With the fastest productivity growth of any UK region and an economy worth £466 billion, the North of England has come together today to present a compelling, unified offer to global investors.
The inaugural Great North Investment Summit, taking place in Leeds, marks the launch of a major new pipeline of investable opportunities spanning cities, towns, and growth corridors across the region.
For the first time, mayors, and civic leaders from across the North are aligned behind a single, investor‑ready proposition, developed through the Great North partnership and in close collaboration with the Office for Investment (OfI). The partnership is chaired by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness. Commenting on the pipeline, McGuinness said:
"We launched The Great North with a simple ambition: that by working together, the North of England could become greater than the sum of its parts. Today we are turning that ambition into action – taking steps to unlock prosperity across the North with billions of investment and the potential to create thousands of high-skilled, well-paid jobs for our communities.
“We are presenting investors with a pipeline of opportunities that is internationally significant in scale, rooted in our proud industrial identity of making things and taking them across the world. Mayors we are putting our money where our mouth is, to unlock the full potential of the North which has been untapped for too long.”
The newly launched prospectus showcases:
- A region of 16 million people
- More than £14 billion of transformative projects
- Globally competitive strengths in clean energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, artificial intelligence, life sciences, and the creative industries
The ambition is clear: to position the North not as a collection of individual opportunities, but as a single economic powerhouse capable of driving national growth and attracting long‑term international investment.
The prospectus follows the Government’s decision over the weekend to explore a future UK Olympic and Paralympic Games bid centred on the North of England. The move is seen as a potential catalyst for large‑scale regeneration, infrastructure investment, and global profile – responding directly to a call made by Northern mayors and leaders earlier this year.
Together, the Olympic ambition and the investment prospectus signal a step‑change in how the North engages with Government and the global investment community.
Backed by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the prospectus is formally launched at today’s Summit, which is being delivered in partnership with NatWest and the Office for Investment.
The event brings together:
- Northern Mayors and regional leaders
- Treasury Minister Dan Tomlinson
- Minister for Local Government Alison McGovern
- Senior voices from business and finance
The Summit reflects a decisive shift in how the North presents itself to the world – as a co‑ordinated, confident, and investable region, working collectively with Government to unlock long‑term prosperity.
Delivering the investment priorities set out in the prospectus could create tens of thousands of new jobs across the North of England, supporting communities, accelerating regeneration, and helping to drive national renewal.
For public‑sector leaders, investors, and policymakers alike, the Great North Investment Summit represents a clear message: the North is open, aligned, and ready to grow.
Image credit: iStock
