TO BE PUBLISHED October 2026
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This conference will examine next steps for the Northern Growth Corridor, focusing on priorities and practical considerations for infrastructure delivery and governance - with the new Prime Minister indicating ambitions to further devolve power to regions and support growth across the North of England.
Taking place in the context of the Northern Growth Strategy, areas for discussion include key issues for development of the Corridor moving forward, looking at addressing the productivity gap and skills needs, improving transport and connectivity, and supporting regeneration, densification and place-making through regional approaches and national planning reform.
Attendees will consider implications for investment and operational decisions across the North, with discussion on devolution and local leadership, project timelines and delivery challenges, and what is needed to accelerate industry-led economic growth in the region.
Major transport & connectivity
Sessions will examine latest thinking on practical issues for strategic transport delivery across the Corridor and implications of recent national developments, looking at how major programmes and local schemes interact and how this can align with ambitions to improve connectivity to jobs, skills and regional growth support.
Areas for discussion include:
- key developments: Transpennine Route Upgrade - Northern Powerhouse Rail programme - implications of the Northern Powerhouse Rail Bill announced in the 2026 King’s Speech
- connectivity: strategies for east-west and intra-regional improvement - local-regional network alignment
- linking infrastructure: strengthening passenger, freight and supply-chain links between towns, ports and the North's key growth clusters
- funding: priorities for the £15.6bn Transport for City Regions Fund - allocation, distribution, long-term planning and targeting transport modernisation - programme delivery practicalities
- community benefit: connecting towns and cities to jobs, skills and growth opportunities - supporting regeneration and housing growth - expanding labour market catchments
Infrastructure investment, planning & delivery
The agenda will examine how infrastructure and regeneration projects align with the Northern Growth Strategy, considering practical issues for planning and delivering a pipeline of major projects in the North, assessing scheme viability, and looking at options for tackling challenges in co-ordination, planning and construction.
We expect discussion on:
- deliverability: questions around commercial models - supply chain and workforce capacity - affordability - investor confidence - timescales
- finance and funding: deployment of the £2.3bn City Investment Fund packages to address viability gaps - allocation of devolved Integrated Settlements and Local Growth funds
- effective sequencing: approaches and lessons from past funding models - the role of bodies such as NISTA and the National Wealth Fund - implications of recent planning reform
- large-scale housing developments: new town proposals at Victoria North in Manchester and Leeds South Bank - priorities for utilities provision, stewardship models and commercial mix
- co-ordination: connections to housing, Industrial Strategy Zones and economic clusters - spatial planning alignment with Corridor priorities
Devolution, local leadership & regeneration
The role of local and regional authorities in shaping delivery will also be considered, including funding distribution and co-ordination with national bodies, as well as further priorities under the new Prime Minister, and how recent and forthcoming devolution measures might affect financing and governance powers.
Areas for discussion include:
- policy changes: new measures in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act 2026 - ongoing local government reorganisation - proposed Overnight Visitor Levy Bill - future fiscal devolution levers
- local impact: how policy changes will impact regeneration, infrastructure delivery, economic growth and outcomes for public services across the Corridor
- governance: alignment of Local Growth Plans with national priorities - priorities for combined authorities, mayors and Mayoral Development Corporations - governance arrangements
- planning tools: Spatial Development Strategies - Community Infrastructure Levy - role of devolved transport powers - proposed devolution of Transport and Works Act Orders
- place-making: addressing viability gaps - City Investment Funds and priorities for place-based investment - the Mayoral Revolving Growth Fund and promoting city-centre densification
- community benefit: implications of regeneration schemes for inclusive growth, housing affordability, employment and supply chain opportunities - extending benefits across towns and communities
- visitor economy: developing national parks and heritage sites
Priority sectors, innovation & scaling
Delegates will consider how to strengthen the North’s growth-driving sectors and emerging clusters, with a focus on the practical levers for scaling high-value industries.
Attendees will consider:
- IS-8 sectors: driving developments across high-potential industries in the North such as advanced manufacturing and clean energy - key factors affecting planning and delivery
- investment: British Business Bank’s role in supporting innovation - growth finance for SMEs, scaling businesses and high-value industries - Local Innovation Partnerships Fund deployment
- R&I: utilising pathways to strengthen research commercialisation - fostering university-industry links - promoting innovation adoption
- partnership models: collaboration between local leaders, industries, universities and communities - approaches to joint delivery to strengthen business and innovation across the Corridor
Skills & productivity
The conference will also examine priorities for reducing productivity gaps across the North, improving business investment and strengthening the pipeline of skilled talent needed to support growth sectors.
Areas for discussion include:
- skills provision: aligning with regional economic priorities - joint working between key stakeholders - national apprenticeships reform - early lessons from adult skills devolution
- addressing shortages: targeted educational and vocational pathways for developing local talent - enhancing measures to increase graduate retention
- economic performance: promoting labour market participation and reducing economic inactivity - strategies for improving business competitiveness and innovation adoption
- productivity: addressing regional and intra-regional productivity gaps - the role of Mayors and public bodies in attracting private capital into to high-productivity sectors
All delegates will be able to contribute to the output of the conference, which will be shared with parliamentary, ministerial, departmental and regulatory offices, and more widely. This includes the full proceedings and additional articles submitted by delegates. As well as key stakeholders, those already due to attend include officials from the Active Travel England; Competition and Markets Authority; Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade; Department for Education; Department for Transport; Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government; National Audit Office; National Wealth Fund; Office for Investment; and Office of Rail and Road.
