Report says Leeds '˜should not try to be London 2.0'

The Northern Powerhouse cities and combined authority regions have the best chance of attracting investment and creating jobs if they define their own destiny rather than trying to emulate London, according to new research released from Nesta, Accenture and Future Cities Catapult.

CITIE: The Northern Powerhouse Analysis is the latest instalment in a series of reports designed to help policymakers create the best environment for innovative businesses to thrive.

According to the report, cities such as Leeds should focus on what they have to offer, such as top universities and good business networks, whilst also adopting best practice from other successful, similarly-sized cities such as Oslo and Boston.

Eddie Copeland, director of government innovation at Nesta, said: “Taken as a region, the cities that make up the Northern Powerhouse represent a large and growing economy worth £289 billion in gross value added (GVA).

“The devolution agenda will soon mean that local leaders have much more say over how they support sustainability, fairness and prosperity in their cities.

“This report serves as a timely resource to help inform their thinking.”

“While the recommendations are directed to individual city regions, the report highlights the benefits that greater collaboration could bring in expanding innovation, investment and sharing of best practices.”