Redefining the ‘Southern Powerhouse’

The Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine strategies were put in place to help overcome key barriers to productivity in the regions and make the North and Midlands great places to start and grow businesses.

However, while government still seems keen to promote the concept of the Northern Powerhouse and Midlands Engine, it will always be the case that our nation’s economic breadbasket is the South of England. There is an argument that this is where more funding in the form of business support will result in the greater return on investment.

But is there a danger that prospects for economic progress could be hindered by the inability of development to take place because of the relative paucity of funding, infrastructure investment and synchronisation, the cost of housing, the availability of people with the skills businesses require, and the planning regime?

With so much focus on the Northern Powerhouse, and indeed the increasing attention on the Midlands Engine, perhaps the South is being overlooked, with opportunities being missed as a consequence.

We want to know how significant end-users, developers, investors, and indeed planners see the shape of the region’s economy over the next few years. What changes as a consequence of environmental sustainability, the new generation coming into the workforce, the impact of technology, and changing work patterns, will our environment and communities have to accommodate?

With so much to think about, a major report commissioned by Coffin Mew will consider the implications and the necessity to sustain and develop this very important region. In a series of interviews with business owners and developers across the South, we’ll be investigating what needs to happen to make the South a powerful hub that can help support the rest of the nation.

The interviews are now being published. Please click on the images below to read the interviews. If you have any questions regarding the Southern Powerhouse project, please contact Nick Leavey.