1. TOWARDS A GREAT NORTH PLAN Emerging concepts from regional roundtables and call for evidence Ed Cox Director, IPPR North

2. BACKGROUND Northern Prosperity is National Prosperity 2012 Framing the Future debates 2014 Great North Plan competitions 2014 Partnership with RTPI DO WE NEED A GREAT NORTH PLAN? 11 roundtables Call for evidence Northern Summit The Northern Powerhouse and Northern Transport Strategy.

3. WHAT DID YOU TELL US?

4. YES! WE NEED A GREAT NORTH PLAN … but what should it look like?

5. SOME KEY PRINCIPLES Any plan must be high-level, strategic and brief It needs to set an ambitious, long-term vision but be supported by clear actions in the short-medium term It must be evolutionary, adding value to existing plans and responsive to on-going changes It will be collaborative but must act as a framework and reference point for other more detailed plans It must be inclusive, speaking to all places across the North but ‘asymmetrical’ in its treatment of different themes It must NOT be: statutory, comprehensive, local, vanilla, name- checking exercise.

6. WHO BY? WHO WITH? WHO FOR? The Great North Plan will be developed ‘bottom-up’ – by the North and for the North – as a voluntary, strategic collaboration including: Local and combined authority leaders, members of parliament Businesses and business groups including LEPs Universities and other public bodies The general public and civil society organisations It must also speak to wider audiences not least investors such as: Central government Corporate finance and foreign investors The EU and other international institutions This can only be achieved through repurposing the plan in a variety of ways …

7. THE ‘PURPOSES’ OF A GREAT NORTH PLAN Establishing a vision Attracting investment Enhancing collaboration Galvanising action The plan needs to set out a clear vision statement for the North of England – based on a small number of cross-cutting themes. These need to be readily understood by everybody. The plan needs to act as a ‘prospectus’ identifying real economic, social and environmental opportunities to potential investors. The plan must encourage vertical and horizontal co- ordination around a series of key drivers of sustainable development for national and local policy-makers, delivery agencies and businesses The plan must be supported by a clear action plan involving multiple stakeholders, designated resources, and with clear accountability mechanisms … a suite of interlinked documents

8. DISCUSSION GROUPS – ROUND 1 a)Do you agree with the principles and purposes of the Great North Plan set out here? b)If not, how would you like to see them changed? c)Which of the purposes should have the highest priority in terms of time and resource?

9. VISION STATEMENT Suggested to 2050 Three possible / example themes: ECONOMY – changing the historical conception of the role of the north in the national and global economy SUSTAINABILITY & RESILIENCE – founded on principles of ‘good growth’ and environmental sustainability PLACE – every place understanding its economic, social and environmental purpose and playing its part Reviewed every 10 years

10. A NORTHERN ‘PROSPECTUS’ ‘Glossy’ representation of vision and key elements of development drivers (see above) Includes visual ‘masterplan’ – a Map for the North Reviewed and refreshed every 2-3 years Developed by marketing / inward investment people

11. ENHANCING COLLABORATION Building on the current plans of the TfN Northern Transport Strategy Series of plans and layered maps of high-level drivers of development: Connectivity & transport – passenger, freight, digital (NTS) Economic growth opportunities – innovation hubs, sector strengths, supply chains, infrastructure sites (NIER) Green infrastructure – energy, water, waste Population change – growth hubs, coldspots, scenarios and implications for housing & communities Recreational assets – tourism, culture, quality of life Could include scenario-planning and indicative costs and benefits Could be expressed as a Northern Infrastructure Plan updated annually with clear projects and priorities NB. To exclude detailed land use planning, housing, public services – it can’t include everything!

12. DISCUSSION GROUPS – ROUND 2 a)How would you cast a vision for the North for 2050? b)After transport, what are the greatest priorities for pan-northern collaboration? c)Which issues should NOT be addressed in a Great North Plan?

13. ACTION – DELIVERY - GOVERNANCE Three-year rolling action plan setting out key actions for a wide range of stakeholders Baseline / milestones for development Overseen by strategic planning group – perhaps with some element of democratic accountability / visibility cf. Transport for the North Annual ‘Northern Summit’ to evaluate progress

14. TAKING THE GREAT NORTH PLAN FORWARD Needs to be developed with some speed and momentum (by April 2017) Needs to draw upon good examples: China, Netherlands, Scotland Options for development: Vision: a competition – broad parameters set at Northern Summit Collaborative plan options: o Technical group – planners, universities, key stakeholders, local and central government o A dedicated ‘commission’ led by an influential northerner Key issue: development costs / funding NEXT MILESTONE: Blueprint for a Great North Plan – Spring

15. DISCUSSION GROUPS – ROUND 3 a)Should we take forward the development of a Great North Plan? If so, then how? b)How fast should we move forward with this initiative? c)What resources could your organisation commit to its development?