The publication of the North East Local Growth Plan in December 2025 marked an important milestone for the region. Developed around a clear set of priorities for economic growth, the Plan provides a framework for building on the North East's strengths while addressing challenges that could constrain future prosperity.
Behind the Plan sits a broader story about how evidence, expertise and local insight can be brought together to support regional development. Earlier in 2025, an Insights North East (INE) briefing on local growth plans highlighted the importance of place-based approaches, stakeholder engagement and the mobilisation of local expertise. These principles have informed our contribution to conversations supporting the Local Growth Plan and continue to shape our work as attention turns to implementation.
Convening Evidence and Expertise
In January 2025, INE worked with the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority to convene a discovery workshop bringing together academic specialists, policy professionals and regional stakeholders with expertise across the region's priority growth sectors.
Drawing on expertise spanning innovation, industrial strategy, productivity, skills and sector development, participants explored opportunities and barriers across areas critical to the North East's future economy, including offshore wind and renewable energy, advanced manufacturing, creative industries, life sciences, and data and digital technologies.
The workshop highlighted the value of bringing different forms of knowledge together. Alongside research evidence, discussions drew on policy experience, sector expertise and an understanding of the North East's economic context to identify opportunities for growth and the practical challenges that may influence delivery.
Understanding Growth Opportunities
Building on these insights, INE has developed a series of sector briefings exploring the opportunities, challenges and investment priorities that will shape delivery of the Local Growth Plan. These briefings, focusing on advanced manufacturing, offshore wind, life sciences and the creative sector, will be published on the North East Evidence Hub over the coming months.
While each sector has its own distinctive characteristics, the briefings highlight a number of common themes that are critical to the region's future prosperity. These include innovation and productivity, skills development, supply chain resilience, the adoption of new technologies, and the conditions needed to attract investment and support business growth.
The briefings recognise that economic growth is shaped by more than sector performance alone. Understanding how businesses, research institutions, policymakers and communities interact is essential to identifying both opportunities and constraints. By bringing together data, research evidence and stakeholder insight, the briefings aim to support informed discussion about how the North East can build on its strengths while responding to emerging economic opportunities and challenges.
Looking ahead
The development of the Local Growth Plan demonstrates the value of bringing together evidence, expertise and local knowledge when shaping regional priorities. This kind of collaboration is becoming increasingly important as new innovation and growth funding mechanisms place greater emphasis on local leadership and decision-making.
The UKRI Local Innovation Partnerships Fund, for example, is built on the principle that civic institutions, businesses and universities are best placed to identify and support innovation opportunities within their regions.
For Insights North East, this reflects a wider commitment to supporting evidence-informed decision-making across the region. By bringing together academic research, policy perspectives and practitioner insight, we aim to support a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities shaping the North East's future.
As delivery of the Local Growth Plan moves forward, INE will continue to support partners across the region with the insight, analysis and collaboration needed to inform investment, unlock opportunities and contribute to long-term prosperity.
To find out more about Insights North East and our work across the region, visit www.insightsnortheast.co.uk
