Cumbria Economic Summit 2009

BUSINESS Secretary Lord Mandelson backed Cumbria to play an important role in Britain’s “green industrial revolution” during a keynote speech at the Cumbria Economic Summit 2009.

Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform, told more than 250 delegates who gathered at Sellafield Visitor Centre on Friday, February 20, that he firmly believed the UK’s move to a low carbon economy would be spearheaded by regions such as Cumbria.

He said: “Everyone recognises that driving Cumbria’s low carbon future will take a combination of building on existing strengths and attracting new investment – probably from abroad. But you are starting from a good base.”

Lord Mandelson also welcomed the publication of the Cumbria Economic Strategy and Sub Regional Action Plan. The documents have been produced by economic development agency Cumbria Vision and partner organisations in the public and private sector to set a clear direction for the County’s economic renaissance. The Cumbria Sub Regional Action Plan contains 20 priority regeneration projects** that will either progress or be completed over the next three years, and in the long term could create more than 11,000 new jobs.

He said: “Today’s launch of Cumbria’s revised Economic Strategy and Sub-Regional Action Plan is so important. What we are seeing here is a market-leader for the country as a whole.”

  Lord Mandelson's speech to the Cumbria Economic Summit 2009

To view the Cumbria Economic Strategy and Sub-Regional Action Plan click here.

Delegates from public sector organisations and local, national and international businesses gathered at the second Cumbria Economic Summit staged by Cumbria Vision. Lord Mandelson also met with representatives from big businesses in Cumbria along with major national and international companies looking to invest in the County.

The event included a roster of high profile speakers talking around those industry themes most important to Cumbria’s economic prosperity. For copies of presentations and audio files of speeches click here.

Speakers included Dr Ian Hudson, Sellafield Programme Director, Nuclear Decommissioning Authority; George Beveridge, Deputy Managing Director, Sellafield Ltd; Duncan Burt, Customer Services Manager – Transmission Commercial, National Grid; Simon Berry, Chairman and Managing Director of English Lakes Hotels Ltd; Beverley Blevans, Contact Centre Manager (Lillyhall) Her Majesty’s Revenue & Customs; Dr Eunice Simmons, Dean of Science & Natural Resources, University of Cumbria; Cllr Tim Knowles, portfolio holder for Economy, Cumbria County Council; Andrew Tinkler, Chief Executive, Stobart Group; and Alistair Wannop, Dairy farmer and owner of Eden Golf Course. There were also speeches from Roger Liddle, Richard Greenwood, Chief Executive of Cumbria Vision, and Professor John Fyfe, international specialist in creating partnerships.

Cumbria Vision was established by the Northwest Regional Development Agency in 2005 to galvanise the public and private sector in Cumbria and create a single direction to the County’s significant regeneration agenda, which spans both urban and rural concerns.

Since then Cumbria Vision has helped to establish the University of Cumbria; completed the £40 million Rural Regeneration Cumbria programme to tackle the effects of the 2001 Foot & Mouth Disease outbreak, and progressed the Britain’s Energy Coast™ Masterplan –a £2 billion package of regeneration projects that build on West Cumbria’s nuclear expertise to create a hub for renewable energy production to serve both local communities and the UK. Other projects which have received substantial support include plans by Stobart Air Ltd to revamp Carlisle Airport, and ambitious proposals to bring a prestigious leisure and commercial development to Derwent Forest, near Cockermouth – one of the largest brownfield sites available for development in the UK.

The Cumbria Economic Summit 2009 was also be an opportunity to hear about the main issues that are likely to be addressed by the Regional Strategy – the region’s first single integrated strategy which will bring together spatial, economic, social and environmental strategies to build a new long term vision for the prosperity of the North West region. It is currently being developed by the NWDA and 4NW, the Regional Leaders Forum, together with assistance from the Regional Strategy Advisory Group, which comprises of members of the public and representatives from the private, voluntary and community sectors.

Ends

** Major projects contained within the Sub Regional Action are;

1) Carlisle Renaissance
2) Building the case of nuclear new build at Sellafield
3) Academy Schools – Barrow, Carlisle, West Cumbria and Energus, in Lillyhall
4) Waterfront Business Park, part of the Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness
5) Marina Village, part of the Waterfront Barrow-in-Furness
6) Windermere Necklace Programme
7) Penrith New Squares
8) Carlisle Airport
9) New hospital and health campus in West Cumbria 10) Port Derwent development
11) K Village, Kendal
12) Britain’s Energy Coast™ - Commercialisation programme
13) Housing Market Renewal – Barrow and West Cumbria
14) Carlisle Northern Development Route
15) Destination Cumbria – International tourism marketing campaign
16) M6 Employment Sites – Junction 44
17) Roman Maryport and Camp Farm
18) Reducing Worklessness in Cumbria
19) Kendal Canal Head
20) Lowther Castle and Gardens

Lord Mandelson delivers a keynote speech to the audience

Roger Liddle, Chair of Cumbria Vision, tells delegates Cumbria has potential to weather the economic climate


A Q&A session involving Roger Liddle, Chair of Cumbria Vision, Lord Mandelson, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform; and Bryan Gray, Chairman of the Northwest Regional Development Agency


Delegates network in the exhibition area


Andrew Tinkler, Chief Executive of the Stobart Group, impresses the need for transport and communications infrastructure investment