New analysis reveals which cities have greatest Levelling Up potential

Bradford, Wolverhampton and Coventry offer the greatest opportunities to level up, finds new analysis by zero-carbon house builder Etopia Homes.

The new research pinpoints the towns and cities in England which could make best use of the government’s levelling up funds.

The Levelling Up Opportunity Index compares the performance of the 34 largest towns and cities outside of London to identify places which might have traditionally underperformed economically up to now, but which have the size and capacity for substantial future growth.

Rather than simply considering traditional deprivation indicators, which measure need, the Index instead focuses on data around potential growth, business rates, commuting patterns and land use.

The index comes as the government is poised to launch its much-awaited levelling up white paper which will set out in what ‘levelling up’ means two years after it became the central theme of Boris Johnson’s election manifesto.

Joseph Daniels, CEO and Founder of Etopia Group, said: ‘We wanted to create an evidence base which can help Government to weigh up where it should invest levelling up funds to best drive economic growth. The Levelling Up Opportunity Index provides Government with anew lens with which to evaluate the economic potential of Britain’s largest cities and towns.

‍‘If this Government is to leave areal legacy from levelling up then it needs to be willing to take on the transformational levelling up opportunities that our index has shown exists in places like Leicester, Wolverhampton and Bradford.

‘These towns and cities all have huge potential to become self-sufficient centres of economic growth and by investing in low carbon, sustainable property development, we believe a bigger, better and more resilient economy can be delivered for these places themselves and for Britain as a whole.’

Dr Tom Arnold of the Heseltine Institute for Public Policy, Practise and Place at the University of Liverpool, commented: ‘This study gives a good indication of the economic gap between our most successful towns and cities, and those that could benefit most from targeted support to unlock their true economic potential.

‘The economic benefits of creating thriving, self-sufficient city-regions – not just for those that live there, but those who live within commuting distance – have been well understood by previous governments. Improving the economic fortunes of large towns and city-regions is crucial to the prosperity of places within commuting distance.

‘The forthcoming white paper must explain how the economic potential of city-regions across the North and Midlands can be realised. If levelling up is to be successful and if it is to be of long-term benefit to the nation, then it must clearly include levelling up the economies of places like Wolverhampton and Bradford.’

In related news, ahead of the publication of the long-awaited Levelling Up White Paper, the Institute of Economic Development (IED) is sharing new insights from economic development professionals on what is required from the UK government’s flagship policy.

Photo by Stuart Frisby