Place-based economic development strategy in England: Filling the missing space

Abstract

This paper examines the implications of a place-based economic strategy in the context of the UK Coalition government's framework for achieving local growth and the creation of Local Economic Partnerships in England. It draws on the international literature to outline the basic foundations of place-based policy approaches. It explores two key features, particularly as they relate to governance institutions and to the role of knowledge. After examining key concepts in the place-based policy literature, such as 'communities of interest' and 'capital city' and 'local elites', it shows how they might be interpreted in an English policy context. The paper then discusses a place-based approach towards an understanding of the role of knowledge, linked to debates around smart specialisation. In doing so, it shows why there is an important 'missing space' in local growth between the 'national' and the 'local' and how that space might be filled through appropriate governance institutions and policy responses. Overall, the paper outlines what a place-based approach might mean in particular for Central Government, in adapting its approach towards sub-national places and for local places, in seeking to realise their own potential. Furthermore, it outlines what the 'missing space' is and how it might be filled, and therefore what a place-based sub-national economic strategy might address.

Shifting paradigms: People-centred models, active regional development, space-blind policies and place-based approaches

“…The article first briefly considers these three alternatives to placebased thinking before, second, outlining the defining features and underpinning rationale permeating place-based policy and discourse. The article demonstrates how dominant place-based approaches, often guided by utilising endogenous assets, including knowledge and the institutional base associated with a particular locality, 'offers the scope for developing strategies that better represent tailor-made policy actions embedded in, and linked to the specific needs and available resources of a locality' (Hildreth and Bailey, 2014). Nevertheless, reflecting the multiplicity of place, place-based approaches, in raising questions about the relationship between scales of activity and institutional structures, are a subset of broader debates and issues concerning not only what works but also where.…”

Transforming old industrial regions: Constructing collaboration within the Black Country, England

“…Where lobbying is necessary at higher spatial scales adopted arguments may be weakened because economic underperformance can be hidden or subsumed. This has particular relevance in England given the transition from (nine) regional government areas to (39) bounded local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) during the 2010s (Hildreth and Bailey, 2014), including a Black Country LEP (Henderson, 2013). Whether emerging subnational policy frameworks are sufficient to incentivise new styles of OIR collaboration represents a future consideration.…”

“…Path influencing territorial divisions therefore continue to be identified (Harrison, 2010). In addition to tensions within the Tyne and Wear city-region of North East England (Hildreth and Bailey, 2014;Rees and Lord, 2013), attention, for example, has focused on disconnection within the German RhineRuhr regiona region which includes the historic Ruhr OIR (Grabher, 1993;Hospers, 2004;Houtum and Lagendijk, 2001;Knapp, 1998;Knapp et al, 2006).…”

The Integration of Good Governance in Effectiveness of Regional Autonomy Implementation

“…In other words a real autonomous authority is the authority that grows from the interests and aspirations of the local community, not solely established based on the bureaucracy demand or related regions (Hildreth and Bailey, 2014). Because if the establishment of the regional authority autonomy is not implemented based on the interests and aspirations of local people hence it contravenes the fact to be a responsible autonomy.…”