Other Publications
This section covers all the main documents and strategies that New Economy has published. These include the Manchester Independent Economic Review and the Multi-Area Agreement – both pre-cursors to the Greater Manchester Strategy and the Statutory City Region.
Archived material, produced before 2008, will be made available from the archive page. Updated and new key documents will be loaded onto this section of the website.
Strategic Opportunities for Manchester Airport
November 2011
Produced on behalf of the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities (AGMA), this report identifies opportunities available to Manchester Airport to maximise its contribution to Greater Manchester’s economic development.
Key findings include:
- More than 19,000 people are employed onsite at Manchester Airport, earning around £250 million per year.
- As growth continues at the Airport it is essential that transport links are able to accommodate this, as well as being able to facilitate the shift patterns that mean employees require transport 24/7.
- In the short to medium term, it will be important to continue expanding the number of low cost flights by airlines such as Easyjet, Jet2.com and Ryanair. There is also evidence of an unmet need for increased long haul flights to destinations in emerging economies such as India and China.
14-19 Education and Training: Greater Manchester’s Performance
October 2011
This report provides an update of progress against the priorities agreed by the Sub-Regional Group (SRG) in the context of economic conditions and forecast future trends and the significant change in the national and local policy landscape.
The reports finds that:
- There is increasing employer demand for higher level skills in all sectors, which means good educational attainment and skills accumulation are an ever more necessary condition for young people to realise their potential.
- The 14-19 policy landscape is also undergoing significant and structural change, with not only sharp reductions in funding, but responsibilities being modified and shifting between organizations and authorities.
- Turning to the progress GM has made against the ten agreed priorities, the picture for GM as a whole is positive, however there are some districts which lag behind on several indicators, and progress is far from uniform and universal across all of the indicators specified.
Advanced Manufacturing in Greater Manchester
October 2011
The Advanced Manufacturing report focuses on the sector’s 38,000 employees within Greater Manchester, who account for almost a quarter of all manufacturing employees.
It highlights how Greater Manchester has a strong base of profitable, innovative and internationally competitive advanced manufacturers – but it warns the sector will not be the panacea for employment growth that many hope it will be.
The reports main conclusions are:
- Manchester has a higher number of employees within the advanced manufacturing sector than all UK comparator cities outside Birmingham, and has more manufacturers engaged in the most advanced forms of high-technology manufacturing than all other comparator cities outside London.
- Advanced manufacturing is evidently an area in which Greater Manchester can compete globally. However, a large proportion of its advanced manufacturing companies are internationally owned and, with decision-making often taking place elsewhere, it is important to recognise the international nature of the sector.
- Many of Greater Manchester’s advanced manufacturers believe they face a distinct disadvantage to direct competitors in Europe, in terms of access to public sector support, grants, subsidies, growth assistance and premises.
- The sector can offer important diversity for Greater Manchester’s economy – significantly adding to its resilience and productivity – but it is unlikely to generate new net employment even in areas of the region where manufacturing remains the largest sector.
- Advanced Manufacturing Report (265kb)
Manchester Science Review released
September 2010
This report finds that Manchester’s concentration of world-class scientific strength is well positioned to support the government’s ambitions to boost the effectiveness of government funded science and research activity.
The landmark review of Manchester’s science and innovation capacity, chaired by NESTA Chief Executive Jonathan Kestenbaum, and carried out by SQW, reported on how Manchester’s research and innovation assets align with the research priorities of government departments and national research councils.
The Report found that:
- Manchester has the density of world class scientific strength in areas similar to those in which government departments and national research councils invest
- The reports highlights the unique combination of assets along Corridor Manchester which include the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, NHS Hospitals, incubator and science park facilities
- Science investment is vital in driving the future growth of the Manchester economy and this in turn would play a meaningful role in the further development of the UK’s scientific base and driving the growth needed to secure a robust economic recovery.
- The report looks at how relocation decisions are taken and concludes that both in principle and in practice, there should be scope for more intensive conversations about how these could be taken forward in ways which would benefit Manchester and thereby the UK
The Report also notes that research organisations within Manchester were responsible for almost 6% of all UK research publications between 2006 and 2008. 40% of these were produced with foreign collaborators, indicating the quality and depth of work.
- Manchester Science Review (526kb)
- Manchester Science Review: Annexes (643kb)
New Economy research released on attracting and retaining innovative entrepreneurs
June 2010
This report, carried out by New Economy for the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA), finds that Manchester would be better at attracting and retaining innovative entrepreneurs if it improved its image in other parts of the UK, and was better able to connect its large base of talented residents with successful small and medium sized businesses.
The report finds that there is an apparent mismatch between the perceptions of those entrepreneurs that successfully live and work in Manchester and many of those who have never been to the city; especially amongst senior executives and those in the South. A perceived lack of senior executive level talent locally could be seen to make it difficult to hire top people and limit the quality of networking opportunities for entrepreneurs. The report recommends that the public and private sector should work together on a coherent and sustainable marketing and ‘sense of place’ policy which would improve perceptions of the city as a place to live and work and better promote its achievements.
Furthermore, the interviews reveal that existing efforts to connect potential talent to the local labour market could be better co-ordinated and promoted, and highlights the importance of fostering better links between universities and business. The report also recommends further efforts to increase the take-up and supply of internships, which were almost universally welcomed by businesses.
Greater Manchester Strategic Housing Market Assessment
May 2010
The Greater Manchester Strategic Housing Market Assessment explores the issues affecting housing markets in Greater Manchester and identifies future housing requirements, placing AGMA in an informed position to develop a strategic framework that will direct growth, investment and intervention to ensure delivery of the required housing offer. This research compliments and adds to work conducted at individual Authority-level as well as the regional assessment completed for 4NW.
We acknowledge that the economic climate has changed significantly since the original report was written and although the majority of the data, findings and recommendations hold true an update report has now been produced. Both documents are attached below.
- Greater Manchester Strategic Housing Market Assessment Update – May 2010 (756kb)
- Greater Manchester Strategic Housing Market Assessment – December 2008 (10681kb)
Greater Manchester Green Roof Feasibility Study
August 2009
This report looks at the feasibility of a conurbation-wide Green Roof Programme for Greater Manchester.
The brief for the Feasibility Study includes the following two-fold purpose:
- To scope and propose a work programme for a Greater Manchester green roof project that, upon implementation, will result in the increased installation of green roofs across Greater Manchester. This is to include green roof feasibility studies for five existing buildings within the City of Manchester to act as demonstrator projects; and
- To produce a Greater Manchester green roof guidance document.
Download the Greater Manchester Green Roof Feasibility Study – Part 1 (1102kb)
Also available:
Greater Manchester Green Roof Guidance (2505kb)
Manchester Independent Economic Review
April 2009
The Manchester Independent Economic Review is the first independent review of its kind. All of the reports produced by the Review, as well as the final Reviewer’s Report are available here.
Please note: this link takes you out of the New Economy website.
Greater Manchester Strategic Enterprise Framework 2009 – 2011
February 2009
The GM Strategic Enterprise Framework 2009 – 2011 sets out a framework for business engagement and interaction, and New Economy’s strategic direction for enterprise. The priorities set out in this document have now been incorporated into the Greater Manchester Strategy.
Download the Greater Manchester Strategic Enterprise Framework 2009 – 2011 (1735kb)
Greater Manchester Rural Economic Baseline
September 2008
New Economy (operating as Manchester Enterprises) commissioned EDAW to undertake a baseline study of the rural environment in Greater Manchester. The baseline work aims to provide an improved understanding of the dynamics within rural areas and help inform and guide economic policy and strategy development.
The study has been funded by the Northwest Regional Development Agency.
Download the Greater Manchester Rural Baseline Executive Summary (1170kb)
Also available:
Section 1: Content and Introduction (2044kb)
Section 2: Strategic Review (1109kb)
Section 3: Stakeholder Consultation (1423kb)
Section 4.1 & 4.2: Data Analysis (5582kb)
Section 4.4 & 4.5: Data Analysis (472kb)
Section 5: SWOT and Strategic Direction (1043kb)
Additional Economic Benefits of Metrolink
August 2008
This report quantifies the economic benefits of the 2008 proposed Manchester Metrolink expansion that are over and above those benefits valued by conventional transport appraisal methods. Conventional appraisals show the investment in Metrolink to be value for money yet, as this paper summarises, there remain important additional benefits which must be considered. The additional economic benefits of the Metrolink improvement are broken down into three types: move to more productive jobs, pure agglomeration (together known as agglomeration benefits – these occur when a high geographic concentration of economic activity leads to higher productivity), and house price impacts. Together agglomeration benefits would create about 3,200 new jobs in the city region by 2026 and would deliver additional economic output of £159 million.
An increase in the total value of Greater Manchester Housing stock of between £295 and £515 million is anticipated. House prices would be expected to rise by between 0.4% and 5.4% (£3,000 to £12,000) in the areas where the Metrolink would pass through, which include Aston under Lyne, East Didsbury, Wythenshawe, Manchester Airport, Oldham, Rochdale and Trafford Park. Part of the basis of this valuation increase is time savings on journeys of between one and fifteen minutes.
Download the Additional Economic Benefits of Metrolink (6673kb)
Manchester Multi-Area Agreement
June 2008
Manchester’s Multi-Area Agreement has now been incorporated into the Statutory City Region Agreement (3333kb) signed by the Greater Manchester ten local authorities and Government in November 2009.
Download the Manchester Multi-Area Agreement (2291kb)
