to SMEs to develop growth and business improvement plans,

another key strand in improving productivity.

The uncertainty over exporting, particularly with regard to new markets, a key strand in maintaining

manufacturing competitiveness and employment. This is resulting in a focus on near place exporting.

Infrastructure costs and uncertainty over commercial returns in terms of unlocking sites and providing

premises such as grow on space and incubation facilities. Many bottlenecks are too costly to be

addressed by the private sector and too small to become a strategic transport priority.

Market failure with regard to sustainable development objectives, with a number of outputs and outcomes

regarded as social goods, rather than commercial activities which the private sector could undertake.

Company relevance to undertake and/or support training, including apprenticeships.

Skills shortages, particularly for technical skills, with many employers reluctant to invest as the successful

trainee is likely to leave7.

The need to actively engage all groups in society to contribute to the area’s success.

7 The poaching of skilled staff was identified by stakeholders surveyed as part of the Cheshire and Warrington Employment and Skills Strategy’s development and is frequently cited in national research.

27

The employability of young people, where poor information, advice and guidance leads to uninformed

choices and limit job opportunities.

28

Cheshire and Warrington’s Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats

Drawing on the analysis above and wider findings of the programme development process, the tables below present strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats evident

in Cheshire and Warrington. The analysis has been presented under the headings of people, business, place and environment to provide a rounded assessment.

Business

Strengths Weaknesses

A number of leading world class companies in key manufacturing sectors

Large private sector employment base

Growing business and professional services base

Exceptionally large number of businesses

Above average levels of business start ups

Good superfast broadband

Close to major markets in Liverpool and Manchester City Regions

National and international connectivity for business travel and

logistics/freight

Robust and diverse rural economy

Low levels of productivity in parts of the manufacturing base

Low levels of productivity in many parts of the service sector

Uneven spread of employment opportunities

Variable export record amongst the small business base, with many

focused on local markets

Innovation and product development focussed on a narrow group of large

companies

Limited business network due to the size of the Cheshire and Warrington

economy

Constraints on key sites limiting the development of new commercial space

for companies

Opportunities Threats

Forecast increase in global trade over the next ten and twenty years.

New markets as developing economies move from producers to

producers/consumers

Increasing demand for low carbon goods and services

Increased use of ICT connections to improve and expand product/service

ranges and client reach

Major cities becoming expensive, increasing demand in value for money

locations

Logistics, as increases in global trade and e-shopping increase demand for

the movement of goods

Over-crowded South East, more accessible North West

Continued slow growth in the national and international economies,

particularly the Eurozone

Increased competition from developing economies, including in medium

skilled manufacturing production

Investment in key enabling technologies by advanced economies such as

Germany and the USA

Critical mass of Manchester in developing growth in key financial and

professional services sector

Rationalisation of and out-sourcing by key major employers.

29

People


High and growing proportion of residents employed at Level 4 or above

Lower than average unemployment rates

Diverse occupational profile, including a strong professional and

managerial workforce

A large number of entrepreneurs and business managers

Two Universities offering a range of under-graduate degrees in both

technical and academic subjects

Strong Further Education provision, across eight colleges with nearly

50,000 students, plus strong community learning

High quality school provision plus new school and college facilities

Low skills levels amongst some parts of the population, including poor

basic skills and poor educational attainment

Persistence of pockets of deprivation and social exclusion within the area

Low employment rates amongst certain groups, including those with

disabilities

Recognised skills gaps, including sector specific skills and skills required

across a range of occupations (e.g. ICT, leadership and management and

communication skills)

Limited connection between current education and training provision and

employer skills requirements


Increasing demand for well qualified young people in key sectors such as

creative and digital.

Identified growth sectors/smart specialisations offering a range of

occupational opportunities, including business services and logistics

Increase in home working enabled by ICT infrastructure and flexible work

arrangements

Two Universities offering local employers new graduates in a range of

disciplines

Increasing levels of graduate retention from the area’s universities

Development of new training and education facilities (e.g. Studio Schools

and University Technical Colleges) that reflect local sectoral specialisms

High paid/high skilled employment opportunities boosted by proximity to

Manchester and Liverpool City Regions

Local employers able to access personnel from wider labour market due to

good transport links

Ageing population, many continuing to work, reducing employment

opportunities for young people

Key workers attracted to larger centres, including London and the South

East

Companies unable or unwilling to recruit apprentices and new graduates

Companies unable to recruit key experienced technical skilled workers e.g.

engineers

Increasing demand for better skilled candidates at all levels of the

workforce

Increasing demand for good STEM knowledge for school and college

leavers

Fewer employment opportunities to help reduce deprivation and

worklessness

Lack of connection between education and training provision and employer

needs plus reform of career guidance system

30

Place


Outstanding historic city in Chester

Fast growing, dynamic, major new town with significant employment land

at Warrington

Crewe central location and potential HS2 connection

Very attractive rural villages and significant market towns

Ellesmere Port waterfront

Quality and attractiveness of the housing offer and neighbourhoods in

many parts of the geography

Strong strategic location, including connections to Manchester, Liverpool

and North Wales

Two Universities providing a large student population, attracted from

elsewhere in the UK and internationally

Strong rail connectivity to London through frequent, fast services plus

strong infrastructure connections to Manchester, including Manchester

Airport

Many housing and employment sites constrained by lack of infrastructure

and road access

Local congestion which inhibits new investment at key locations

Negative perceptions of Ellesmere Port, despite offering a strong economic

location

Low levels of house building and affordability constrains population growth

and retention of young people

High house prices and perceptions of house prices

Lack of recent speculative office, industrial and warehouse development

limits opportunities for existing businesses to expand and therefore for the

area to retain jobs

Differential in residential and commercial land values hampers the ability to

promote sites for employment use


Strategic investment sites available to meet demand for new and continued

development to help retain existing and attract new businesses

Long term development of HS2 providing opportunities for early investment

to help prepare to maximise potential positive and minimise potential

negative impacts

A number of science park type developments with capacity for growth to

meet demand

Investing in our cultural and media assets to grow leisure and tourist

visitors and increase spend in rural areas and key locations such as

Chester

Attractive locations for live work initiatives, particularly in rural areas

Transport network may not be able to cope with increased demands to be

placed on it by new development

Intense competition from other areas to capture new development and

inward investment

Low levels of house building and affordability continues to constraint

population growth

Internet shopping could lead to reduction in retail units and undermine town

centres

Too few quality jobs leads to an exodus of young people

Younger families find many towns and villages unaffordable

31

Environment


Chester’s outstanding heritage environment

Manchester Ship Canal

Ellesmere Port waterfront

Weaver Valley rural landscape

Cheshire Peak District

Attractive market towns and villages

Upper Mersey Valley Forest Park

An extensive and high quality network of green infrastructure

Reaseheath College (including the Food and Product Development Centre

and Food Engineering Centre) and the University of Chester’s forthcoming

Food Innovation Centre

Presence of some high energy use businesses and ‘dirty’ sectors

Legacy of brownfield land and industrial activities

Under-acknowledged scale and scope of the rural economy

Road congestion

Limited understanding of the economic value of green infrastructure and

the natural environment more widely


Increasing demand for quality leisure activities in a rural setting

Support for bio-diversity

Renewable energy, expansion of the low carbon economy and demand for

new technologies and products such as micro-generation

Locally sourced food plus opportunities for sustainable intensification of

food production and improved competitiveness in food production and

processing

Demand for agri-skills

Opportunities to build on the quality brand of the rural economy

The potential for green infrastructure to support economic growth

Waste management and re-cycling

Business cost savings and improved productivity through greater resource

efficiency

Climate change and the potential for key development locations to be

affected

Changes to agricultural policy

Flood and the costs on managing risk

Costs of bringing brownfield land back in to use

Cheap food imports

Increasing costs of land management

Highways capacity

Security of environmental resources, including materials, energy and water

32

33

3. Vision and Strategic Framework

In gearing up to meet the challenges and capitalise on the opportunities set out in Section 2, the LEP has developed

a clear Vision and Strategic Framework to guide its prioritisation and decision making processes.

Our Vision for Cheshire & Warrington

Delivering economic growth consistently above the UK level, Achieving GVA per head of 110% of the UK

average and an economy of £26.6 billion by 2021 making progress towards re-establishing fully our

productivity premium advantage, with GVA per head of at least 115% of the UK average and an economy

of around £35 billion by 2030

By 2030 to grow our population by 100,000, create 75,000 new jobs and 70,000 new homes

Recognised as a modern, strong, sophisticated and attractive business and residential location, both

urban and rural and known increasingly for our innovation, enterprise and skills.

Strategic Framework Building Blocks

The plan is ambitious, but grounded in a commitment to growth and a clear understanding of our economic context.

The framework of our vision comprises 5 mutually reinforcing elements backed by independent evidence and

research:

A high level Vision (above)

Our Strategic Imperatives – these are critical imperatives that enable our vision – it is critical that all the

elements of our Growth Plan priorities must contribute to these

Intervention Priorities – those particular spatial locations or themed opportunities that offer the

prospects for substantial and accelerated growth fuelled by the Local Growth Fund and other funding

opportunities

Enabling Programmes – proposals that enable and support our Growth Plan:

Creating the Conditions for Sustainable Growth – Transport, Housing Growth and Infrastructure

Accelerating Smart Growth – Business Support, Innovation, Skills (including Levels 5-8) and

Employment

Investment Programme – our work and investment programme that outlines our delivery activity and

enables us to plan our resources effectively to enable our aspirations

These are shown in Figure 3.1, below.

This plan is strongly grounded by independent evidence and a clear understanding of our economic context. We

understand Cheshire and Warrington and our plan is derived from the messages this evidence provides. This

context and evidence in contained at Annex B.

The vision formalises our goal to reverse the decline in relative GVA per head experienced over the past decade

and a half, and moving over the longer-term to re-establish our significant lead over the UK on this key measure

of economic performance. The vision also establishes a transparent, communicable, and visible growth target:

economic projections suggest under a ‘policy off’ scenario our economy will reach £25.6bn by 2021; through the

SEP we will add an additional £1bn, making Cheshire and Warrington a £26.6bn economy in the same time frame.

34

With a view to the longer-term, it seeks to provide a focal point and incentive for partners to accelerate the rate of

growth, ensuring we remain on course to be a £35bn economy by 2030.

Figure 3.1: Strategic Vision and Framework

Our Vision


An economy of £26.6bn with GVA per head 110% of the UK average


An economy of £35bn with GVA per head 115% of the UK average

Home to an additional 100,000 residents, 75,000 new jobs and 70,000 new homes

Our Strategic

Imperatives

Specialised &

differentiated

sectorally, & a

manufacturing

renaissance

Attracting

&

retaining

talent

Equipped for

market &

technology

change

Maximising

our growth

assets –

property &

place

Restoring

our worker

productivity

premium

Internationally

connected &

engaged

Intervention

Priorities

Atlantic Gateway in C&W

Cheshire Science Corridor


Enabling

Programmes

Creating the conditions for sustainable

growth

Accelerating smart growth

Transport

Housing

Growth

Infrastructure

Business

Support

Innovation

Skills &

Employment

Success

means that

by 2021 we

will have

achieved

GVA per Head of 110% of

the UK average

An economy of £26.6 billion

Made progress towards re-

establishing our premium

advantage, aiming at GVA per

Head of 115% of the UK

average & an economy of

around £35 billion by 2030

Translating the Vision and Strategic Framework from policy to practical delivery, will involve focused effort on:

Creating the Conditions for Sustainable Growth, through delivery in the areas of Transport, Housing, and wider

Infrastructure, and Accelerating Smart Growth, through delivery in the areas of Business Growth, Innovation,

and Skills and Employment.

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In addition, to achieve the vision, six strategic imperatives will be crucial. Whilst emphases will vary, all

interventions delivered through the SEP must contribute to at least one of them:

SI1: Specialised and differentiated sectorally, and delivering a manufacturing renaissance,

exploiting the key science and technology strengths that will enable us to access new and high value

markets, and modernise and exploit new/emerging economic activities, as well as driving forward the

renaissance of manufacturing – increasingly advanced, content-rich and competitive internationally – in

terms of productivity

SI2: Attracting and retaining talent ensuring that we provide the housing offer, employment

opportunities, and quality of life that will keep talented and economically active people and families in


SI3: Equipped for market and technology change, ensuring we are equipped to operate in the

increasingly complex world of markets and technologies, and that our businesses, investors, and decision

makers allow, and plan, for these challenges

SI4: Maximising our growth assets – property and place, as a polycentric economy, we must make

the most of our existing urban centres, significant endowment of sites, premises and development

opportunities, including through the development of a fit-for-purpose transport and infrastructure platform

SI5: Restoring our worker productivity premium, moving progressively to a position where all of our

main sectors generate productivity in line with, or above, the UK average, and where our workers and

businesses compete effectively on content and quality in the global economy

SI6: Internationally connected and engaged to ensure Cheshire and Warrington’s has access to all

those factors, such as sources of R&D, innovation, business expertise, knowledge networks, and

specialist labour which will allow the economy to develop its long-term growth potential

To give real impetus to the programme the LEP has made a clear and bold move by prioritising the three

intervention priorities set out below. These have been selected as they are aligned with with our strategic

imperatives; and they offer the best opportunities for delivering new jobs, additional houses and GVA growth in the

short term. They are truly transformational and will take not only Cheshire and Warrington’s economy forward but

will transform the North of England’s economic future and have national and international impact.

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4. Intervention Priorities

The Growth Plan for Cheshire and Warrington is both bold and clear and is highly focused on delivering our three

most important opportunities – our intervention priorities - and a set of enabling programmes:

The Intervention Priorities:

The Atlantic Gateway in Cheshire & Warrington – reinforcing and grasping the opportunities of what

Lord Heseltine and Sir Terry Leahy termed ‘Britain’s Second Engine of Growth’ – the world trade, logistics,

business and innovation corridor stretching from Deeside and Merseyside through the northern part of

Cheshire and Warrington to Manchester. Warrington, one of the UK’s most important locations for

investment and business growth, coupled with Chester and Ellesmere Port form integral components of

this growth corridor.

The Cheshire Science Corridor – connecting into the Cities of Manchester and Liverpool, there are a

string of interconnected centres of excellence located in Cheshire which are or have the potential of

contributing significantly to national innovation in science – Capenhurst, Thornton, SciTech Daresbury,

Birchwood Park, Jodrell Bank and Alderley Park

Crewe High Growth City – the major development hub centered on Crewe with accelerated growth

potential in both business and homes. Sir David Higgin’s report now places Crewe at the heart of HS2 as

a superhub central to the countries’ major infrastructure network – a national hub for transport

connectivity. This puts in place the key driver for High Growth City.

The Enabling Programmes:

Creating the Conditions for Sustainable Growth

Transport – investments in critical infrastructure to drive growth and productivity plus tackling congestion

Housing growth – to broaden our housing offer to support our economic aspirations

Infrastructure – maximising our growth assets – property and place

Accelerating Smart Growth

Business support – to help existing businesses to grow, new businesses to start and to attract new foreign

direct investment

Innovation – equipping our businesses for market and technology change

Skills & Employment – to help build the workforce of the future to support our dynamic and growing business

base including high level skills. This includes the FE Capital Fund – investment to keep our key educational

institutions as centres of excellence for our young people.

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Intervention Priority 1 - The Atlantic Gateway in Cheshire and Warrington– Britain’s second engine of growth

Rationale for Intervention

The Atlantic Gateway is the most significant opportunity in the UK to attract investment, accelerate growth and

rebalance the economy. It is a proposition to create a critical mass to achieve a new level of growth not previously

achieved in the UK outside of London. By 2030, there is the potential for some 250,000 new jobs to be created in

the Atlantic Gateway area generating £14 billion of new investment.

Atlantic Gateway represents an opportunity to invest in high growth innovation driven sectors and major large scale

infrastructure projects that will stimulate demand in the economy much quicker than supply side measures. Atlantic

Gateway identifies the strategic assets and opportunities across the area and provides the forum for a greater

degree of collaboration across LEPs to accelerate investment and growth. It also provides a medium for working

across Government to inform policy and establish national priorities for investment to rebalance the economy.

Atlantic Gateway also provides a platform to promote low carbon sustainable growth and support the development

of green infrastructure and sustainable travel.

The Atlantic Gateway is about more than just high value jobs, logistics, connectivity and infrastructure – it is a

major opportunity to drive development and growth in the cores of two of our principle urban centres – Warrington

and Chester – for commerce, jobs, new homes, retailing and culture. They will become ‘beacons’ of urban life and

commerce on the Atlantic Gateway.

Figure 3: Atlantic Gateway Corridor

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Activities

The Greater Manchester/Cheshire & Warrington/Liverpool City Region LEPs and the North East Wales authorities

are working closely together to examine the areas in which our economies are inter-related and therefore the

added value of joint work and a long term planning approach from LEPs, local government and national

government to drive jobs, growth and inward investment. This work is being progressed through the Atlantic

Gateway area and we are clear that, in that area, opportunities do exist for joint projects to exploit the economic

potential, particularly building on assets in relation to:

Life Sciences/Big Science (e.g. Liverpool Science Park, Daresbury, Alderley Park, Corridor

Manchester)

Logistics/Freight (e.g. Liverpool 2, Port Bridgewater, Port Warrington, Port Salford,

Omega/Warrington)

Wider infrastructure (e.g. HS2, Northern Hub, Liverpool & Manchester Airports)

Digital and Creative (e.g. Media City)

Many of the Cheshire and Warrington Atlantic Gateway projects are longer term – however the LEP wishes to build

upon the momentum built up through areas such as Omega Ellesmere Port and Birchwood as well as delivering

the essential foundations of growth in the Gateway.

In the last x years there has already been significant investment in projects under Atlantic Gateway in Cheshire

and Warrington. OMEGA North has delivered [sq m] of new logistics and distribution space creating over 1,400

new jobs. Working in partnership with private sector partners such as Miller Homes, Peel Holdings over £0.5

billion has been invested or committed.

Cheshire and Warrington Atlantic Gateway Priorities:

Warrington Waters: a programme of projects which together will expand Warrington’s Town Centre

and create a new major mixed use development area set alongside the Manchester Ship Canal and

River Mersey – including expanding Port Warrington and enhancing bridge crossings. This includes the

Warrington Engineering UTC and Incubator driven by major local businesses being delivered this year

Warrington West: A programme of projects which together enable business locations of international

importance and scale – reinforcing Warrington as a nationally important hub for energy, engineering,

software and telecoms and logistics – focusing on Omega and Lingely Mere

Warrington East: unleashing one of the most successful business locations in the UK and the home of

Warrington’s Nuclear Cluster – the largest concentration of nuclear engineering and design companies

in the Country – focusing on Birchwood Park

Chester Central: a major new development programme in the heart of the City – the One City Plan

(Northgate and Chester Central Business District) and the Investment in a major upgrading of Chester’s

transport infrastructure to accommodate and unlock these opportunities

Ellesmere Port Strategic Regeneration Framework: a vision and framework for economic

development in Ellesmere Port – complementing its bid for Assisted Area Status

Halton Curve: Improving strategic connectivity to North Wales and Merseyside including into Liverpool

Airport through re-instatement of the Halton Curve

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Outputs

Chester Central: 5,170 jobs, 440,000 sq. ft. Grade A office space, 250 residential units, 500,000 sq. ft. of retail,

£150 pa million GVA.

Warrington Waters: 32,000 jobs, 1,615 homes £500m million private sector investment enabled, £646 million

GVA pa.

Warrington North: 19,750 jobs, 1300 homes, £522 million private sector investment enabled, £1.25 billion GVA pa.

Ellesmere Port Strategic Regeneration Framework: 6,000 jobs, 8,500 residential units.

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Intervention Priority 2 - The Cheshire Science Corridor – an international corridor of science and innovation connected into a wider strategy for science linked to Liverpool and Manchester City Regions


The Government has stressed the importance of developing our research and development capacity. To quote the

Department of Business Innovation and Skills: -

‘Science and research is at the heart of the UK’s growth, prosperity and wider well being. Public investment in

Science and research is an investment in the nation’s future, ensuring that the UK has a productive economy,

healthy society and contributes to a sustainable world’8.

Cheshire has some of the most significant science based assets in the north of England some of which are of

global importance: - in advanced scientific analysis and research, pharmaceuticals R&D, pharmaceuticals

manufacturing, chemical engineering, energy and nuclear engineering, radio-astrophysics and astronomy.

The key assets are:

Capenhurst

Thornton Science Park

Sci-tech Daresbury (in Liverpool City Region LEP area)

Birchwood Park’s Nuclear and Forensics Clusters

Alderley Park

Jodrell Bank and the Square Kilometre Array, the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the world

This growing science includes scientific manufacturing in Macclesfield, leading astrophysics research at Jodrell

Bank, world class life sciences research hub at Alderley Park, and the world’s largest mass spectrometry

headquarters at the Waters Corporation in Wilmslow. This concentration of science excellence is a strong base to

underpin the fantastic offer of research in the North West, which extends to the Manchester Science Park, Science

Corridor development, Media Park in Trafford, Sci-Tech Daresbury, Capenhurst and Thornton Science Park.

The area is host to a concentration of globally significant companies which represent a hotbed of intellectual

capacity and entrepreneurship. A high quality environment, with good connectivity that transcends the sub-region,

and an outstanding track record of creating and building new businesses and attracting investment gives Cheshire

– as part of a wider North West Science & Technology cluster - the potential to become a UK leading area for

future investment and innovation in many of the ‘Eight Great Technologies’.

Activities

The potential of the corridor will be delivered by:

Creating a virtual and real Network of Innovation in Science and Technology through the leadership of

existing global brands and high growth SMEs, together with leading higher education and research

institutions, and government

8 https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/investing-in-research-development-and-innovation/supporting-pages/science-and-research-funding

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/investing-in-research-development-and-innovation/supporting-pages/science-and-research-funding

https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/investing-in-research-development-and-innovation/supporting-pages/science-and-research-funding

41

Developing new finance and investment tools and target existing funding opportunities to help grow

companies with high growth potential

Providing the right sites in the right locations with the right infrastructure, enhanced by the highest quality

of life in order to attract the best talent to the area

Building a workforce for the future and develop the existing skills base by ensuring that the right skills

provision and education is in place

These assets are enhanced by the indigenous presence of University of Chester, Manchester Metropolitan

University, Reaseheath Further Education College and the strength and accessibility of the expertise and teaching

of several neighbouring institutions including University of Manchester interests at Jodrell Bank and Alderley Park

and Liverpool University’s veterinary campus.

Either “on site” from University of Chester or accessible through the gateway of the MMU Cheshire campus are

academic and consultancy expertise, teaching and research that will support the Cheshire Science Corridor

objectives in the areas of Advanced manufacturing and materials, High Level Computing, Aerospace and

Automotive, Alternative Energy, Chemical and Bio chemical science.

The Science Corridor will build on this and promote, enable and coordinate wider investment from public and

private sector sources to form an overall investment plan to build these important science assets to stimulate jobs

and growth.

Cheshire Science Corridor Priorities:

Thornton Science Park - the University of Chester and public and private sector partners are investing

£23m to develop an internationally recognised centre of excellence in Advanced Energy Systems to

capitalise on it’s unique legacy assets. One of the signature projects is the SMART Grid

Demonstrator - a shared facility to meet the growth needs of the energy sector, allowing businesses to

test new technologies and model energy usage with combinations of old and new energy sources

Alderley Park Science for Life – harnessing this site’s world class, highly valuable and specialist R&D

facilities and its existing supply chains and related businesses, into a location of national and

international excellence for advanced scientific analysis and research – with a particular focus on

human health science, R&D, technologies and processes. This is a joint project with Greater

Manchester LEP.

Greater Manchester & Cheshire Life Science Investment Fund - A collaborative venture with

Greater Manchester to provide access to specialist investment finance to support cluster development.

The Government-led Alderley Park Task Force commissioned a detailed Demand Study for Life

Sciences in 2013 which made a number of detailed recommendations which now inform this proposal.

The Investment Programme will build a UK Life Science ecosystem to attract, develop and reward

talent, and overcome barriers to promote innovation through the following actions:

o Creation of a £40m Investment Fund to support growth in life science SME’s

o Strengthen the existing ecosystem in the sub-region through networking and mentoring

Align existing resources for business support with the requirements of the sector.

o Align existing resources for business support with the requirements of the sector

Outputs

4690 jobs created, 500 homes, and 82,970m2 floorspace will be delivered.

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Intervention Priority 3 - Crewe High Growth City - A ‘constellation new city’ with a rail superhub at its heart


Crewe is located at the centre of a strategic road and rail network with 4.9million people with one hour’s travel. It

is a focal point and hub for regional connectivity and it provides an unrivaled opportunity for growth and economic

development. Already well connected nationally and regionally, our future growth focuses on the potential provided

by a ‘cluster’ of towns being at the centre of a strategic road network and Crewe being a superhub in the HS2

system. This has recently been highlighted by Sir David Higgin’s report which reinforces the role of Crewe in the

HS2 project. Our growth plan for Crewe and its surrounding market towns will take advantage of current and future

connectivity, capacity for growth and growing competitiveness based on recent investments by Bentley (£800

million).

High Growth City combines four key elements that make it an exceptional opportunity:

Unconstrained land for growth – both homes and employment

A strong technological and human capital base with some of the UK’s leading businesses such as

Bentley, Siemens and Senior Aerospace

A constellation of towns that strongly interact as a single integrated market area – with strong

individual identities and strong interrelationships

Connectivity through its transportation infrastructure – which the Superhub and M6 Smart Motorway

will reinforce.

Figure 8: Crewe High Growth City

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Activities

High Growth City is obviously a long term project – however the LEP is keen to start laying the foundations for this

exciting business industrial and socially transforming initiative now. This includes plans to work with universities to

develop the national HS2 Rail Academy and University Technology College in the City. These assets plus the

existing HE and FE presence will enhance capability in the region in relevant technology/engineering/science and

management, leadership, business growth and commercial development.

Crewe High Growth City Priorities:

Crewe Superhub Station - new rail hub on the HS2 network – enabling Crewe to be a major focus for

rail and transport connectivity and major growth:

o Basford West Crewe

o Super Hub Station

Growing the Constellation City – critical infrastructure to enable the development of strategic

employment and housing development sites:

o Middlewich Eastern Bypass

o Crewe Green Link Road

o Crewe Northern Growth Corridor

o The Congleton Link Road

Skills and Workforce Development – development of a hub for engineering skills, innovation and

expertise underpinned by an growing educational platform which closely links our educational offer to the

needs of current and future business growth i.e. University Technical College led by Bentley, OSL, Jacobs

specialising in engineering and design, and a developing bid to host the National Rail College in Crewe

led by MMU.

Outputs

GVA will increase by £379m pa GVA by 2031, 25,000 homes, 10,000 jobs created and 320 ha of additional

employment land will be delivered.

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Enabling Programmes

As well as our Priority Projects and the Foundation Investments we also plan six enabling programmes to create

the conditions for growth – these support the intervention priorities but also enable additional and accelerated

growth in themselves. These complementary programmes are grouped into two themes:

Creating the Conditions for Sustainable Growth: Transport, Housing Growth, and wider Infrastructure

Transport

Based on the spatial objectives of the SEP to deliver growth, the current transport network of the area, and the

need to address its inherent weaknesses, the rationales for investment in transport infrastructure are:

To improve connections to neighbouring sub-regions, and in particular international gateways to ensure

business has connectivity to global markets and to facilitate the economic benefits of both out and in

commuting that takes place on a daily basis

Pinch points and congestion in the transport network, both road and rail, act as barriers to growth if left

unaddressed. Delays and unpredictable journey times affect business activity directly and indirectly, and

influences commuting flows

Network resilience needs to be addressed to deliver predictable and efficient journey times to support

business productivity

Make best use of the existing road (e.g. smart motorways) and rail network (e.g. electrification), to

capitalise on existing infrastructure, offers efficient mechanisms for improvement, and will help deliver

best value for money from investment

Capacity constraints on the West Coast Mainline are restricting the enhancement of improved rail

connectivity in the sub-region

The objectives of the transport priority are to:

Transform connectivity across, and to and from, the Atlantic Gateway World Trade Corridor

Unlock the opportunity that is High Growth City focused on Crewe and connected Mid-Cheshire towns

and facilitate delivery of the HS2 Crew Hub Station

Improve access to unlock priority employment and housing sites across the LEP area including the

Science Corridor

Housing Growth

The rationales for investment in the sub-regional housing market are:

Increase the level of housing construction above current levels to accommodate a resident workforce with

a requisite balance of skills

Ensure that the housing offer across Cheshire and Warrington responds to demographic shifts, meeting

the needs of an ageing population while providing for the formation of new households

Test and develop the viability and deliverability of new innovative products and approaches to promoting

housing delivery. Intervention is required to: co-ordinate the market and the main players in order to

champion growth

Address key barriers to housing delivery. These include the costs associated with site remediation and

the delivery of enabling infrastructure as well as restricted access to bank and institutional funding

There are four objectives under the housing investment priority:

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Support the creation and ongoing development of a coordinated housing strategy and implementation

plan for Cheshire and Warrington

Work with partners in the private and public sector to create the right conditions (in relation to site

availability, infrastructure and finance) that enable the housing market to respond effectively to demand

and to support sustainable population and economic growth

Assemble a toolkit of interventions that enables the LEP to facilitate the delivery of high quality housing

schemes that meet the needs of current and future communities

Actively promote opportunities within Cheshire and Warrington to test high quality, innovative and

sustainable housing solutions

Infrastructure

The rationales for intervention in the infrastructure priority are:

Accommodating significant new investment, including international investment, requires a forward

looking infrastructure plan which needs to incorporate power and water, as well as land supply. In

addition, it is necessary to look ahead to the next steps in digital connectivity, beyond superfast

broadband, benchmarked against the leading regions in the world, including Asia

There are some developments, such as Atlantic Gateway, which are of national significance; facilitating

this growth will contribute to national growth targets

Market forces alone will not bring forward key elements of the economic infrastructure needed to

support economic growth

There are five objectives under our infrastructure theme:

Provide a portfolio of market responsive, readily available employment sites that meet the needs of key

economic sectors and clusters, as well as attract inward investors and new investment by indigenous

businesses

Ensure Cheshire and Warrington business locations have access to adequate power, water and waste

disposal facilities to meet the needs of current and future key economic sectors and clusters, inward

investors and new investment by indigenous businesses

Ensure critical infrastructure is in place to support Cheshire and Warrington’s Transformational Projects

- High Speed 2 at Crewe and Atlantic Gateway are nationally significant projects with the potential to

generate significant economic benefits across Cheshire and Warrington and beyond

Ensure Cheshire and Warrington’s businesses and residents have access to market leading digital

connectivity, taking advantage of the opportunities of superfast broadband and looking beyond to the

next generations of digital connectivity, benchmarked against the best in the world

Develop Infrastructure Investment Funding Models to accelerate investments. There is a need to bring

together both public and private sector investment finance to accelerate and de-risk the infrastructure

investment needed to accelerate employment and residential locations

Accelerating Smart Growth: Business Support, Innovation, and Skills and Employment

Business Support

The rationales for investing in this priority are:

To create a highly supportive and competitive environment for our world-leading large and medium-

sized firms so that they remain resilient and steadfastly embedded locally

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Our business base is large and diverse, spatially, sectorally, technologically, and in terms of core

markets; as a result, the business support landscape has often been locally focused, providing a

spatially bespoke but somewhat un-coordinated offer; as a result, opportunities for improved business-

to-business linkages, shared learning/good practice, and delivery efficiencies have not been maximised

Given global market, technology and innovation trends, the competitive advantage of our manufacturing

base is slowly eroding, impacting on our economic performance and productivity; alongside growing

other sectors and industries in which we have specialisms, revitalising our manufacturing base –

moving increasingly up the value chain – is critical.

Supporting SME growth plans through better promotion and marketing of existing and new funding

sources and financial instruments

Ensuring access to a larger share of public resources for Cheshire and Warrington businesses

There are five objectives under our business support theme:

Increase the contribution to the economy of industries, supply chains, and technologies with high growth

potential and where we have embedded existing strengths and capacity; this includes R&D in natural

sciences, engineering and technical consultancy, energy, automotive, chemicals and agri-tec

Develop Cheshire and Warrington into a leading destination for UK and international inward investment,

securing additional inward investment in higher value-added industries, especially in our defined niche

areas of specialisation

Provide existing and viable start-up businesses and social enterprises with a fully resourced and marketed

business support capability, embracing additional business skills to meet their growth, quality, innovation,

and competitiveness enhancement needs including the exploitation of incubation and spin out

opportunities from across the Higher Education base

Help our businesses to build quality external relationships, taking advantage of national and international

networks (business, university, and R&D related relationships), growth markets, and global supply chains

Ensure adequate and suitable Investment Finance is made available to – and accessed by sub-regional

firms and social enterprises – to support their business growth ambitions

Innovation

The rationales for investing in the innovation priority are:

Prospects for economic growth in Cheshire and Warrington are dependent on the continued

competitiveness of key innovation-intensive sectors, including ‘Advanced Engineering’, ‘Life Science and

Chemicals’, ‘Energy and Environment’, and ‘Financial and Professional Services’. If the innovation

demands of these critical industries are not served adequately, the offer afforded by other locations may

lead to our firms leaving the area.

Advancing globalisation increasingly challenges business to differentiate, extend their value-added

proposition, and shift towards the ‘non-routine’. If Cheshire and Warrington is not recognised as a

supportive host for this activity relative to other regions of the UK and Europe, investment in growth could

be stifled.

In developed economies, potential destinations for start-up or expansion are appraised increasingly in

terms of their connectivity and agglomerative benefits. Accessible and productive networks, internal and

external, are fundamental to an area’s innovation proposition but are slow to grow in the absence of

‘pump-priming’, facilitating intervention.

Innovation is core to the business-driven export and productivity gains sought by Cheshire and

Warrington. At present, the area’s innovation capacity is focussed on ‘incremental innovation’ focussed

on improvements to existing products in existing markets. However, ‘disruptive innovation’, focussed on

47

new products for new markets, is inhibited by its inherent risk and high costs. Intervention is required to

‘de-risk’ disruptive innovation and unlock the benefits for the economy and area.

The knowledge networks fundamental to innovation systems typically fail on the grounds of a weak, or

unfocussed knowledge production and an inability amongst businesses to connect that knowledge to the

market (otherwise termed ‘low absorbtive capacity’). Currently, mismatches in Cheshire and Warrington

knowledge production and exploitation processes render the area’s innovation system ‘leaky’.

Intervention is required to unify and optimise knowledge production and exploitation processes – ensuring

that new knowledge is able to find a path to market and filling gaps via targeted relationships with external

players.

There are four objectives under our innovation theme:

Ensure our investments in innovation are informed by a thorough, current, and well-developed

understanding of innovation and knowledge agendas that apply to the private, public, and third sectors

Define and articulate our areas of Smart Diversification, emphasising the role that innovative business,

connectedness, and relatedness will play on our ongoing economic base

Develop and maintain actively, innovation and knowledge networks and linkages with Centres of

Excellence elsewhere in the UK and internationally, which support our Smart Diversification imperatives

Build and maintain actively, a functioning innovation ecosystem that enables innovation and Smart

Diversification across and between our sectors and communities, and leverages linkages with

international Centres of Excellence and markets

Skills

The rationales for investing in the skills are:

Economic productivity in Cheshire and Warrington has declined in the last fifteen years requiring

intervention to drive improvements within the existing workforce and increase engagement towards full

employment, particularly in the context of an ageing population (contributing to a declining working age

population) and pockets of worklessness

Securing the skills needs of employers is fundamental to supporting economic growth and responding to

replacement demand. There is a need to equip both young people and adults with the skills that

employers need and ensure that the area provides an attractive employment proposition to attract and

retain workers, particularly those with high level skills

Employers need to be supported to drive skills provision that responds to their needs, retaining flexibility

to respond to evolving requirements

Residents, including young people, need to be alert to the range of local employment opportunities

currently available and expected to be created over coming years to allow them to develop skills and gain

qualifications that enhance their career prospects.

Skills requirements are diverse and there is a need to ensure an appropriate workforce is available to

accommodate replacement demand across the economy as well as growth sectors if Cheshire and

Warrington is to maximise its economic contribution

From 2015 the responsibility for FE Capital funds will transfer from The Skills Funding Agency to Local

Enterprise Partnerships. This includes ensuring high quality FE estate and supporting capital

investments to support economic growth. Intervention is required in FE facilities to ensure a high

quality, employer-focused further education infrastructure, which is essential to achieve our ambitions.

The prioritised FE Capital projects form a coherent package. They demonstrate that the LEP is

committed to addressing its category C or D FE estate, to ensure that the FE offering across the LEP

48

geography is consistent. The full package is designed to deliver immediate impact whilst establishing

long-term infrastructures that will be flexible enough to respond to future changing economic priorities.

There are ten objectives under our skills theme, incorporating both revenue and capital funding:

Put employers at the forefront of skills delivery to meet the skills needs of their current and future

workforce by establishing a framework of Higher Education led interventions (in partnership with FE

Colleges) to increase High Level Skills capacity and take up by business and individuals e.g. under

graduate and graduate employability programmes; extra curricula enterprise skills/ entrepreneurship

programmes; post graduate modules and courses

Develop a partner co-designed employability programme, through ESF 2014-2020 programme

Agree a Big Lottery funded programme to engage disadvantaged groups and those furthest from the

labour market, through ESF 2014-2020 programme

Continue to work with the Skills Funding Agency and to accept the offer of additional support to deliver

our skills programmes

Invest in national centres of excellence e.g. agri-tech

Invest in facilities to support employer led skills provision eg UTCs at Warrington and Crewe

Build on existing sector strengths e.g. automotive manufacturing and advanced engineering while

developing new ones for the future

Support our focus on HS2 and developing the skills required now and in the future (either as the Hub for

the FE College or one of the spokes)

Develop sector specialist employer/ business hubs to realise the potential in the polycentric nature of


Complete the renewal of our estate, 22% of which is currently classed as category C or D.

These priorities are not new, neither are they just conceptual aspirations, they already exist – our plan is to:

Build upon the momentum already existing in these areas

Put in place the additional building blocks to enable them to drive forward – we term these our ‘Foundation

Investments’ – our immediate deliverables over the next 3 years

Plan for the future – to enable them to reach their true potential

Focus the energies of both the public sector and private sector into delivering these priorities and

reinforcing the conditions for their sustainable growth through transport, homes, digital connectivity,

support for businesses, support for higher and further education and providing the skills to fuel these

economic engines.

The objectives of Cheshire and Warrington Matters frame the projects and programmes progressed through

both private and public sector mechanisms, including the Growth Fund, Regional Growth Fund and European

Structural Funds.

49

5. The Growth Deal

Cheshire and Warrington can already demonstrate significant levels of ongoing investment from both the private

and public sectors in support of economic growth. Our three Local Authority partners alone have committed capital

investment programmes totalling almost £1 billion over the next three years in support of economic development

and regeneration. In addition, we are working with partners to identify and maximise the opportunities presented

by existing national and European funding streams such as the Homes and Communities Agency’s ‘Affordable

Homes Programme’, Local Infrastructure Fund, Regional Growth Fund, Growing Places Fund and Local Authority

prudential borrowing. However, challenges remain in relation to: -

Unlocking key growth sites through removal of pinchpoints or site-specific remediation issues

Improving connectivity between our LEP area, Liverpool City Region and North Wales in order to increase

access to employment opportunities

The ongoing repercussions of the financial crisis on access to finance and scheme viability for some

development projects

Ensuring effective and consistent support locally and sub-regionally to our businesses

The Local Growth Fund is now the main route for securing allocations from the Department for Transport (such as

the Local Sustainable Transport Fund) and from the Department for Education for the FE Capital Fund.

Importantly, the Local growth Fund offers an opportunity to accelerate delivery of a series of what we call

“Foundation Investments”. The combined programme for which Cheshire and Warrington is seeking Local growth

Fund support is set out in the table below.

Funding of £124.8m from Local Growth Fund will attract a further £252m of public and private finance over

the initial three year period (2015/6 – 2017/18), equivalent to over £2 additional funding for every £1 of LGF.

Over the longer term, the developments enabled by the foundation projects set out in Table 5.2 will lever

in almost £2 billion of private sector investment, equivalent to over £16 of private money for every £1 of

LGF.

In addition, we commit to deliver the short and longer term additional outputs set out in Table 5.1, below:

Foundation Investment Table

Table 5.1: Summary Outputs

Total Outputs 2015/16 – 17/18 2018/19+

Jobs

Homes

Floorspace (sq. m)

Private sector leverage

Public sector leverage

12,473

3125

230,294

£172.31m

£80.16m

60,070

7170

972,923

over £2000 million

over £70 million

50

Priority Intervention Summary Costs Outputs

Atlantic Gateway LGF: £45.87m

Total Investment: £76.28m

45,955 jobs

1300 homes

£1,912m private sector

investment

732,450 sq m floorspace

£593.1m additional GVA

Science Corridor LGF: £36.4m


4,690 jobs

500 homes


£78m private sector

investment

£214m additional GVA


(Phase 1)

LGF: £52.6m


7850 jobs

3970 homes


£33.78m private sector

investment

£8m additional GVA

Local Growth Fund provides the opportunity to bring forward our project pipeline, accelerating the delivery of a

series of major development projects which the early interventions unlock and enable.

The brief project details of the “Foundation Investments” that comprise this headline proposal are set out in Table

5.2, below. More detailed financial information on each project can be found within the Financial Summary table

located at Annex A. Further information on each project is contained in the detailed project proformas set out in

Annex E.

Table 5.2: Foundation Investments

Priority

Intervention Project

Strategic

Imperative

Supported

Description Costs Gross Lifetime

Outputs

Atl

anti

c G

atew

ay

Chester Central

(including access to

Central Business

Quarter)

SI 2

SI 4

Unlock major office

and retail development

opportunities in

Chester Central

Business Quarter and

at Northgate through

investment in strategic

transport infrastructure

Total Cost:

£25.1m

LGF: £16.2m

Other Public:

£8.9 m

Private sector

leverage £540m

Jobs created:

5,170

Land: 10Ha

Floorspace:

97,750m2

51

Provide essential

access to the Central

Business Quarter

development

opportunity through

investment in a

strategic transport

maintenance scheme

Start Date: 2015

Halton Curve SI 2

SI 4

Joint transport

infrastructure project

with Liverpool City

Region LEP and

Merseytravel to

upgrade the existing

Halton Curve railway

line allowing

scheduled passenger

journeys and access

to employment

opportunities between

North Wales, Cheshire

and Warrington and

Liverpool

Start Date: 2016

Total Cost:

£13.4m

LGF: £10.4m

Jobs created:

10,500

Warrington West

OMEGA – M62

Junction 8 Highway

Improvements

SI 4

SI 6

Facilitate the ongoing

development of key

development sites at

OMEGA and Lingley

Mere in West

Warrington through

investment in essential

Strategic highway

improvements

Start Date: 2016

Total Cost:

£10.8m

LGF: £8.3m

Other Public:

£1.25m

Private:

£1.25m

Private sector

leverage £522m

Jobs created:

19,750

Homes: 1,300

Land: 137Ha

Floorspace:

559,700m2

Warrington West

Station

SI 4

SI 6

Local Transport Body

priority scheme to

provide a new station

and enhanced regional

public transport

access to the OMEGA

and Lingley Mere

developments.

Total Cost:

£12.36m

LGF: £3.53m

Pre-

committed

LGF: £8.35m

Other Public:

£0.48m

Included above

52

Start Date: 2016

Warrington

Waterfront access

infrastructure phase 1

SI 4

SI 6

Create a major

development

opportunity in

Warrington Town

Centre by investment

in strategic transport

infrastructure

Start Date: 2016

Total Cost:

£11m

LGF: £5.3m

Pre-

committed

LGF: £5.7m

Private sector

leverage £500m

Jobs created:

3,535

Land: 19Ha

Warrington East -

Birchwood Pinch-

point Programme

SI 1

SI 4

SI 6

Unlock three

development sites

within the highly

successful Birchwood

Employment Area in

North East Warrington

through investment in

essential transport

infrastructure

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£3.62m

LGF: £2.14m

Other Public:

£0.4m

Private:

£1.08m

Private sector

leverage £350m

Jobs created:

7000

Floorspace:

76,000m2

Sci

ence

Co

rrid

or

Alderley Park

Science for Life

SI 1

SI 2

SI 3

SI 4

SI 5

SI 6

Initial phase to

remodel the former

Astra Zeneca site at

Alderley Park to

commercialise the

site’s unique, highly

specialist R&D

facilities

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£4.0m

LGF: £2.0m

Private £2.0m

Private sector

leverage £2m

Jobs created:

170

Floorspace:

78,968m2

GM & Cheshire

Innovation Fund

SI 1

SI 3

SI 5

A collaborative venture

with Greater

Manchester LEP to

provide access to

specialist investment

finance to support

cluster development

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£40m

LGF: £10m

Other Public:

£10m

Private £20m

Private sector

leverage £20m

Jobs created:

2,000

Thornton Science

Park

SI 1

SI 2

SI 3

Transforming the

former Shell Research

& Development facility

at Thornton into a

world leading centre

for Advanced Energy

Total:

£22.08m

LGF: £8.0m

Other Public:

£9m

Private sector

leverage £46m

Jobs created:

1,900

Floorspace:

4000m2

53

SI 4

SI 5

SI 6

Systems operated by

the University of

Chester

Start Date: 2015

Private

£5.08m

Poynton Relief Road SI 4

SI 6


priority scheme.

Provision of a new

3km Relief Road to

support the economic,

physical and social

regeneration north

east Cheshire, in

particular Poynton and

Macclesfield and

improve links to

Manchester Airport

Start Date: 2017

Total Cost:

£32m

LGF: £16.4m

Pre-

committed

LGF: £5.6m

Private £10m

Private sector

leverage £10m

Jobs created:

620

Homes: 500

Cre

we

Hig

h G

row

th C

ity

Middlewich Eastern

Bypass

SI 2

SI 4

Facilitate the

expansion of the

Midpoint 18 Business

Park Provision by

investing in a 2.2km

stretch of carriageway

to complete the

Middlewich Eastern

Bypass

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£22m

LGF: £2.5m

Other Public:

£4.1m

Private:

£15.4m

Private sector

leverage

£15.4m

Jobs created:

2,800

Homes: 450

Floorspace:

143,000m2

Congleton Link Road SI 2

SI 4

Unlock development

opportunities to the

north and west of

Congleton for housing

and employment

development,

improving access to

the existing Radnor

Park industrial estate

and Congleton

business park by the

provision of a 5.5km

single carriageway

road linking the A534

and A536.

Start Date: 2016

Total Cost:

£75m

LGF: £45m

Other public:

£15m

Private: £15m

Private sector

leverage £15m

Jobs created:

3,500

Homes: 2,200

54

Crewe Green

Roundabout

SI 2

SI 4

Unlock strategic

employment sites at

Basford, Capricorn

(J17) and directly open

up an allocated

housing site by

investing in highway

improvements to

remove a key

congestion pinch-

Point on the main

distributor network

Start Date: 2016

Total Cost:

£5.0m

LGF: £3.0m

Other Public:

£1.0m

Private:

£1.0m

Private sector

leverage £1m

Jobs created:

750

Homes: 570

Crewe Northern

Growth Corridor –

Sydney Road Bridge

SI 2

SI 4


priority scheme as part

of the Crewe Northern

Growth Corridor. Open

up development sites

of Leighton West,

Coppenhall East and

Maw Green by the

removal of the Sydney

Road Bridge pinch-

point

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£6.98m

LGF: £2.1m

Pre-

Committed

LGF: £2.5m

Private

£2.38m

Private sector

leverage

£2.38m

Jobs Created:

800

Homes: 750

En

ablin

g P

rog

ram

mes

Housing Investment

Fund

SI 2

SI 4

Develop a specific

revolving fund (as an

extension of our

existing Growing

Places Fund) targeted

at unlocking housing

sites which have

stalled.

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£97.5m

LGF: £12.5m

(includes

£1.5m

revenue)

Private: £85m

Private sector

leverage £119m

Jobs Created:

375

Homes: 1400

Business Growth Hub SI 1

SI 2

SI 5

SI 6

Establish a common

branded, single point

of access Business

and Innovation Growth

Hub for SMEs

Start Date: 2015

Total Cost:

£12.10m

LGF: £1.8m

Other public:

£6.3m

Private:

£4.0m

Private sector

leverage £4.0m

Jobs: 1,200

55

FE Capital Fund SI 1

SI 2

SI 3

SI 5

Capital investment in

new and existing FE

facilities:

Agri-tech Food and

Life Science Facility at

Reaseheath College;

Start Date: 2016/17

Engineering

Excellence in South

Cheshire;

Start Date: 2015/16

Estate renewal at

Reaseheath and Mid-

Cheshire Colleges;

Start Date: 2015/16

Employer-Business

hubs

Start Date: 2016/17

Total Cost:

£36.4m

LGF: £12.1m

Other Public:

£17.5m

Private:

£6.8m

Private sector

leverage £6.8m

Floorspace:

13,375m2

Integrated Transport

Block – Minor

Schemes

SI 4


schemes delivered

and funded as part of

the Integrated

Transport Block –

Minor Schemes

programme

Total Cost:

£8.37m

LGF: £8.37m

Local Sustainable

Transport Fund

SI 2

SI 4

A package of minor

works forming part of

the Local Transport

Body programme

delivered and funded

as part of the Local

Sustainable Transport

Fund

Total Cost:

£4.46m

LGF: £4.46m

56

Critical Infrastructure

Maintenance

SI 4

SI 6

A package of works

forming part of the


programme of critical

infrastructure

maintenance

Total Cost:

£2.0m

LGF: £2.0m

Note: References to ‘Other Public’ funding include Local Authority contributions, ERDF and ESF

There is no realistic prospect of these projects commencing by their forecast start date without the support of the

Local Growth Fund.

Intervention and Investment Prioritisation

The prioritisation of Interventions and Investments has been undertaken using a combination of qualitative and

quantitative methods.

The LEP utilised external input from partners to initially identify and prioritise and assess the “Big Ticket Items” for

inclusion in the draft SEP (Alderley Park 2021, Crewe High Growth City, Atlantic Gateway, Housing Investment

Fund, FE Capital Investment and Thornton Science Park) looking at: alignment to overall Strategic Framework;

alignment to theme; implementation scale (timing, cost, constraints); implementation and delivery risks; indicative

value for money.

Subsequently, the LEP Board agreed to present Thornton Science Park and Alderley Park 2021, as one

Intervention priority - the Cheshire Science Corridor, due to the innovation synergies between the projects. It was

also agreed that the Housing Investment and FE Capital Investment programmes were more appropriately

considered as enabling thematic programmes. In addition, the LEP considered any “asks” that were required to

help move these projects forward.

A shortlist of priority Foundation Investments, which support the priority Interventions, and can be delivered in the

next three years, has been developed using a qualitative prioritisation based on the following three overarching

criteria:

Contribution to policy objectives – both local and wider objectives and policies (including CWLTB) including

environmental and social / distributional impacts; support for

Value for money – scheme cost/affordability, benefit cost ratio plus a qualitative assessment of other factors

which is critical particularly when a BCR is not available; and

Deliverability – including the promoting authority’s commitment to develop the scheme to Full Approval;

engage both public and private sectors.

The prioritisation of transport schemes has been undertaken using the same assessment framework as was

employed for the LTB devolved majors. Further details of the transport prioritisation is included in Annex B.

Economic Impact Assessment

The total economic effects of infrastructure investments has been undertaken using proven tools (either Green

Book, Webtag or Regeneris). The Regeneris tool was developed, as part of the Community Budget Growth

Strategy Project in 2012, in conjunction with BIS civil servants and Treasury, who considered the tool to be

57

innovative and good practice. The tool has been used to inform CWAC Planning and Investment Decisions since

summer 2013. The data underpinning the modelling and assumptions is updated appropriately to keep the tool

current. The Tool covers the full range of sources of economic impact:

Direct: jobs located within the facility itself, or directly supported by visitor expenditure (visitor attractions)

or by resident expenditure (housing developments)

Indirect: jobs supported within the supply chain of the facility

Induced: jobs supported by the personal expenditure of employees whose jobs are supported through

the direct and indirect

58

Strategic Conversations

In addition to this “deal” Cheshire and Warrington wishes to enter into a strategic conversation with Government

in respect of two opportunities as follows:

Strategic Conversation with Government 1 - Warrington Growth Pilot

Opportunity Warrington South is a significant opportunity for additional housing growth – comprising 350 ha of land in the ownership of the Homes and Communities Agency. The LEP wishes to enter into a strategic dialogue with Government on the Warrington Growth Pilot – a collaboration project between the Homes and Communities Agency, the LEP, Warrington Borough Council and Peel Holdings to positively unlock and utilise the extensive HCA land assets to enable the major expansion of Warrington creating some 6,000+ additional new homes, land for businesses (enabling 11,000 new jobs) and provide essential infrastructure for the Town. Essentially this completes ‘Warrington New Town’ vision The opportunity would also tackle significant access and congestion issues for the town generally, particularly the Town Centre. This project would provide increased fixed, high level canal and river crossings thereby unleashing the growth potential of Warrington still further. Barrier These HCA land assets are not currently allocated in Warrington’s Local Plan. This Growth Pilot will provide the justification and impetus for allocation and Warrington Borough Council would move speedily to an immediate revision to its Local Plan to release the land. The new homes and employment enabled through this opportunity would be all net additional – they are not currently part of the Warrington Local Plan Core Strategy housing and employment number counts. Ask Warrington Borough Council will bring forward the review of its Local Plan to immediate and allocate the HCA land at Warrington South for development. In return, our ask of Government is that the proceeds of sale from the HCA land are ring-fenced within a revolving infrastructure fund managed by a special purpose vehicle comprising HCA, WBC and Cheshire and Warrington LEP. The funds will be deployed to fund essential infrastructure to open up Warrington Waterfront. – a component of the Warrington Waters priority intervention as outlined earlier. In total this would provide some 6000 net additional new homes and create 11,000 new jobs.’ Total Outputs (at programme completion)

Jobs enabled: 11,000

Employment Floorspace created: 222,000 sq m (net additional)

Homes enabled: 6,000 (net additional)

Total private sector investment attracted: £3.7bn

59

Figure 5.1: Warrington Land and Regeneration Pilot

60

Strategic Conversation with Government 2 – Preparing for HS2

Opportunity High Growth City is ideally placed to ensure the benefits of HS2 are maximised, as identified by HS2 Growth Taskforce led by Lord Deighton. Phase 1 – 2015-18 – A package of investments have been identified to provide infrastructure and develop employment sites. Phase 2 – (2018-21) Crewe Station relocation – Package of infrastructure measures, including procurement and development of sites, delivering 370 dwellings and 96,850 sqm of employment space. Longer term relocation of Crewe Station will relieve network capacity constraints.

Figure 5.2: The Proposed Crewe Super Hub Station

Phase 3 - (2021-2033) Crewe Superhub Station. The potential is that the SuperHub station would enable some 63,000 jobs and 27,500 new homes - generating a GVA of £3.5 billion. Barrier HS2 proposals have impacted on certainty of sites and are preventing development. Ask The LEP wishes to enter into a strategic dialogue now with Government in anticipation of the announcement of the Secretary of State, to prepare for HS2 by exploring the options for the early acquisition of the site earmarked for the relocation of Crewe Station and the HS2 superhub and to establish and maintain a dedicated public-private Development Corporation/Company to:

Further develop and deliver our HS2 Growth Strategy

Co-ordinate funding streams relating to infrastructure and development associated with our proposal for a SuperHub station, including development land for employment and housing.

Build upon our initial masterplanning around Crewe SuperHub, to extend to other towns and cities, building upon work to date with our Local Plan, and capture land values associated with enhanced connectivity and growth.

Develop detailed plans for how the proposed SuperHub station will be accessed from the local, regional and national perspective to ensure connectivity opportunities are optimised and development opportunities maximised.

61

Capture the necessary strategic and local planning powers, with a highly resourced team to ensure pro-active dialogue with all key agencies and partners, accelerate decision-making and simplify decision-making processes, utilising Local Development Orders and other mechanisms as appropriate.

Lead on implementation of the masterplan through site assembly / acquisition and development of sites in partnership with commercial developers to maximise economic and wider regenerative benefits.

Develop detailed economic action plans, aligned to our LEP’s Strategic Economic Plan, to ensure a coherent approach to the delivery of the economic opportunities that HS2 brings, including those related to HS2 delivery (e.g. High Speed Rail College), harnessing business growth that would otherwise locate overseas and those resulting from increased capacity on the existing rail network (e.g. rail freight)

Ahead of the establishment of this body, we will establish a Shadow body to lead on these key workstreams, but in particular the over-arching HS2 Growth Strategy.

Figure 5.3: Wider Benefits of Crewe Super Hub

62

6. Delivery and Programme Management

Programme Management In managing the delivery of the Growth Plan and the C&W European Programme the LEP will utilise the ‘Managing

Successful Programmes’ (Office of Government Commerce) approach and methodology. The LEP has a clear

commitment to strong and transparent programme management and delivery. The Growth Implementation Group

will take the key Programme Management role for the LEP as well as managing the LEP’s Investment Programme.

A Local Authority Chief Executive will lead the Group to ensure leadership and oversight. Clear Senior Responsible

Owners will be identified for each of the programme components and projects - being both accountable and

responsible for delivery, monitoring and feedback. Regular programme monitoring reports will be made to the LEP

Board and important issues and successes will be escalated to the LEP Board for consideration and / or resolution.

A staffed Programme Office has already been established as part of the LEP Core team through secondments

from the Local Authorities – this will support the Growth Implementation Group. The LEP’s Chief Operating Officer

will lead the Programme Office.

Managing Risk The delivery of the Growth Plan will be proactively managed and will have a dedicated Risk Management Plan and

Register, overseen by the Growth Implementation Group, with the LEP’s Chief Operating Officer acting as Senior

Responsible Officer for this. The Growth Implementation Group will escalate risks to the LEP Board, where these

cannot be readily resolved. The Risk Management Plan will follow Orange Book principles and will not only identify

potential risks but will identify mitigation measures to manage such risks.

Managing Conflicts of Interest The LEP Board acknowledges that from time to time conflicts of interest will arise. Therefore it has put in place the

mechanics to manage such instances, such as:

Preparing a written policy covering such conflicts

Keeping a log of anticipated and actual conflicts of interest for ongoing review and reference

Formally declaring such conflicts of interest at an early stage

LEP members not playing a part is decision making where there could be such a conflict

LEP members not being involved in any subsequent discussions, for example around performance or

investment decisions

These processes will be kept under regular review and continuous improvement.

Scalability By scalability we mean how the LEP’s business model and Growth Plan aspirations change with increased or

decreased financial support– how we will scale up or scale down and our ability to quickly anticipate these changed

circumstances and how we positively react to them.

The LEP is able to cope with such situations via the same flexible four components of its business model:

63

Prioritised Pipeline - We realise that the nature of LGF funding is complicated as elements of LGF are

essentially ‘ring fenced’ to particular national streams, e.g. FE Capital. Nevertheless our prioritised

pipeline would enable us to assess projects and bring them forward or back in relation to these funding

channels. The LEP Board makes the final decision on the prioritisation of pipeline projects based upon

the advice these assessment models provide.

Flexible resource deployment – Our organisational structure is flexible. It is a network of committed and

co-ordinated partner resources (pooled, seconded, joint teams etc) supported by a LEP team and three

major unitary local authorities. One of the roles of the Growth Implementation Group is to tactically deploy

and commission delivery resources in relation to demand. The LEP can call upon a wider resource pool

when required. The Growth Implementation Group (GIG) will actively plan ahead in relation to its funding

and delivery horizons. This is all about proactive and flexible programme management- being ‘fleet of

foot’ and non-bureaucratic in our resource deployment and decision-making. We are able to flex

effectively and respond to the additional demands and responsibilities which we will gather.

Investment Programming – The LEP has a whole range of funding mechanisms available to it – from

private sector investment, LGF, ESIF, RGF, Growing Places Funding, local authority capital and revenue,

Lottery, the NW Evergreen Fund, etc. One of the key roles of the GIG is to effectively manage the LEP’s

Investment Plan – actively seeking sources of funding and matching packages of funding to our priority

projects and activities – the project pipeline. We are gearing up the essential funding skills and capacity

in the LEP core team to strengthen this activity. This investment programming coupled with a robustly

assessed project pipeline managed by the GIG will enable the LEP to bring projects forward as funding

packages are developed or are made available.

‘Shovel readiness’ – the flexible process of investment programming and our assessed project pipeline

will be enhanced through our commitment to developing projects and activities to an advanced stage of

readiness ahead of funding being made available – so we can quickly react to funding opportunity as they

arise.

In the likely event that LGF will be oversubscribed, we will review our prioritised list to identify a balanced package

of projects which will: maximize our ability to meet our strategic objectives; deliver most growth; lever in maximum

private sector funding; offer best value for money and can demonstrate deliverability. We will let fewer projects

through the project pipeline ‘gate’. There will obviously be the ability for dialogue with government departments

around this; and this will be conducted in relation to the ‘ring fencing’ requirements of the LGF and any value re-

engineering of projects. Likewise if any additional funding is reallocated between LEPs, due for example to under

spending elsewhere, our shovel ready approach to project development coupled with our project pipeline and

flexible resource deployment approach will enable us to be best placed to react positively.

If our LGF award is lower than our ‘ask’ then our highest scoring projects which we would look to progress would

be:

Omega Junction 8 (M62) – because of the high numbers of jobs and homes it would produce in relation

to the investment required

Alderley Park Science for Life – because of our innovation policy imperative

FE Capital Fund – because this project can flex as it is targeted at a range of individual projects and it is

aimed at this ring fence funding stream of the LGF as well as it being assessed highly

64

Our Transport Programme – because of the high scoring nature of its component projects and because

it can be flexed as it is composed of a number of projects – the number of projects we would put forward

would depend upon the level of funding achieved and the transport ring fencing requirements of LGF.

65

7. Governance and Collaboration

Governance

The Cheshire and Warrington sub-region has a long legacy of joint working in delivering economic development

for many years culminating in Cheshire & Warrington Enterprise Partnership (LEP).The LEP Board is very clear

about the leadership of the growth agenda in Cheshire and Warrington – i.e. it is a strong collaboration between

the private sector and the public sector – with leadership from key business leaders. Economic growth is delivered

by business – it is the job of the three local authorities to create the conditions for sustainable growth and to

‘unleash’ the energies of businesses and unlocking barriers to their growth

In developing this plan, and the parallel EU Structural & Investment Funds Strategy, the LEP undertook a formal

review of its governance arrangements to ensure they are fit for purpose and will facilitate effective delivery, whilst

managing risk and maximising accountability to national and local funders. A ‘Combined Leadership Board’ has

been established comprising the LEP Chair and the three Local Authority Leaders. This new Board provides the

over-arching governance role to discharge Cheshire & Warrington’s twin strategic priorities of growth and public

service transformation.

Figure 7.1: Governance Structure for Cheshire & Warrington

Although this document focuses on the growth agenda, there is a parallel collaborative approach to public service

transformation that is clearly within the remit of the public sector.

LEP Board

Combined Leadership

Board

Sub Regional Leaders Board

Local

Transport

Body

Growth

Implementation

Group

Sub Regional Management

Board

Driving Economic Growth

Driving Public Sector

Transformation

66

Our Single Strategic Growth Agency Approach

Although the local authorities are currently exploring a ‘Combined Authority’ model, our immediate energies are

being focused in collaborating with and pooling recourses in the LEP and building, at a pace, its leadership, delivery

and management capacity and capability – so we have a strong, single integrated body driving the agenda and

being our engine for delivering our Growth Plan. Both business leaders and political Leaders on the LEP Board

are totally committed to this ‘single strategic growth agency’ approachand this agenda.

Ongoing partner engagement and participation will be encouraged and ensured through their involvement in the

LEP’s Strategy Groups. This will provide wider ownership and participation from business, public sector, colleges

and the voluntary sector in LEP activities and programmes.

The Growth Plan’s strategic interventions are critical to the delivery of its growth ambitions – therefore the LEP will

create groups to take an oversight role to ensure the effective delivery of these important programmes.

Figure 7.2: LEP Governance Structure

Leadership, direction and

performance monitoring

LEP Board

Leadership and strategic responsibility

for the Growth Plan

Business led

A private sector / public sector fusion

Programme & investment

management

Performance management

and risk management

Transport lead

Local Transport

Body

Growth

Implementation

Group

(Employment

Board)

Operational arm of the LEP Board

Keeping strategies up-dated,

economic intelligence & research

Ensuring delivery activity is aligned to

priorities

Mar

keti

ng

& P

R

Big Ticket Project Teams

Strategy Groups

Eu

rop

ean

Gro

up

Atl

anti

c

Gat

eway

in

C&

W

Ch

esh

ire

Sci

ence

Co

rrid

or

Cre

we

– H

igh

Gro

wth

Cit

y

Tra

nsp

ort

Ho

usi

ng

Gro

wth

Infr

astr

uct

ure

Bu

sin

ess

Gro

wth

Inn

ova

tio

n

Ski

lls &

Em

plo

ymen

t

Promoting the

work of the

LEP

Communicating

Success

Oversight of the

delivery of Growth Plan

priorities

Oversight of the delivery of

Growth Plan at thematic level

Developing thematic delivery

plans

Stimulating project pipelines

Ongoing partner engagement

& participation

Strategic direction,

commissioning

frameworks

Assess funding bids

Monitoring

programme

performance

Provide technical

oversight of EU

programmes and

projects

N.B: Cheshire East Council will continue to act as the LEP’s ‘Accountable Body’.

67

The Collaborative ‘Engine’ Model

The above diagram is all about governance – delivery will be all about how the LEP, its core team and the three

local authorities collaborate. We call this our ‘engine’ of delivery. We recognise that the LEP’s core team should

be lean and that it should have a strategic remit – however delivery has to be driven and the ambitious Growth

Plan and its components and the EUSIF requires programme management. Critical ‘central’ LEP functions are

required – economic intelligence and marketing for example. Both the LEP Board and its component Local

Authorities have committed themselves to:

Gearing up the Core team of the LEP – through important appointments, secondments and appointment

of key advisors. This will ensure adequate capacity and capability in the Core LEP team.

Pooling Council resources and staff in the LEP in critical functions

Harnessing the wider sub-regional network of council officers in active LEP led teams – thereby bringing

greater recourses, capacity and skill in the hands of the LEP

Bringing to bear the capacity and skilled individuals from other partners such as the University and

colleges and for example the HCA – to deepen the LEP’s capacity and capability.

The Councils and the LEP will knit together at five levels

At Leadership level through the Combined Leadership Board – the LEP Chair and the three Council

Leaders – this provides a strong governance role

At The LEP Board itself where key business leaders and Council Leaders come together

At LEP Growth Implementation Group – were local authority Executive Directors and Chief Executives

come together with key LEP Board members to programme manage the Growth Plan investment and

delivery programmes and deploy joint resources

Within the Core of the LEP – pooling, seconding and positively engaging in the LEP’s core team

At the collaborative team level – creating the conditions for growth and taking the LEP and Growth agenda

back into the heart of council activity.

The Growth Implementation Group

The Growth Implementation Group becomes an important part of our structure – managing the delivery of the

Growth Plan and taking a key role in Investment Programming together with tactical deployment of our joint

resource. The Growth Implementation Group will essentially be the equivalent of the ‘Employment Board’ for the

sub region – but embedded into the LEP’s structure in the same way as the Local Transport Board.

This approach creates a fusion of the Local Authorities and the LEP that:

Puts economic growth at the heart of the Local Authorities’ agendas

The strategic leadership of the economic growth agenda is embodied in a single business led

organization – the Cheshire & Warrington Enterprise Partnership ensures that the LEP really drives

and leads the growth agenda for the sub-region, and

Multiplies the human and financial resources available to the LEP so it is not just dependent upon its

core team.

68

Figure 7.3: Our Collaborative Approach – collaborating in the LEP

Cheshire & Warrington EP Core Team

LEP Co-ordinated Functions

Central Functions

Accelerating Smart Growth

Economic

Intelligence

Programme

management

Growth

Implementation

Group

Programme

Management

Investment

Management

Tactical joint recourse

deployment

Business

Growth

Innovation

Skills &

Employment

Infrastructure

Transport

Housing

Growth

Planning

Place &

Place Teams

Creating the Conditions for Growth

Local Authority Co-ordinated Functions

Cheshire East Council

Cheshire West & Chester Council

Warrington Borough Council

Collaborative ‘Engine’ Approach – pooling / sharing / secondments / team working

The Role of Cheshire & Warrington Place Teams

There are a number of ‘Place Teams’ actively operating and delivering business growth and regeneration activity

in local areas – for example Warrington & Co, Engine of the North, and Chester Renaissance. These are private /

public partnerships delivering real change on the ground. The energies of these teams will not be lost and will be

effectively harnessed as part of our LEP Strategy Groups and, more importantly, as part of our Collaborative

Approach. These groups add additional depth, capacity and capability to our delivery, and also would provide local

insight and wider participation in the LEP’s agenda – they will become additional arms of the LEP’s intelligence,

delivery capacity and capability.

69

Working Pan-LEP

Cheshire & Warrington Enterprise Partnership has a strong and growing relationship with the Liverpool City Region

and Greater Manchester as do our constituent Councils. All three LEP come together in the Atlantic Gateway

Partnership Board and we have a strong working relationship on our Big Ticket priorities e.g. the Cheshire Science

Corridor. We will continue build on these relationship to build a strong Pan-LEP approach to growth in the North

West. These three LEP neighbours are increasingly working together and should be seen as the collective driver

for economic growth in the North West. Cheshire and Warrington sub region is important in this regard – it provides

the cog between the two major NW conurbations fusing this engine of growth – enabling it to operate.

70

ANNEX A: FINANCIAL SUMMARY TABLE

Project and Programme Information Table

Name of LEP: Cheshire and Warrington Enterprise Partnership

Summary ask of LGF (15/16)

Area Total LGF 15-16

Transport 35.46

Skills Capital

0

Housing 0

Other 13.30

Total 48.76

Financial information

71

Project or Programme Name & Brief Summary

Theme of Project or Programme

Sources of funding [include rows for each funding type: pre-committed LGF; competitive LGF; LA funding; private investment etc]

Funding type

Profile (£m) Further info on

project * Project output information:

[Capital or Resource]

2015

/16

2016

/17

2017

/18

2018

/19

2019

/20

2020

/21

To

tal

(SEP page

reference)

(e.g. jobs, houses, qualifications– specify all that

apply)

A

[Transport, Housing,

Skills, other – specify all that apply]

[e.g. pre-committed LGF]

[e.g. Local Authority]

[e.g. Private Investment]

[e.g. competitive LGF]

Atlantic Gateway

Competitive LGF

Capital 8.40 5.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 13.50

Page 51 Jobs (direct): 155

Chester Central CWAC

Council Capital

4.50 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.50

Homes: 0

Transport Land: ha 10

Private Investment

Capital

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Floorspace sqm: 7500

Life Time Leverage Jobs 5170

Sub total 12.90 8.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 21.00

GVA £m

149

Atlantic Gateway

Competitive LGF

Capital 2.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.70

Page 51 Jobs: As above

72

Chester Central CWAC

Council Capital

1.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.40

Homes: As above

Transport Land: As above

Access to Chester Central Business Quarter

Private Investment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Floorspace sqm: As above

Leverage £Bn As above

Sub total 4.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.10 GVA £m As above

Atlantic Gateway

Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Page 51 Jobs Pan:

Chester Central L'pool CR LEP,M'travel

LGF Capital 10.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.40

Homes:

Transport Land:

Halton Curve - Joint LEP Project (C&W and LCR)

Private Investment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Floorspace sqm:

Life Time Leverage Jobs 10,500

Rail infrastructure Sub total 10.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.40 GVA £m

Atlantic Gateway

Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 2.50 2.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00


OMEGA

Warrington

Borough Council

Capital

0.38 0.87 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.25

Homes: Life Time Homes:

750 1300

Transport

Land (Life Time): 137

West Warrington OMEGA M62 Junction 8 -

Private Investment

Capital

0.00 1.13 0.12 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.25

Floorspace sqm: Life Time Floorspace:

197419 559,741

Life Time Leverage Jobs 19,750

Sub total 0.38 4.50 2.62 0.00 0.00 0.00 7.50 GVA £m 522.6

Atlantic Gateway

Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 3.53 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.53

Page 51 Jobs (direct): As Above

OMEGA LTB pre-

commitment Capital

2.00 4.53 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.53

Homes: Life Time Homes: As Above

Transport Land (Life Time): As Above

Warrington West Station

Private

Investment Capital

0.91 0.91 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.82 Floorspace sqm:

Life Time Floorspace: As Above

Warrington

Borough Council

Capital

0.24 0.24 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.48

Life Time Leverage Jobs: As Above

Sub total 3.15 9.21 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.36 GVA £m As Above

73

Atlantic Gateway Competitive LGF

Capital 1.00 1.90 2.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.30

Page 51 Jobs: 150

OMEGA Warrington

Borough Council

Capital 1.08 2.04 2.58 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.70

Homes: 0

Transport Land: 19

Warrington Waterfront/Swing Bridge

Private Investment

Capital

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Floorspace sqm:

Life Time Leverage £m 500

Sub total 2.08 3.94 4.98 0.00 0.00 0.00 11.00 GVA £m 80.3 < 109.3

Atlantic Gateway Competitive LGF

Capital 2.14 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.14

Page 51 Jobs Created 1000

OMEGA

Warrington Borough Council

Capital

0.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.40

Homes: 75

Transport Land: Life Time Job Created:

3.25 7000

Birchwood Pinchpoint Private

Investment Capital

1.08 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.08

Floorspace sqm: 8000

Life Time Private Sector Leverage £m 350

Sub total 3.62 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.62 Life Time Floorspace sqm:

76000

Science Corridor Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00

Page 63 Jobs:

GM & Cheshire Investment Programme

Public

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00 Homes:

Other Private Sector Leverage £m 20

Private Investment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 20.00 Floorspace sqm:

Life Time Leverage Jobs: 2000

Sub total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 40.00 GVA £m


Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00


Public Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Homes:

74

Alderley Park Science for Life

Other Land:

Physical Infrastructure Private Investment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00

Life Time Floorspace sqm: 78968

Private sector funding £m 2

Sub total 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.00 GVA £m


Capital 2.55 3.40 0.85 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.80

Page 59 Jobs: 200

Competitive LGF

Revenue 0.45 0.60 0.15

0.00 0.00 0.00 1.20

Homes:

Thornton Science Park Land:

Private

Investment Revenue

0.20 0.20 2.675 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.075

Life Time Jobs: 1900

Other

Public Capital

9.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 9.00

Centre for Advanced Engineering - Energy

Systems

Private Investment

Capital 1.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00

Floorspace sqm: 4,000

Leverage £m 5.075

Sub total 13.20 5.20 3.675 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.075 GVA £m 205 pa

Science Corridor

Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 0.00 6.40 10.00 0.00 0.00 16.40

Page 63 Jobs created: 81

Poynton Relief Road LTB pre-

commitment

Capital 0.00 0.00 3.60 2.00 0.00 0.00 5.60 Jobs retained

Transport Life Time Homes unlocked: 500

Private Investment


BCR >3.0

Sub total 0.00 0.00 14.00 18.00 0.00 0.00 32.00 GVA £m 7.6


Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 5.00 15.00 25.00 0.00 0.00 45.00

Page 51 Jobs created: 432

LTB/Local

Capital 0.00 0.00 10.00 5.00 0.00 0.00 15.00 Life Time Jobs: 3458

Congleton Link Road Transport

Homes unlocked: 2,200

75

Private Investment


BCR 3.1

Sub total 0.00 5.00 30.00 40.00 0.00 0.00 75.00 GVA £m £1.153bn


Competitive LGF

Capital

2.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.50

Page 36/7

Middlewich Eastern Bypass RGF

Capital 4.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.10

Jobs Created: 1260

Transport Homes unlocked:

Private Investment

Capital 15.40 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 15.40

Life Time Floorspace sqm: 143,000m2

Life Time Leverage £m £15.4m

Sub total 22.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 22.00 GVA £m


Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 3.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 3.00

Page 36/7

Construction Jobs: 150

Crewe Green Roundabout

LTB/local

Capital 0.00 1.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.00 Homes: 50

Transport Land:

Private Investment


BCR 5.3

Sub total 0.00 5.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 5.00 GVA £m 167


Competitive LGF

Capital 0.00 2.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.10

Page 36/7

Jobs created: 150

Crewe Northern Growth Corridor

LTB pre-commitment

Capital 0.00 2.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.50 Homes unlocked: 50

Transport Life Time Leverage Jobs: 800

Private Investment


BCR >2.0

Sub total 0.00 5.60 1.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.98 GVA £m 43

76

Other

Competitive LGF

Capital

4.00 4.00 2.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 10.00

Page 44/5

Jobs: 375

Competitive LGF

Revenue 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.00 2.50

Housing Investment Fund

Public Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Life Time Homes: 1400

Other Land:

Private Investment

Capital 17.00 34.00 34.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 85.00

Life Time Leverage £m 119

Sub total 21.50 38.50 36.50 0.50 0.50 0.00 97.50 GVA £m

Other

Competitive LGF

Revenue 0.60 0.60 0.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 1.80

Page 51 Jobs: 600

Business Growth Hub

Public Revenue 2.10 2.10 2.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 6.30 New business starts 600

Other Companies assisted 3210

Private Investment

Revenue 1.33 1.33 1.34 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.00 Business improved 750

Leverage £m 4

Sub total 4.03 4.03 4.04 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.10 GVA £m

Other

Competitive LGF

Capital

5.20 6.90 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 12.10

Page 67/8

Jobs:

FE Capital Fund

Public Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Homes:

Other Land:

Private Investment

Capital 10.50 13.80 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 24.30 Floorspace sqm: 13375

Leverage £m 6.8

Sub total 15.70 20.70 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 36.40 GVA £m

Other

Competitive LGF

Capital 4.74 3.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.37

Jobs:

Integrated Transport Block - Minor schemes

LTB pre-commitment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Homes:

Transport Land:


77

Private

Investment

Leverage £Bn

Sub total 4.74 3.63 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 8.37 GVA £m

Other

Competitive LGF

Capital 3.08 1.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.46

Jobs:

Local Sustainable Transport Fund

LTB pre-commitment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Homes:

Transport Land:

Package of minor works Private Investment


Leverage £Bn

Sub total 3.08 1.38 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.46 GVA £m

0.00

Other

Competitive LGF

Capital 0.50 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00

Page 51 Jobs:

Critical Infrastructure LTB pre-

commitment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 Homes:

Transport Land:

Maintenance

Private Investment

Capital 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

Floorspace sqm:

Leverage £Bn

Sub total 0.50 1.50 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.00 GVA £m

TOTALs

LGF combined 48.76 437.87

121.38 116.29 97.20 58.50 0.50 0.00

393.87

GM & Cheshire Investment Programme and Alderley Park Science for Life

Phasing To Be Confirmed 44.00

Cheshire and Warrington Matters - A Strategic Economic Plan for Cheshire and Warrington The Transport Case

78

ANNEX B: Transport Case for Investment

Contents

Transport to Promote Sustainable Growth Transport Theme-level Actions Value for Money and Deliverability Governance, Programme Management and Delivery Annex A: Transport Investment Programme

Cheshire and Warrington Matters - a Strategic Economic Plan for Cheshire and Warrington DRAFT as at 25 March 2014

78

Transport to Promote Sustainable Economic Growth

Context

7.1 Figure 1.1 below shows the strategic context of the C&W economy at the heart of the Atlantic Gateway and

positioned between the two major city regions of Liverpool and Manchester.

Figure 1.1 – Strategic Location of Cheshire & Warrington

7.2 Figure 1.2 below shows the transport context of Cheshire & Warrington


79

© Crown copyright and database rights 2012. Ordnance Survey 100049045

Strategic Transport Case

7.3 Improved connectivity is a central and recurring theme of our Strategic Economic Plan. Improved transport

connectivity is essential to unlock strategic and other development sites for housing and employment as well as

relieving the many congested areas of our local and strategic transport networks.

7.4 The diagram below provides a summary overview of our strategic transport case to facilitate delivery of our

Strategic Economic Plan.

7.5 It confirms:

C&W’s commitment to improved transport connectivity to deliver economic growth. We have an agreed

vision, and strong, joined-up leadership to drive and oversee this commitment;

that C&W is capable and has a track record of delivering a large transport investment programme,

including major transport schemes and local pinch point and sustainable travel measures – currently

delivering £75m on transport investment;

that C&W has committed significant funds to the development and delivery of key transport schemes –

over £28m committed to the priority transport schemes;

that the approved LTB Assurance will be used for ensuring value for money;

the three local authorities are committed to collaborating in scheme development and delivery; and

the delivery of economic growth from the transport investment – the transport priorities are all linked

boosting connectivity and accessibility to create economic growth

Commitment to

Connectivity

Resource Collaboration

LTB Assurance Framework

Deliver Economic

Growth

Investment in Development

Track Record of Delivery


80

Drivers and Context

7.6 Cheshire & Warrington is a successful economy, an attractive location where people want to live, and is well

connected regionally and nationally. It is one of the best performing economies in England and the strongest

economy in the North of England. It has a strong presence of international and export orientated companies

including many in the high skill sectors and is a net importer of labour. Despite these excellent assets, the growth

in GVA per head has been lower than the national average over the last ten years; and this, in part is due to a lack

of investment to boost transport connections.

7.7 The sub-region suffers from congested motorways and congested links to motorways, poor road connections

between the main areas of population as well as some poor quality, indirect and infrequent rail services all

impacting on commuters, business travellers and vital freight and logistics operations.

7.8 The sub-region offers great potential for economic growth; it is rich with many strategic investment sites that will

deliver major housing and employment developments but these are frustrated by congested transport networks

and the lack of good connectivity. This requires a substantial investment in transport improvements to unlock the

potential of these strategic sites.

7.9 Through this SEP, Cheshire & Warrington is committing to create a step-change in the economic performance of

the sub-region, building on the success of the existing strong economy and skills base. To achieve this, requires

a substantial increase in the level of investment to improve transport infrastructure and public transport to better

connect people to jobs and businesses to their customers whether local, regional, national or international. The

transport investment set out in this SEP is vital to create the step-change in provision that will unlock and facilitate

the growth ambitions of the sub-region as well as ensuring that the transport networks are more resilient against

future disruptions. Spatial Drivers

7.10 The SEP has three priority areas for growth (see Figure 1-1) that will not only transform the economy of the sub-

region but will contribute to the national imperative for growth and development:

It is at the heart of the Atlantic Gateway international trade corridor – recognised as England’s second

most important opportunity for economic growth.

The North Cheshire Science Corridor - based at the following sites offering substantial potential for

high value job creation: Alderley Park, Booths Park, Hurdsfield, Jodrell Bank, Radbroke Hall and the

new state of the art Mass Spectometery facility at Waters Wilmslow

The High Growth City concept focused on the opportunity of Crewe and its surrounding Market Towns

which not only is the gateway to the North West but its regeneration and growth will transform the

economies of the north midlands; with the case for improved connectivity further emphasised by the

recent HS2 reports by Sir David Higgins9 and Lord Deighton10.

9 HS2 Plus, A Report by David Higgins, March 2014 10 High Speed 2: Get Ready, A report to the Government by the HS2 Growth Taskforce, March 2014


81

7.11 The sub-region has significant major growth assets, such as:

Strategic areas and sites at Chester, Congleton, Ellesmere Port, Northwich, Omega, Thornton, and

Warrington Waterfront offering major real potential for both new homes and job creation.

7.12 All of these priority areas are hampered in reaching their true economic potential – due to the limitations of both

internal and external connectivity and accessibility and these areas need unlocking by investment in transport

infrastructure and better local sustainable travel opportunities.

7.13 The Atlantic Gateway and High Growth City in their totality have the real potential to create two of the most

important growth centres outside the South East of England – they are, therefore, the LEP’s clear priorities for

major transport infrastructure investment followed by investment to better connect the Science Corridor.

7.14 Omega is the SEP’s principal development opportunity within the Atlantic Gateway that requires highway

infrastructure to unlock enormous potential for sustainable employment and housing.

7.15 Chester is a key sub-regional centre within the Atlantic Gateway corridor that will service and provide for the priority

growth areas in Cheshire and Warrington, for example, through the provision of housing, education, retail, and

health services. Investment in transport connectivity to and from Chester is vital to secure its future place as such

a centre serving both the sub-region and North Wales.

7.16 High Growth City focuses on the growth potential of Crewe and its surrounding market towns which offer unrivalled

development opportunities, which could be accelerated and expanded if the proposed HS2 SuperHub Station is

given the go ahead.

7.17 The Cheshire Science Corridor has a concentration of knowledge and research based organisations, including

Alderley Park, Waters Corporation, Astrazeneca (Hurdsfield), Barclays Technology Centre, Booths Park and

Jodrell Bank. Collectively the 8 companies employ over 10,000 people. Alderley Park 2021 is identified as a ‘Big

Ticket’ intervention in the SEP due to the economic relevance and long term potential.

The Strategic Road and Rail Network

7.18 An inspection of the national map shows that Cheshire and Warrington is a well-connected economy, sitting at the

heart of the strategic road and rail network; the area is served by nationally significant motorways (M6 and M62),

providing both north/south and east/west connectivity, and locally important motorways (M56 and M53) and trunk-

roads (e.g. A55 providing links to North Wales). Warrington is particularly well connected in terms of road

infrastructure, having the M6 immediately to the east and bordered on other sides by the M62 (to the north) and

the M56 (south).

7.19 The sub-region is also well placed in terms of the strategic rail network. Crewe and the two main Warrington

stations (Bank Quay and Central) provide access to rail services on the West Coast Main Line (London-Scotland)

and Trans-Pennine services (Liverpool-Manchester-Leeds-East England). However, much of the rail network is in

need of modernisation, currently subject to slow journey times and a poor service pattern, coupled with poor quality

rolling stock. The West Coast Main Line (WCML) is an important freight route, but the M6 carriers ten times the

tonnage of the WCML emphasising the importance of this motorway to the sub-regional economy.

7.20 Despite the apparently good motorway connections, significant peak period congestion is a regular occurrence.

Evidence from the DfT shows that some sections of roads within the sub-region are amongst the top 20 most

congested routes in the country. The Highways Agency predicts certain routes, particularly the M6, M53 and the

M56, will become significantly more congested with the anticipated growth in traffic. A consequence of these


82

motorways operating at or close to capacity is that even a minor incident during the peak periods can lead to major

disruption for long periods on the wider road network, with a consequent impact on business productivity. A

particularly substantial impact is felt in Warrington town centre or on the A34 Corridor through Congleton when

there is an incident on the M6 as they both serve as key diversion routes.

7.21 The West Coast Main Line running through C&W provides the principal rail link southwards from the North West

to the Midlands, London and the South East and the Channel crossings. It is Europe’s busiest mixed-traffic rail

corridor and Network Rail’s 2011 WCML Route Utilisation Strategy (RUS) identified that the line is operating close

to its capacity. While HS2 will release capacity at the southern end of the WCML, Phase 1 of HS2 will place further

pressure on the region’s rail network as proposed high-speed services extend onto the classic network north of

Lichfield.

7.22 Cheshire & Warrington's key location on the 'West Coast Spine' has resulted in the development of a number of

regional or national freight distribution facilities, particularly at Crewe, Middlewich, Northwich and Arpley

(Warrington). Thus, in addition to the line being a key long-distance passenger route, it is an essential freight

corridor, daily carrying over 30,000 tonnes of freight south of Crewe. Freight demand is forecast to grow on the

route which is driven by expansion of the container market, particularly from the expanded Port of Liverpool.

7.23 Despite the recent extensive WCML upgrade there remain a number of capacity constraints on the WCML through

the Cheshire and Warrington area; for example, the layout of Crewe station and the large number of conflicting

movements to the north and south of the station which limit line capacity and increase journey times. Further north,

the predominantly two-track railway between Winsford and Runcorn/Warrington limits the capacity on the section

of the WCML that provides access to the Port of Liverpool and other important strategic freight facilities at Ditton,

Halewood and Garston. The electrified route between Crewe and Stoke has a short single line section which limits

capacity, while other lines that feed into the WCML are not electrified, limiting the ability to maximise network

utilisation.

7.24 Further South, line capacity on the WCML is also limited. In the past 15 years, the number of trains using the West

Coast Main Line has doubled and spare capacity is now at a premium, with a variety of competing demands as

passenger and freight traffic is forecast to continue to grow in the future. These capacity constraints limit the scope

for expansion of both local and long distance rail services from our sub-region as well as limiting the opportunity

to transfer more freight from road to rail given the expected growth in freight from the increased economic activity.

7.25 In addition to the WCML, the sub-region has a number of other rail corridors and together, these networks cater

for eight Train Operating Companies providing services in these franchises. This demonstrates and reinforces the

huge national importance of the sub-region’s rail network.

7.26 The importance of Crewe to the national rail network has been recognised and emphasised in the recent HS2

report by Sir David Higgins11. Sir David proposes that the Government should accelerate Phase Two as soon as

possible to take the line 43 miles further north than planned in Phase One, to a new transport hub at Crewe

which could be completed by 2027, six years earlier than planned. This means that other necessary transport

infrastructure to enable the new hub station has to be prioritised and developed to ensure it is in place in time for

the arrival of HS2 and would support the delivery of a vast connectivity boost and resultant economic growth

opportunity in this sub region.

11 HS2 Plus, A Report by David Higgins, March 2014


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International Gateways

7.27 Aviation is critically important to the C&W economy and to its future growth. Again, the sub-region is very well

placed: close to international airports at Manchester and Liverpool as well as Birmingham International Airport to

the south of the sub-region, supporting Cheshire and Warrington’s status as a premier location for business, and

as a connected place to live. However, despite the proximity of these airports rail connections to them are poor

from much of the LEP area and the strategic road network is congested and subject to unreliable journey times.

7.28 For access to the global markets and to attract overseas inward investors, Manchester Airport is of prime

importance to the C&W economy. With its two runways, Manchester Airport has the capacity to support significant

growth in passenger numbers and freight. The government’s committed investment in the Northern Hub is very

welcome and this will substantially improve rail journeys and services passing through Manchester and also serving

Manchester Airport – particularly from the north and east. Despite this investment, however, there will still be no

direct rail connection from the west (Cheshire & Warrington) to the Airport. Road access to Airport will also be

significantly improved with the planned A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road. But this again provides an

improvement mainly to journeys from the east. Western access is via the congested M56 that is subject to stop-

start conditions on an almost daily basis. It is essential, that investment is made in appropriate surface access to

exploit the economic potential of the Airport and including potential employment opportunities at the Airport City

Enterprise Zone for C&W residents.

7.29 The recent government funding commitment and loan guarantees will ensure delivery the Mersey Gateway project

which, although out with the C&W area, will nevertheless bring significant economic benefits and improve access

from the area to Liverpool Airport and the Port of Liverpool.

Ports and Logistics

7.30 In addition, the sub-region also has the advantage of a significant water transport asset in the shape of the

Manchester Ship Canal, which carries a high volume of freight through the area and serves a number of ports

along its length within the LEP area. The forecast increase in freight through the Liverpool Superport, post

Panamax, will result in a significant increase in water borne freight along the Manchester Ship Canal. The Canal

currently ships around 8 million tonnes of freight per annum, but has spare capacity of 6 million tonnes per annum.

Sub-regional and Local Network

7.31 Away from the strategic networks, transport links in Cheshire and Warrington are not strong enough, with poor

quality connectivity between significant centres. Unless significant improvements are made, transport infrastructure

will act increasingly as a barrier to, rather than an effective enabler of, economic growth. Most notably, within the

sub-region:

The sub-regional rail offer is poor and this is a barrier not only to access to jobs but also to achieving

greater levels of sustainable travel.

Internal rail connections are sub-optimal, with an extensive network, but limited service, for example poor

journey times and frequency of services from Chester to Manchester and to Manchester Airport.

Rail modernisation is needed not only within the LEP area but also across the boundaries with North

Wales, the Potteries and the Liverpool and Manchester City Regions.


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Access to the major rail interchanges at Warrington Bank Quay and Crewe is sub-standard with

congestion and insufficient parking at both sites. The poor environment at both stations creates

a poor first impression of these ‘Gateways’ to both our sub-region and the wider North West

region.

It is critical that measures which promote sustainable modes of travel and behavioural change are

implemented in parallel with new infrastructure.

The sub-regional road network is inadequate and heavily congested at key locations and network

resilience is poor.

East-west road linkages across the sub region are poor, in part owing to congestion and severance

caused by the M6, for example the A500 at Junction 16.

Strategic points across the local road network are at or reaching capacity, for example the A49 through

Warrington and the A34 Corridor through Congleton.

A range of infrastructure improvements are required to both relieve congestion and support a shift to more

sustainable modes or travel, particularly for shorter journeys.

The development of prime brown-field land in sustainable locations is frustrated because the supporting

transport infrastructure is missing, for example, Warrington Waterfront and in Crewe.

The growth of waterborne freight along the Manchester Ship Canal and the resultant increase in operation

of three swing bridges brings an unfortunate increase in road closures that have a significant negative

impact on the local economy and environment in Warrington.

Surface access to regional airports (Liverpool and Manchester, and also Birmingham International) from

the LEP area is poor, due to a combination of congested motorways and lack of direct train services. For

example, road access to Manchester Airport from C&W is constrained by the congested M56 and A556.

There are poor indirect rail services from the key population centres of Chester, Crewe, Ellesmere Port

and Warrington to Manchester airport, often requiring a change of train in Manchester.

Infrastructure supporting public transport and other sustainable modes of travel is not comprehensive

enough to offer a realistic alternative to car travel – this is particularly important for low income groups

without access to a private car.

Achieving an increase in travel by sustainable modes will play a key role in addressing congestion on our

highway networks

Revenue support for public transport services is diminishing; this hampers labour market mobility and will

be a major barrier to improving the scope of bus and rail services.

The integration of Local Sustainable Transport Fund revenue and capital programmes is seen as an

integral element of the SEP programme

7.32 The transport challenge for C&W is not only to solve current problems but to also provide the necessary supporting

and enabling infrastructure to facilitate the substantial growth in housing and employment as set out in more detail

in earlier sections of this Plan. This also requires close working with the Highways Agency and Network Rail in

influencing the development of the strategic transport network.


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Implications of Inaction

7.33 The growing level of congestion along with the gaps in existing transport provision is a real barrier to economic

growth. The congestion on the highway network significantly affects journey time reliability that is essential for

business and to a lesser extent for the commuter also. It also adversely impacts on access to key employment

sites and thus constrains the ability of business located at these sites to grow. There is a real danger that with

increasing congestion, businesses will not be able to achieve the growth they plan and will seek to relocate from

their current premises. Whilst this relocation may be to elsewhere within C&W, it could equally be to an adjacent

area or another country resulting in a real, direct loss to both the C&W and UK economy.

7.34 We have real examples of where businesses have complained about the adverse impact upon their business of

local congestion. Analysis of the 2011 Cheshire & Warrington Business Needs Survey has found that 15% of

Crewe businesses identified traffic congestion as a disadvantage of their local authority area. Indeed, congestion

is such a concern in Crewe that the owners of the two largest retail undertakings in the Town (The Market Centre

and Grand Junction Retail Park) have commissioned their own transport studies in an attempt to seek solutions.

Case Study – PepsiCo Northern Logistics

“Birchwood’s unique selling point for attracting industry to the area is its proximity to the main road networks of

the M62/M6. Maintaining an efficient infrastructure in the local area is critical to our business and on-going

commitment to staying in the Birchwood area”

Ian Rooney, Senior Operations Manager, PepsiCo Northern Logistics

7.35 Congestion on the motorway network is a significant constraint to economic growth in many ways. The C&W area

is traversed by a number of motorways and efficient operation of these is critical to the economic well-being of the

area. We have numerous examples of incidents on the M6 leading to massive diversion of traffic through

Warrington and Congleton with the obvious consequent adverse impacts. The development of Manchester Airport

City Enterprise Zone brings significant employment opportunities for C&W residents. But the road access is

constrained due to the congested M56 motorway and public transport accessibility is poor due to the lack of direct

services from C&W. The same issues impact on business users wishing to use Manchester Airport for international

travel.

7.36 Without significant improvements to the strategic highway network, the increasing road traffic volumes will simply

translate to increased traffic congestion which in turn creates increased travel costs for business as well as

increased unreliability of journeys which particularly impact the freight sector which is a key part of the C&W

economy.

Case Study – MEPC, Birchwood Park

“Birchwood Park is a 1.2 million sq.ft. business park which is home to over 150 companies and 5,500 staff. Since

our initial purchase of the estate in 1998 our company has invested over £60m on the estate.

We are now looking ahead and considering further development activity. We have however independently

concluded that in the absence of improvements to the local highway network that the increased levels of traffic

congestion which are now being experienced could provide a barrier to our continued investment in this location.

For this reason we have agreed to financially support this project (Birchwood Pinch Point).”

Jonathan Walsh, Managing Director, MEPC Birchwood


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7.37 The poor internal LEP area linkages add significant travel costs to businesses, lead to unreliable journeys and

constrain the area of search for those seeking employment. There are for example, poor quality links between the

M6 and the towns of Crewe and Congleton that sit only a short distance from the motorway. This hinders efficient

economic activity and constrains economic growth as well as adding additional travel costs for all road users.

Increasing traffic volumes will exacerbate this situation particularly where there are existing capacity constraints

on the network. Increased economic activity and jobs growth requires improved transport connectivity and

reliability.

7.38 A Business specific consultation undertaken as part of the Cheshire East Local Plan, identified poor East West

links transport links and access to the Motorway as a problem. In Congleton, a collection of 48 local businesses,

including multi –national companies such as Siemens and Senior Aerospace have formed a lobby group ‘Link to

Prosperity’12 to support proposals for a new link road around Congleton to address poor transport links that are

harming the local economy. In the recent Congleton route option consultation exercise 231 individual businesses

responded in total, all in support of the new link. 99.6% of the business community cited the reason for support as

‘economic benefits’.

Warrington – Impact of Manchester Ship Canal

In Warrington two key issues of internal connectivity are evident. Firstly, the severance caused by the increasing

number of bridge swings on the Manchester Ship Canal is both a barrier to growth and brings significant

environmental disbenefits. Through working with Manchester Ship Canal Company some of these problems can

be mitigated in the short term with a package of management protocols and better travel information. However,

in the longer term, the only way to support both the increased use of freight on the Ship Canal and deliver the full

Warrington Waterfont development is to construct major new infrastructure including a high level bridge crossing.

7.39 Warrington suffers from the legacy of an incomplete new town road network. In north Warrington, the development

of Birchwood, Gemini, Omega and much of north west Warrington was predicated on the construction of a dual

carriageway spine road connecting east and west. Unfortunately this network is only partially complete and was

abandoned over the last 20 years. The solution is now to greatly enhance public transport accessibility along this

axis through a combination of new services and infrastructure improvements to allow public transport to bypass

the key locations of congestion and delay.

7.40 Similarly, East-West rail journeys are slow and of poor quality which again limit the attractiveness of rail as a mode

of travel choice and constrain the ability of those without access to a car to pursue employment opportunities

outside of their local areas. Current over-crowding places a real constraint on increased use of the service to

access employment opportunities.

Case Study – Mid Cheshire Rail Line

The Mid Cheshire Railway Line links Chester and Manchester. It is a vital route for commuting to work and

accessing local services as well as opportunities for leisure journeys for shopping, outdoor pursuits and cultural

activities.

The line provides an hourly train service and is used amongst others, by employees at the large employment site

at Radbroke Hall. The morning peak hour service is known locally as the ‘sardine train’ because of the level of

over-crowding. Often people are not able to board the train due to the over-crowding. Anecdotal evidence

indicates a 10% per annum rate of passenger growth but this cannot growth further during the peak hours. It is

12 http://www.link2prosperity.co.uk/about-us.html

http://www.link2prosperity.co.uk/about-us.html


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not practical or reasonable for passenger unable to board the over-crowded train to wait one hour for the next

train.

7.41 Access to the two WCML railway stations at Crewe and Warrington Bank Quay, and car parking at them is

constrained which limits the number of people able to make efficient use of these stations. This means that the

use of the station is constrained due to the access problems faced by people.

7.42 Significant development opportunities on Brownfield land are frustrated because of the lack of adequate transport

infrastructure.

Case Study – Basford East & West

The delivery of the Basford Development Sites is one of the sub regions regeneration and economic growth

priorities, a scheme that by virtue of its nature, location and quantum of development will have a transformational

impact on Crewe and the surrounding area These development sites have the potential to create facilities for up

to 6,000 jobs in high value employment as well as over 1000 new homes ;the two sites together provide around

150 hectares of development opportunity for B1, B2 and B8 uses, and therefore present a significant opportunity

because of their size and strategic location. The comprehensive delivery of these sites is key to the delivery of

the All Change for Crewe Strategy, which seeks to deliver a step change in Crewe’s economic performance.

This requires an improved highway link up to the M6 motorway (A500 Barthomley Link) that will provide the

additional capacity on the corridor and at J16 to facilitate the full development at the sites.

If the HS2 SuperHub Station is confirmed these sites will one of the UK’s prime development opportunities over

the next 20 years being located at the heart of the UK’s economic geography.

7.43 This SEP sets out C&W’s vision for a step-change in growth. Delivery of this ambitious vision depends in a large

part on the right transport interventions delivered through the investment set out in this Plan.


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Rationale for Intervention

7.44 Against this context a series of rationales for intervention in the transport arena are evident if the area is to address

its transport weaknesses and deliver growth against its growth opportunities:

Strategic

Improve connections to neighbouring sub-regions, and in particular international gateways to ensure

business has connectivity to global markets. Currently, surface access to Liverpool and Manchester

airports, and also Birmingham International, from the LEP area is poor, due to a combination of congested

motorways and lack of direct train services. Good connectivity to employment locations in adjacent areas

for C&W residents and businesses is important to facilitate the economic benefits of both out and in

commuting that takes place on a daily basis.

Pinch points and congestion in the transport network, both road and rail, act as barriers to growth if left

unaddressed. Delays and unpredictable journey times are a market failure that affect both business

activity directly and indirectly, and influences commuting flows.

Capacity constraints on the West Coast Mainline are restricting the enhancement of improved rail

connectivity in the sub-region.

Preparing for HS2

The recent Sir David Higgins Report13 on HS2 confirmed Crewe as a location for a hub station. The

subsequent Lord Deighton Report14 has recommended that detailed consideration of HS2 should be

included in Local Plans and Strategic Economic Plans and that a HS2 Growth Strategy is established by

the end of 2014.

Network resilience needs to be addressed to deliver predictable and efficient journey times to support

business productivity. The effectiveness of the wider network to absorb the impact of unplanned events

(such as accidents or adverse weather conditions) is limited, and such events have a significant adverse

impact on productivity.

Make best use of the existing road (e.g. smart motorways) and rail network (e.g. electrification), to

capitalise on existing infrastructure, offers efficient mechanisms for improvement, and will help deliver

best value for money from investment. For example, the forecast increase in freight travelling by barge

rather than using the road network will result in an increase in road closures and traffic queues in

Warrington due to operation of the three swing bridges over the Manchester Ship Canal, unless this is

addressed through the construction of a new high level crossing.

13 HS2 Plus, A Report by David Higgins, March 2014. 14 High Speed 2: Get Ready, A report to the Government by the HS2 Growth Taskforce, March 2014


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Sub-Regional

Significant new transport infrastructure, including investment in local rail, is required to unlock sustainable

sites that are currently unavailable for development due to the lack of transport links. Such sites are

currently a missed opportunity for growth.

Improve internal LEP area connectivity and accessibility across the sub region and between the main

urban centres, larger built up areas, and mid-sized built up areas to accommodate demand for travel

associated with development sites and growth in employment and housing.

Local

Local sustainable transport improvements , including projects to encourage low carbon and non-

motorised travel, are needed to ensure LEP residents can access employment opportunities and key

services. In addition, shift from car travel to walking, cycling and public transport can help release capacity

in the highway network and help the network accommodate increased demand for travel arising from new

development and housing. This rationale is emphasised in the Local Sustainable Transport Fund

submissions from the partner LEP local authorities, which focus on the need to align revenue and capital

activity to help to unlock growth through delivering modal shift.

A balanced approach to freight transport (in terms of road and rail connectivity, and short sea shipping)

is needed alongside the development of Atlantic Gateway, to support the most sustainable movement of

freight while minimising any negative impact on local networks.

Long Term

Through this forthcoming transport investment period for both the SEP and Network Rail, it will be

necessary to put in place schemes that will enable the SEP area to fully exploit the potential benefits of

HS2 across the sub-region. Planning for HS2 has already commenced. If the HS2 SuperHub Station is

confirmed, the sub region has its strategy ready.

Objectives

7.45 Based on the spatial objectives of the SEP to deliver growth, the current transport network of the area, and the

rationale for intervention to address its inherent weaknesses, the objectives of the transport theme are:

Objective 1: To transform connectivity across, and to and from, the Atlantic Gateway World Trade

Corridor.

Objective 2: To unlock the opportunity that is High Growth City focused on Crewe and connected

Mid-Cheshire towns and facilitate delivery of the HS2 Crew Hub Station.

Objective 3: Improve access to unlock priority employment and housing sites across the LEP area

including the Science Corridor.

Areas of Action Emphasis

7.46 In order to deliver these Objectives partners from across the sub-region have collectively prioritised the following

Actions / key interventions:


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Action 1: Prioritise sustainable transport infrastructure in the Atlantic Gateway and enhance the Gateway’s

national and international connectivity.

Deliver major enhancements to connectivity across the Atlantic Gateway corridor – by rail, water, and

road – to exploit employment and housing growth potential including capacity and service enhancements

on the strategic road and rail network.

Enhance the connectivity of the gateway to the rest of the UK and internationally to enable it to fulfil its

role as a major world trade cluster – through airports, ports and road and rail connections.

Direct rail access to Manchester Airport is a real barrier to growing businesses facing international

markets. There is therefore a need to urgently investigate options for direct rail access to

Manchester Airport from the west.

Deliver the package of improvements forming the Chester Central Package to unlock major retail,

commercial and other development and enable growth across the city.

Deliver infrastructure required to unlock Warrington Waterfront major development and significantly

improve connectivity and network resilience across Warrington town centre.

Deliver the LTB priority scheme of a new station Warrington West to connect the West Warrington area

including Omega, Lingley Mere and Gemini to the wider rail network and allow residents locally access

opportunities across the Atlantic Gateway Corridor.

Support the delivery of growth at major sites including Birchwood, Ellesmere Port, and Warrington North

(including Omega).

Maintain and enhance the resilience of transport networks by prioritising critical highway and structural

maintenance projects.

Deliver complementary local sustainable transport improvements, that improve accessibility to

employment sites, deliver behavioural change, and accommodate some of the increase in demand for

travel that will be a consequence of economic and population growth (currently delivered using the Local

Sustainable Transport Fund)

Action 2: Improve connectivity between Crewe, M6 and mid-Cheshire towns to unlock development in

Crewe High Growth City and facilitate delivery of the HS2 Crew Hub Station.

Improve local and strategic road and public transport connectivity across the High Growth City area and

at Crewe to take advantage of the areas and Crewe’s strategic connectivity and employment and housing

growth potential.

Step 1 – A major package of new roads, local pinch point schemes and public transport improvements to

deliver planned growth.

Ensure transport improvements are aligned with and unlock the development of key

housing and employment sites in Crewe, Congleton, Macclesfield, Northwich,

Middlewich and Winsford, including the Congleton Link Road.

Maintain and enhance the resilience of transport networks.


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Step 2 – Deliver national investment in improved strategic road and rail connectivity to link High Growth

City and Crewe with the adjacent major economies.

Ensure transport improvements complement key national infrastructure investment

such as the Smart Motorway scheme (M6 J16-19), major M6 junction upgrade at J16,

improved rail connections, electrification and the delivery by 2020 of a new Crewe

Station with improved local transit and road connections for all users.

Step 3 – Deliver a full HS2 Super-Hub Station at Crewe by 2027 with the arrival of HS2 and capture this

unique growth opportunity by boosting connectivity across the High Growth City area and beyond

Ensure transport and land-use developments in the Crewe area are planned with full

cognisance of HS2 and the proposed early delivery as set out by Sir David Higgins in

his report HS2 Plus15.

Action 3: Improve access to unlock priority employment and housing sites across the LEP area including

the Science Corridor

Deliver the LTB priority scheme: A523 Poynton Relief Road to improve travel conditions along this

important corridor between Macclesfield and Greater Manchester via the new SEMMMS A6MARR

scheme and unlock housing and employment development on the former BAe site at Woodford.

Deliver complementary local sustainable transport improvements, that improve accessibility to the

Science Corridor’s key employment sites, deliver behavioural change, and accommodate some of the

increase in demand for travel that will be a consequence of economic and population growth (currently

delivered using the Local Sustainable Transport Fund).

Consideration of both capital and revenue funded schemes to deliver behaviour change and increase the

capacity of the transport network as a whole.

Platforms on which to build

Strategic

7.47 We have a strong existing strategic transport network, including the West Coast Main Line, the national motorway

network, and proximity to international airports/ports. Enhancing this network will strengthen the economic potential

of the LEP.

7.48 The Cheshire and Warrington Local Transport Body (CWLTB) is a strategic partnership that has been established

with a primary goal to ensure that the sub-region’s transport investments support and enable economic growth and

regeneration. It brings together the three unitary local authorities (Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and

Chester Council and Warrington Borough Council) along with the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise

Partnership, and key stakeholders, such as the Highways Agency and Network Rail in an advisory role. Its single

strategic objective is to improve transport infrastructure to secure significant connectivity gains in the support of

economic growth and prosperity. As well as supporting economic growth, it is recognised that transport investment

must also contribute towards wider social and environmental objectives.

15 HS2 Plus, A Report by David Higgins, March 2014.


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7.49 The CWLTB has regular dialogue with the Highways Agency and Network Rail in order to understand their strategic

priorities but also to influence their priorities across the networks within or adjacent to Cheshire & Warrington. The

LTB has endorsed the strategic ‘asks’ set out in this SEP.

7.50 We are investing significant officer resource in working with the HA on:

A556 major scheme; and

The Strategic Pinchpoint schemes:

M6 Junction 17

A55 / A483

7.51 Other significant and welcome transport developments are the approval of funding for the new Mersey Gateway

crossing and the SEMMMS A6MARR. These cross boundary schemes, will have a significant bearing on traffic

levels and route options within our C&W LEP area and will assist business connectivity and opportunity.

Sub-Regional – Major Schemes

7.52 In summer 2013 the CWLTB, supported by the LTB Officer Group, established a range of transport objectives for

the sub-region and against these delivered a robust prioritised package of the following major transport schemes

for delivery in the 2015-19 funding period.

Atlantic Gateway

Warrington West new station on the CLC line between Liverpool and Manchester.

High Growth City

Crewe Northern Growth Corridor - Sydney Road Railway Bridge

Science Corridor

A523 Poynton Relief Road

Case Study – Poynton Relief Road

The South East Manchester Multi-Modal Strategy (SEMMMS) includes parts of north east Cheshire and aims to

deal with existing and predicted transport problems and will enable significant growth opportunities in the

Science Corridor. The SEMMMS Relief Road scheme includes the A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road

(A6MARR) and the proposed Poynton Relief Road.

The A6MARR is programmed to open in 2017 and the proposed PRR could open in late 2018. The schemes will

reduce traffic congestion, improve sub regional connectivity and improve links between Macclesfield, the Wider

Science Corridor and the significant growth opportunities of Airport City and the wider Airport Enterprise Zone.

The scheme has been prioritised by the LTB with an initial funding allocation of £5.6m and a contribution to the

scheme from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority in recognition of its cross boundary importance.

7.53 The LTB also approved a longer-term Development Pool of major schemes that form the core of our Ask within

this SEP bid. A review of the prioritisation criteria has been undertaken to ensure the delivery of schemes continues

to reflect LEP priorities as set out in this SEP.


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Case Study – Congleton Link Road

Congleton’s future is not as a dormitory town but as a thriving working town. Congleton was the preferred

location for a second Siemens factory but this opportunity was lost due to lack of a suitable site. In recent years

on the Radnor Park Estate the opportunity for 140 jobs were lost when suitable premises were not available to

house the HQ of Healthcare Enterprise Group Plc who acquired an existing company.

The Congleton Link Road will open up 20 Hectares of new employment land, preventing further missed

opportunities whilst unlocking land to provide 2200 new homes. The scheme will help address the existing

congestion and air quality issues experienced in the town and improve East-West strategic highway links. The

scheme has been under development since 2012, has a robust transport business case and, subject to funding,

construction could begin in early 2017. A recent public consultation exercise demonstrated strong public support

for the scheme.

7.54 The three Local Transport Authorities (LTAs) and the LTB are very clear that strong collaborative working is

required to develop future transport plans and use these to develop and subsequently deliver essential transport

improvements to facilitate delivery of the strategic growth objectives of Cheshire and Warrington as set out in the

SEP.

7.55 Each LTA is working closely with its planning colleagues in the preparation of the constituent Local Plans, all of

which are at an advanced stage of preparation which has had the great benefit of allowing the growth ambitions of

the LEP to be considered consistently across the whole sub-region during their development. This will mean that

the Local Plans within the sub-region and the Strategic Economic Plan will be completely aligned in a very short

timescale. The LTAs are committed to ensuring that the transport needs of new housing and employment related

developments are fully considered in developing the transport plans and interventions.

7.56 For the development and delivery of individual transport schemes, there is also a commitment from the three LTAs

to explore further, more far reaching opportunities for collaboration and resource pooling in the future.

Local

7.57 At the local level the three LTAs continue to deliver successful integrated transport plans, strategies and schemes

on the ground to ensure effective movement of people, goods and services.

7.58 Furthermore the three LTAs continue to engage constructively, actively and on an ongoing basis to maximise the

effectiveness of their Local Transport Plans to support economic and housing growth within Cheshire and

Warrington. This has allowed the close alignment of the current Local Sustainable Transport Fund programmes

with existing and emerging policy.

Jointly, the authorities can show a successful track record of delivery of in excess of £95m of transport

interventions including:

A34 Alderley Edge and Nether Alderley Bypass;

Northwich Town Centre Gyratory / Leicester Street Roundabout;

Crewe Rail Exchange

A49/A50 Warrington major junction reconfiguration; and

LSTF capital programmes


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Over £12.7m of sustainable travel projects is being delivered across the LEP area through the 2012-2015

Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF). Headline projects include:

New cycling and walking routes linking jobs and homes.

Supported bus services to improve connectivity

Travel planning programmes with employers and residents to promote the new facilities and encourage

modal change.

There are over £80m of schemes in the pipeline including:

Six local and strategic pinch point schemes;

Chester Bus Interchange;

Crewe Green Link Road South; and

Warrington West new station on the CLC line between Liverpool and Manchester.

A forward capital programme has been allocated in excess of £28m to develop and implement this

pipeline.

Local Sustainable Transport Fund (LSTF) Bids

7.59 The aim of ‘Creating Sustainable Conditions for Growth’ is underpinned by the need to improve the local transport

offer to both maximise the capacity of our networks and promote sustainable travel behaviour. To demonstrate

this, the LEP partners through the LTB have developed complementary LSTF funding bids which target our key

economic sites with improved sustainable travel options which can deliver modal shift. The revenue based activity

contained within the bids is reinforced by corresponding physical improvements identified for funding through the

Local Growth Fund capital allocation.

7.60 The LSTF work is now the driving force behind our approach to smarter choices, cycling and walking. We recognise

the immense benefits that sustainable transport projects have in supporting local growth strategies. In particular

LSTF projects add value to the existing transport networks by encouraging modal shift to low carbon forms of

travel.

7.61 The SEP investment programme includes over £4 m of new LSTF capital schemes for 2015/16 and later years.

Bids to the 2015/16 LSTF revenue programme is being made by the authorities which will serve to lock in the

benefits generated by the capital works. The SEP fully supports the bids and hopes that this will be the start of a

longer term programme of revenue support for local sustainable transport projects.

Resourcing and Value for Money

7.62 Detailed work has been undertaken to cost fully, comprehensively, and transparently the range of significant

Transport interventions set out in this SEP, including the identification of specific funding streams for individual

interventions and schemes. The details of scheme cost and funding streams along with the contribution we are

seeking through this SEP is set out later in our submission. Significant back-up material and evidence justifying

the investment in the individual schemes and programmes is available for more detailed scrutiny.


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7.63 C&W LTB successfully secured DfT approval for its Assurance Framework that was developed for the delivery of

the devolved major schemes. C&W LEP has committed to the use of this approved document as the framework

within which the transport investment will be managed and delivered. This should provide government with strong

confidence that C&W will deliver good value for money for the transport investment through rigorous application of

the Assurance framework, including compliance with WebTAG guidance and independent review and scrutiny of

scheme business cases.


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8. Transport Theme-level Actions

T1: Prioritise sustainable transport infrastructure in the Atlantic Gateway and enhance the Gateway’s national and international connectivity

Rationale Improve connections to neighbouring sub-regions, and in particular international gateways to ensure business has connectivity to global markets. Currently, surface access to Liverpool and Manchester airports, and also Birmingham International, from the LEP area suffers from stress at peak times. Whilst the network has served us well in the past, it needs to be made more robust, efficient and resilient to realise our economic ambitions over the next 10 years. Good connectivity to employment locations in adjacent areas for C&W residents and businesses is important to facilitate the economic benefits of both out and in commuting that takes place on a daily basis.

Pinch points and congestion in the transport network, both road and rail, act as barriers to growth if left unaddressed. Delays and unpredictable journey times are a market failure that affect both business activities directly and indirectly, and influences commuting flows.

Network resilience needs to be addressed to deliver predictable and efficient journey times to support business productivity. The effectiveness of the wider network to absorb the impact of unplanned events (such as accidents or adverse weather conditions) is limited, and such events have a significant adverse impact on productivity.

Making best use of the existing road (e.g. smart motorways) and rail networks (e.g. electrification), to capitalise on existing infrastructure, offers efficient mechanisms for improvement, and will help deliver best value for money from investment. For example, the forecast increase in freight travelling by barge rather than using the road network will result in an increase in road closures and traffic queues in Warrington due to operation of the three swing bridges over the Manchester Ship Canal, unless this is addressed through the construction of a new high level crossing.

C&W LEP has been working closely with the Highways Agency and Network Rail to ensure they understand our economic growth proposals and how these relate to the strategic transport networks. C&W LEP wishes to continue to work closely with the HA and NR in order to influence and shape their future investment programmes and priorities to ensure that they align with, and support our strategic investment sites and thus help maximise delivery of new housing and job creation.

Objective Objective 1: To transform connectivity across, and to and from, the Atlantic Gateway world trade corridor

Strategic Asks Rail Improvements

The rail priorities consist of a package of rail infrastructure improvements to enable Cheshire & Warrington to accelerate increased economic growth through improved rail accessibility and connectivity and also to position the area to fully exploit the benefits from HS2. The individual package elements are listed below.

Warrington Bank Quay - Commitment to the provision of Classic Compatible Train Services to go with the implementation of HS2. This is a key station on the WCML and it is vital that both the platforms and facilities are put in place at the station to accommodate these trains and the associated passenger needs.


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Warrington Arpley - Full implementation of the Warrington Arpley works which is required help to facilitate delivery of the Warrington Waters major regeneration scheme. This scheme truly unlocks land for development close to the town centre.

Improved Connectivity to Manchester Airport HS2 Station - The HS2 proposals include a new station at Manchester Airport. This new station provides an opportunity for extending the benefits of HS2 across the north of the C&W LEP area but this will require new public transport connectivity. The DfT should commission a feasibility study to investigate options for direct public transport access to Manchester Airport and the proposed HS2 from C&W.

Capacity, Line Speed and Service Improvements - East-west rail travel across the area is slow, infrequent and of poor quality. This is a barrier in accessing employment and thus impedes economic growth. We see electrification as a solution but are keen to have a dialogue with Network Rail to work towards the most appropriate solutions. The following are key areas that require investment:

Line between Holyhead, Chester, Warrington and Crewe

Capacity and line speed improvements between Wrexham and Chester

Frequency improvements of the current Wrexham – Neston – Bidston service

Frequency improvement on the Mid Cheshire line (Chester – Northwich – Manchester)

Motorway Capacity Improvements

There are a number of pinch points on the strategic road network that directly impact on the economy of the C&W LEP area. C&W asks that it can have dialogue with the HA to influence its Route Based Strategies to prioritise capacity improvements (Smart Motorways) on the most immediate transport barriers to growth across the Atlantic Gateway:

M53 between junctions 5 and 11 to improve accessibility to Ellesmere Port

M56 between junctions 5 and 12 to improve accessibility to Manchester Airport, including a new Junction 11a to improve access to the new Mersey Gateway bridge that sits just outside the C&W area

M62 between junctions 8 and 11 along with capacity improvements at Junction 8 (Burtonwood) and Junction 10 (Croft) to improve accessibility along this main route between the Liverpool and Manchester City Regions and unlock development at the Omega strategic site.


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ANNEX C – Draft Action Plan

Ref: Outcome(s) Achieved By (Actions) Delivered Through (activities and projects)

Delivered By (Resources) Key Dates

T.1 Prioritise connectivity in the Atlantic Gateway by road, rail and water, and enhance the Gateway's national and international connectivity

Improving pinchpoints and providing additional capacity on the strategic road network to address the most immediate transport barriers to growth in the Atlantic Gateway.

Smart Motorways at M6 (Jn 16 - 19), M56 (Jn 5 - 12) and M62 (Jn 8 - 10)

Highways Agency, Local Transport Body (LTB), Local Growth Fund (LGF)

Influencing the Highways Agency to ensure its Route-Based Strategies prioritise capacity improvements at key motorway junctions and sections (Smart Motorways)

as above LTB, Local Authorities

Developing and delivering solutions to facilitate economic growth on key Atlantic Gateway corridors

Capacity improvements along the A54 corridor (between the M6 and Winsford and through to the A51 at Tarvin), improved link between M6 and Congleton and improvements to the A51 corridor

LTB, LGF, Local Authorities

Rail improvements: to ensure centres of population and employment are connected by reliable and frequent services and provide improved access by rail to employment opportunities and international markets.

Reinstate the Halton Curve to passenger traffic; electrification of Liverpool to Manchester Cheshire Lines; electrification of Crewe to Holyhead line; improvements to increase line speeds and frequencies; upgrade to mid-Cheshire Line; commission feasibility study to investigate options for direct rail access to Manchester Airport from C&W

Network Rail, Merseytravel, Cheshire West & Chester Council

2016/17


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Improve network resilience: develop and deliver solutions to address reliability problems on the network, improve access to Port Warrington to facilitate increased freight to travel along the Manchester Ship Canal

New high level crossing of the Manchester Ship Canal in Warrington; upgrading existing swing bridges to improve network efficiency; maintain critical structures on key routes

T.2 Improve connectivity between Crewe, M6 and mid-Cheshire towns to unlock development in Crewe High Growth City

LTB Major schemes: deliver schemes in the Development Pool to improve transport conditions for economic growth

Crewe Green Roundabout

Congleton Link Road

Middlewich Eastern Bypass

Crewe Northern Growth Corridor

LTB, LGF, Cheshire East Council

Unlock new development land; open up currently inaccessible land for potential development in sustainable locations through delivery of new infrastructure

Rail electrification; improved accessibility in key growth corridors; improve A500 south of Crewe, safeguarding existing key routes (A51 and A54)

Cheshire East Council, Network Rail, LGF

T.3 Improve access to unlock priority employment and housing sites across the LEP area

Work with Local Transport Authorities, planning authorities, developers and transport operators to deliver a range of viable sustainable transport mode options for work and leisure

progressing a number of non-development pool LTB schemes; Chester Transport Strategy Phase 1 and 2; Warrington Waterfront Transport Infrastructure Schemes Phase 3 (east and west); Omega local roads; A34 improvements at Handforth East

LTB, Local Authorities, LGF


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H.1 Resourcing the sub-region to champion housing growth - a Housing Action Team

Creation of a Housing Core Team focussed on co-ordinating the market and bringing together private, public and RP investors and facilitators, providing intelligence, strategy development, programme management and operational support to the Housing Board

Market coordination (ensuring full communication between the market and its players), housing intelligence, sub-regional housing strategy development and investment planning, promoting the delivery of high quality homes and places, programme management and delivery, operational support

Creation of three new posts at a sub-regional level, supplemented by secondments as appropriate. Suggested annual cost of £250,000 per year to cover staffing, overheads and provide a budget for commissioning

2015/16

Creation of a time-limited Housing Taskforce focussing on securing development by helping, where appropriate, consented schemes through to implementation.

Providing focus on sites where there are barriers to the delivery of new homes, working with landowners to identify a range of potential responses.

Estimated cost of £150,000 per year for 3 - 5 years to cover staffing and overheads (less partner secondments)

2015/16

H.2 Housing Innovation Support Testing the viability and deliverability of emerging models and niche markets to meet the needs of current and future communities across Cheshire and Warrington.

Build to Rent pilots - commissioning research to gauge the requirements of investors and reflecting this to review development opportunities; commissioning a study to establish the spectrum of needs across Cheshire and Warrington for retirement housing and to coordinate identified need with potential development sites; commission a study to review alternative opportunities for promoting self-build and custom self-build within the private and public sector

Registered Providers, Developers, Local Authorities

2016/17


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Coordinating private and public sector partners to assemble a package of support (particularly in relation to funding guarantees, expertise and land assets) to facilitate the delivery of pilot projects.

Bring forward proposals for initial pilots for Build to Rent, innovative specialist retirement housing and self build. Establish and promote opportunities for self-build

Registered Providers, Developers, Local Authorities

2016/17

In.1 Promoting Cheshire and Warrington as open for business

A series of activities delivered that focus on Cheshire and Warrington's assets and designed to increase the profile of Cheshire and Warrington as a place to invest and do business

Development of a plan setting out priorities for promotional activities; publicising the area's existing physical assets in promotional materials; marketing the strengths of Cheshire and Warrington a place to live and do business; demonstrating support for planned investments; active marketing of Cheshire and Warrington to potential incoming investors; publicising new investments as they are made

Alignment of existing partner activity plus estimated additional £50,000 - £100,000 per annum.

2016/17

In.2 Developing a 20-year Infrastructure Investment Plan

Mapping of infrastructure investment requirements across a range of infrastructures

Commissioning of mapping activity Indicative requirement of £100,000 - £150,000 identified for this work

2015/16

Identification of funding opportunities and delivery mechanisms to take require infrastructure works forward

included above


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B.1 Supporting Business Excellence in Cheshire and Warrington

Development of core business support programme

Development and ongoing management of a consistent Business Support Service; support for the Social Enterprise Sector; facilitation of access to National programmes; strengthening relationships between SME supply chains and 'larger' businesses; enhancing sub-regional capacity to manage external business relationships and attract investment from outside the sub-region; building on and strengthening existing private sector networks as sources of advice to businesses

Indicative cost of £1m per annum

2015/16

B.2 Cheshire and Warrington Energy Cluster Development

Developing a series of key high level activities to support the development of an energy cluster in Cheshire and Warrington

Development and communication of a long-term cluster development strategy; provision of executive capacity to oversee delivery of the strategy; support for firms within the cluster to develop linkages; supporting creation of an 'open innovation' ecosystem; undertaking a regular programme of market intelligence / foresight research; developing competitive hard and soft infrastructures

Energy Cluster Development Manager (to be appointed); website development; programme of networking events; research foresight activity (to be commissioned). Indicative annual cost £200k

2016/17


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Iv.1 Innovation and Smart Specialisation Plan

Developing an Innovation Plan for the sub-region, providing a clearly articulated framework for innovation development for the next 10 years

Formation of an Innovation Plan Working Group and Governing Board; development of the Innovation Plan including evidence gathering, specification an consultation phases; specifying, costing and readying a detailed and substantive action plan comprising short, medium and long term actions

Indicative cost of £85k to prepare the Innovation and Smart Specialisation Plan (to be commissioned); £200k per annum for Innovation plan Implementation Team; £150k per annum of campaign funds over five years

2016/17

Research and refine innovation roadmaps for principle components, sectors and technologies of Cheshire and Warrington's innovation offer.

SWOT analysis; reference to the European 'Smart Specialisation' agenda for smart differentiation; review of (and benchmarking with) good practice in similar economies (UK and globally)

TBC TBC

Designing, developing and publishing annually the 'Cheshire and Warrington Innovation Index' benchmarking innovation in the sub-region with selected competitor areas

Indicative cost £40k per year 2016/17

Iv.2 Innovation Networks and Engagement Activity

Stimulating and developing a range of networks, operating across the sub-region, to promote and facilitate innovative thinking and behaviours.

Appointment of dedicated Innovation Networks Animateur; developing an active programme of events to build innovation networks within and without the sub-region; development, installation and maintenance of a digital platform for the network;

£100k per annum for Networks Animateur; £25k for development of digital platform; £25k per annum maintenance for digital platform; £60k per annum for Innovation Community Chest; £50k per annum for publicity, publications and media

2016/17


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Using the above networks within the Cheshire and Warrington geography to support a stronger and more connected sub-region, where there is greater understanding of what is being done around innovation and purposeful opportunities for collaboration around innovation issues identified and brokered

Developing a strong emphasis on establishing innovation networking as a 'second-nature' activity, and trying to develop a pervasively more 'open to innovation' culture within and across the sub-region

included above 2016/17

Radically growing Cheshire and Warrington's connectedness on innovation issues (at home and abroad), to other places and their centres of expertise.


Establishing the network as a branded asset serving inward investment.


S.1 Developing a partner co-designed employability programme

Contributing to the SEP-wide vision to achieve an active and engaged community through high levels of employment

Support for skills development in those sectors and areas of expertise in greatest demand amongst local employers; brokering opportunities between local residents and employers to secure work placements, apprenticeships and direct employment opportunities; promoting and supporting self-employment, entrepreneurship and enterprise as routes out of worklessness

£40 million over seven years primarily sourced from ESF matched by opt-in partner resources.

From 2015/16

Supporting the strategic imperative to achieve Smart Specialisation and

Innovative initiatives to support disengaged young people and adults

Included above From 2015/16


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restore the productivity premium by increasing engagement levels and supporting people to play an active role in growing sectors of the economy

to enter and progress in employment, including community led approaches to support engagement.

S.2 Agreeing a Big Lottery funded programme to engage disadvantaged groups and those furthest from the labour market

Supporting the LEP vision to improve economic engagement and performance

Addressing barriers to training and work amongst target communities; developing locally specific inclusion initiatives; providing work experience opportunities to help people build their skills and confidence; supporting capacity building within social enterprises and community groups to address support needs.

£22 million over seven years funded by ESF and the Big lottery Fund

From 2015/16

S.3 High quality FE estate and supporting capital investments to support economic growth

Interventions to ensure FE facilities remain fit for purpose, eliminating any estate that is category C or D, and supporting growth in national centres of excellence.

Estate improvements at Reaseheath College and Mid Cheshire College. Investment in specialised facilities for Agri-Tec and Engineering at Reaseheath College.

FE Capital Fund, FE providers, 2015/16 – 2016/17

S.4 Increased employer investment and demand for skills

A high quality, employer-focussed further education infrastructure

Development of Employer Business Hubs at Warrington Collegiate, West Cheshire College, Macclesfield College, Reaseheath College, Mid Cheshire College and South Cheshire College.

FE Capital Fund, FE providers, 2016/17


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F.1 Develop fund to support investment in SME's through a mixture of debt, equity and quasi-equity

Developing further phase of North West Fund

Support for skills development in those sectors and areas of expertise in greatest demand amongst local employers; brokering opportunities between local residents and employers to secure work placements, apprenticeships and direct employment opportunities; promoting and supporting self-employment, entrepreneurship and enterprise as routes out of worklessness

£40 million over seven years primarily sourced from ESF matched by opt-in partner resources.

From 2015/16

F.2 Develop fund to support investment in employment-led projects and developments

Developing further phase of Evergreen Fund

Innovative initiatives to support disengaged young people and adults to enter and progress in employment, including community led approaches to support engagement.

Included above From 2015/16

F.3 Development of Local Impact Fund Addressing barriers to training and work amongst target communities; developing locally specific inclusion initiatives; providing work experience opportunities to help people build their skills and confidence; supporting capacity building within social enterprises and community groups to address support needs.

£22 million over seven years funded by ESF and the Big lottery Fund

Development of LEADER Programme


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ANNEX D: Partners and Stakeholders engaged in developing the SEP

Working Groups

Access to Finance

Alex Thompson, Cheshire East Council

Andrew Hague, Howard Worth

Anton Stirrett, Hillyer McKeown LLP

Caroline O’Brien, Cheshire East CVS

Cllr Keith Musgrave, Cheshire West and Chester

Cllr Peter Raynes, Cheshire East Council

Cllr Russ Bowden, Warrington Borough Council

Council Cllr Terry O’Neill (Chair), LEP Board Member and Warrington Borough Council

Danny Mather, Warrington Borough Council

Dave Furnival, National Westminster Bank plc

Gordon Richardson, Make It Macclesfield

Kevin Janes, Cheshire and Warrington Social Enterprise Partnership

Lynton Green, Warrington Borough Council

Mary Gillie, Mary Gillie Associates

Paul Breen, Business Finance Solutions

Richard Fair, National Farmers Union

Building our Business Base

Carol Young, Cheshire East Council

Caroline Bedell, Country Landowners Association

Cllr Dan Price, Warrington Borough Council

Cllr Don Hammond, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Cllr Peter Groves, Cheshire East Council

Colin Brew, West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce

David Pollock, Chess Telecom

Iain Paton, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Jeff Hardman, Barnhill Marketing and Institute of Directors

Jim Gill, Specialist Adviser


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Building our Business Base

Kevin Janes, Cheshire and Warrington Social Enterprise Partnership

Martin Wood, BIS

Matthew Morris, Bolesworth Estate and Rural Regeneration Board

Nigel Schofield (Deputy Chair), LEP Board Member and Northenden Diamond Travel

Phil Orford, Forum of Private Business

Richard Goodwin, Country Landowners Association

Robert Davis, (Chair) LEP Board Member and EA Technology

Steve Harvey, Hillyer McKeown LLP

Steve Park, Warrington & Co

Susan Spibey, Birchwood Forum

European Working Group

Colin Billingsley, DWP

Cllr Ken Butler, ChALC

Frank Collins, Learning Together and The Hope Centre

Pernille Kousgaard, Strategic Special Advisor

Cllr Mike Jones, LEP Board Member and Cheshire West and Chester Council (Co-Chair)

Francis Lee, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Paul Nolan, The Mersey Forest

Krista Patrick, Enworks

Mike Rance, Make It Macclesfield CIC

Charlie Woodcock, University of Chester

The Venerable Ian Bishop, Faith Communities

Lynn Collins, TUC

Liz Demaisen, on behalf of Warrington & Co.

Ola Dykes, DCLG – GDT

Andy Farrall, Warrington Borough Council

Peter Henderson, Bank of America

David Hunter, DeFRA

Revd Stephen Kingsnorth, Faith Communities

Nicola Lavin, DCLG – GDT

Cllr Herbert Manley, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Cllr Terry O’Neill, LEP Board Member and Warrington Borough Council (Co-Chair)

Paul Radcliffe, Environment Agency


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European Working Group

David Rowlands, Country Land and Business Association

Caroline Simpson, Cheshire East Council

Infrastructure and Connectivity

Andrew Ross, Cheshire East Council

Cllr Kay Loch, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Cllr Linda Dirir, Warrington Borough Council

Cllr Michael Jones, LEP Board Member and Cheshire East Council (Chair)

David Smyth, Swansway Garages

Delyse Bayley, Homes and Communities Agency

Gary Collins, Cheshire and Warrington LEP

Gordon Richardson, Make It Macclesfield

Henry Brooks, Tatton Estate

Jeannie Gardiner, Cheshire Voluntary Action [Andy – check organisation please]

Julian Cobley, Cheshire East Council

Louise Morrissey, LEP Board Member and Peel Holdings (Deputy Chair)

Mark Chadwick, Environment Agency

Mark Waite, Bloor Homes and House Builders Federation

Paul Molloy, Paul Molloy Associates

Pete Waterman, LEP Board Member (Deputy Chair)

Philip Jackson, ChALC

Steve Hunter, Warrington BC

Innovation

Aidan Manley, Cheshire and Warrington LEP

Alison Cullen, Warrington Voluntary Action

Alison Knight, Cheshire West and Chester Council (representing Charlie Seward)

Andy Duxbury, Aaron and Partners

Andy Farrall (Warrington Borough Council)

Andy Smith, Federation of Small Businesses

Charlie Seward, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Cllr Andrew Dawson, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Dr Martin Ashcroft, Deputy Chair, Tata Chemicals and LEP Board Member

Helen Seagrave, EnWorks


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Jez Goodman, Cheshire East Council (representing Caroline Simpson)

Joanne Shelley, Hillyer McKeown LLP

Kate Gamble, Environment Agency

Lawrence Bellamy, University of Chester

Lynne Jones, Make It Macclesfield

Mike Rance, Make it Macclesfield

Professor Malcolm Bennett, University of Liverpool

Professor Tim Wheeler, Chair, University of Chester and LEP Board Member

Steve Bennett, Transition Plus

Promoting Cheshire and Warrington:

Barrie Kelly, Marketing Cheshire

Brendan Flanagan, Cheshire East Council

Carol Berry, Chester Voluntary Action

Chris Koral, Chair Cheshire Region Local Nature Partnership

Cllr Gareth Anderson, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Elaine Dunn, EPN AOVC

Graham Ramsbottom (Deputy Chair), LEP Board Member and Wheatsheaf Investments Ltd

Howard Hopwood (Chair), LEP Board Member and Harman Technology Ltd

Katrina Michel, Marketing Cheshire

Lesley Brown,Cheshire and Warrington LEP

Mitch Pool, Warrington Borough Council

Paul Gallon, Park Royal Hotel

Richard Milkins, Cheshire East Council

Sarah Flannery, Dimension Creative Limited

Tony Jones, Make It Macclesfield and Orbit Developments

Skilled and Productive Workforce:

Annette McDonald, Reaseheath College

Chris Baker, Learning Together Cheshire and Warrington and LEP Board Member (Deputy Chair)

Cllr David Brown, Cheshire East Council

Cllr Tom Parry, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Colin Brew, West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber

Debbie Corcoran, Skills Funding Agency

Diane Wright, Manchester Metropolitan University


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Skilled and Productive Workforce:

Gareth Hopkins, Warrington Borough Council

Ian Knowlson, Selling Success

Jacky Forster, Warrington Borough Council

Janet O’Connor, Job Centre Plus

Janice Wooley, Total People

Justine Watkinson, Hillyer McKeown LLP

Laura Smith, Disability Information Bureau

Lesley Brown, Cheshire and Warrington LEP

Lisa Conway, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Meredydd David, Reaseheath College and LEP Board Member (Chair)

Paul Hafren, Warrington Collegiate

Peter Cavanagh, Cheshire East Council


Roz Atherton, Cheshire and Warrington LEP

Sharon Inch, Oliver Valves Limited


Strategic Workshops

Stakeholders

Alan Barton, Square One Lifestyle Homes

Alan Tranter, baker tilly

Alison Amesbury, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Andrew Ross, Cheshire East Council

Andy Gatcliffe, Warrington Wolves

Andy Seddon, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Brian Birtwistle, Birtwistle Property Consultants

Carol Young, Cheshire East Council

Charlie Woodcock, university of chester

Chris Capes, CW&C

Christine Gaskell MBE, Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership

Christophe Hesbert, Abode Chester

Cllr Terry O'Neill, Warrington Borough Council

Colin Brew, West Cheshire & North Wales Chamber of Commerce

Colin Daniels, Warrington Chamber of Commerce & Industry


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Stakeholders

Darren Lawless, Cheshire East Council

Dave Furnival, Nat West Bank

David Rowlands, European Single Programme Working Group

David Watson, East Cheshire Chamber of Commerce

Diane Wright, Manchester Metropolitan University

Dr Martin Andrews, Northwest Automotive Alliance

Edward Greenhalgh, E.E.G. Consultants

Elaine Chadwick, West Cheshire College

Francis Lee, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Helen Seagrave, ENWORKS

Herbert Manley, Cheshire West and Chester

Iain Paton, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Ian Foster, National Westminster Bank

Jane Baker, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Jane Harrad-Roberts, Marketing Projects

Jane Pearson, University of Chester

Jane Staley, Groundwork Cheshire

Janice Woolley, Total People Limited

Jo Lappin, Cheshire & Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership

John Newton-Jones, West Cheshire

Karl Connelly, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Kevin Janes, Cheshire & Warrington Social Enterprise Partnership

Kevin Murphy, BiG Storage Ltd

Laura Evans, Marketing Cheshire

Laura Young, Marketing Cheshire

Lesley Brown, Programme Office - Cheshire & Warrington

Lesley Bassett, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Lisa Conway, Cheshire West & Chester Council

Mark Briegal, Aaron & Partners LLP

Mark Chadwick, Environment Agency

Mark Waite, Bloor Homes

Martin Wood, Department for Business, Innovation & Skills

Melissa Parsons, Cheshire West and Chester Council

Michael Holligan, Barclays Bank


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Stakeholders

Mike Dowse, Square One Lifestyle Homes

Mike Hawes, Bentley Motors

Neville Chamberlain, Cheshire Business Leaders

Nicola Lavin, DCLG

Nigel Schofield, Northenden Diamond Travel

Ola Dykes, DCLG

Paul Gallon, The Park Royal Hotel - Q Hotels

Paul Hafren, Warrington Collegiate

Paul Kirkbright, University of Chester

Paul Molley, Paul Molley Associates Ltd

Paul Taylor, Taylor Estates

Peter Crompton, BE GROUP

Peter Swift, South Cheshire College


Robert Davis, LEP Board Member

Sarah Lalieu, Canal & River Trust

Stuart Hulse, ChALC



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ANNEX E: Project Proformas

PROVIDED UNDER SEPARATE COVER


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Documents

Table of Contents€¦ · 5 1. Executive Summary Introduction to our Strategy, Vision and Growth Plan Cheshire and Warrington Matters is a new and ambitious strategy to support growth