The East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) Mayor, Claire Ward, will collaborate with No10 North to pinpoint the country's most significant strategic investment locations. This initiative is part of a wider multi-million-pound Government funding package announced by Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds, designed to unlock major industrial and commercial sites across the UK.
The Strategic Sites Accelerator programme will allocate approximately £700 million, along with expert guidance, to facilitate the development of up to 10 major sites. This aims to stimulate promising investment opportunities nationwide and attract up to £2 billion in private investment, creating tens of thousands of jobs. Mayor Ward expressed enthusiasm for the East Midlands to benefit from this scheme.
Mayor Ward, who also chairs the UK Mayors Network, stated, “Sites with strong development potential need flexible support to bring them into productive use. As Mayors, we are always looking for ways to deploy that support in a way that works for our business, places, and economies – and the Strategic Sites Accelerator meets that mark.” She added, “It will help us to bring forward strategic sites, create jobs and support a more resilient, green industrial future. I look forward to working with the Office for Investment to unlock opportunities across the East Midlands Combined County Authority (EMCCA) region.”
The Accelerator will focus on commercially viable sites with strong investor demand, where government backing can help overcome development barriers such as access to finance, grid connections, and planning constraints. It will offer support through loans, equity, targeted grants, and technical expertise, fostering collaboration between government, local partners, and developers.
Chancellor John Healey emphasised the importance of empowering local leaders, stating, “Local leaders know their communities best. Only by trusting them with real power and resources will we see change. This £700m package is helping break down the barriers to local growth, so people can feel the benefits of a growing economy and love where they live.”
Business, Innovation, Science and Trade Secretary Mr Reynolds highlighted the programme's role in addressing common barriers to investment. He said, “These are barriers that hold back investment, block new jobs, and shackle our potential, and we need to do more to empower our local leaders and help drive the growth their communities deserve and expect. This programme will get the ball rolling for up to 10 of the UK’s most important potential sites, attract billions in investment, unlock tens of thousands of good-quality jobs in the years ahead, and bring good growth to every postcode.”
The Accelerator will provide blended finance and support to Mayors and local authorities across the UK, including science parks and manufacturing sites. It will collaborate with the Office for Investment and the National Wealth Fund, with CBRE as its National Delivery Partner, to tackle specific barriers to investment and development.
This initiative marks a significant step in the Government’s Industrial Strategy, aiming to unlock sites in high-growth sectors like advanced manufacturing, digital and tech, defence, and life sciences, potentially creating jobs with salaries above the UK national average.
