Economic Growth Strategy

Leicester and Leicestershire has undergone a transformation over the past decade – into an innovative, technology-led and knowledge economy. These new and evolving strengths, alongside existing strengths and advantages, will help us overcome the impacts of Covid-19 and challenges of the EU transition. The Leicester and Leicestershire Economic Growth Strategy sets out our ambitions, objectives and priorities for the next 10 years and is intended to be used as a commissioning document for seeking funding, allocating funding and making decisions of what to prioritise over the coming years.

Using our local capabilities, innovations and skills, we will build a productive, innovative, inclusive and sustainable economy at the cutting edge of science and technology that supports the health of the people and the planet. We will achieve this through our four strategic pillars – Productive, Innovative, Inclusive and Sustainable.

Read our Economic Growth Strategy
A robot arm on a factory production line

Productive

We aim to increase GVA and productivity, and to continue to develop a leading science and technology-led economy. Our priorities within the ‘Productive’ pillar are:

  1. Entrepreneurial, resilient and high growth businesses
  2. Attract and grow international businesses, investment and visitors
  3. Employment and skills for growth
  4. World class business locations
A lightbulb with the sun rising behind it

Innovative

We aim to become leaders in global innovation, increasing innovation activities across the whole business base. Our priorities within the ‘Innovative’ pillar are:

  1. Global innovation leadership
  2. Increase and broaden innovation activity amongst businesses
  3. Successfully pioneer and apply emerging and new technologies
  4. Innovation for sustainability
Antoine Akouete-Kuevy, young engineer

Inclusive

We aim to create a resilient, adaptive workforce where all residents have access to skills and career progression and are paid the living wage. Our priorities within the ‘Inclusive’ pillar are:

  1. Informed choices and routes to job and skills progression
  2. Improve skills and qualifications attainment and employability of the workforce
  3. Improve access to work, labour market inclusion and wellbeing at work
  4. Improve jobs quality, in-work progression and pay
Cycling along a Leicester towpath

Sustainable

We aim to become a leader in zero carbon solutions, with sustainability principles built into everything we do. This will be achieved through developing:

  1. Sustainable places, city and town centres
  2. Sustainable transport and connectivity
  3. Sustainable energy
  4. Sustainable business