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The Regional Growth Strategy and the Deeside Plan

Published: 10/02/2017

Reports on both the Regional Growth Strategy and the Deeside Plan will be reviewed by Flintshire County Council’s Cabinet when it next meets on Tuesday 14 February. These reports illustrate how the Council is at the forefront of planning for economic growth strategy as a regional partner and in translating this into local benefits. The Council is campaigning for major infrastructure investment to support this growth including: the A494 / A55 improvements already announced by Welsh Government; a strategy for improvements to the rail network (the North Wales Metro); and an integrated package of local transport investments to tackle congestion. The Regional Growth Strategy is an ambitious plan to grow the economy of North Wales by £7.2bn by 2035 and create up to 120,000 new jobs and 37,500 new homes. The Strategy will build upon the existing strengths of the region, especially in the advanced manufacturing and energy sectors, to grow enterprise, enhance skill levels and improve infrastructure. The Regional Growth Strategy, which gives a clear direction for future economic planning, is supported by the leaders and chief executives of all six unitary authorities within the region, the North Wales Business Council, Bangor University, Glyndwr University, Coleg Cambria, Grwp Llandrillo – Menai (College) and the North Wales Economic Ambition Board. It has been made possible by collaboration and partnership working with a strong private sector involvement. Cross border working is essential to growing the North Wales economy, building the links with North West England and the wider Northern Powerhouse. There is a strong track record of partnership working across the border including, for example, the Mersey Dee Alliance campaign for improvements to the regional rail infrastructure. North Wales is working closely with both UK and Welsh Governments to deliver the aspirations contained in the Strategy. Deeside features highly in the North Wales Growth Strategy and the Deeside Plan sets out an ambitious 30 year vision for how this can be achieved locally. The Plan integrates transport, planning, economic development, housing and the environment into one vision. There are 10,000 new jobs and 1,500 new homes already forecast for Deeside. The Leader of Flintshire County Council, Councillor Aaron Shotton, said: The Regional Growth Strategy provides a clear ambition for economic growth across North Wales. Deeside Enterprise Zone is critical to the economic success of the region, however it is important that the residents of Deeside also benefit from the existing and new employment opportunities available locally. This is why the Council is also launching a Deeside Plan that sets out the future investment needs of the Deeside area; at the heart of this are calls for new and improved rail services, including new train stations at Deeside and Broughton. Transport is particularly crucial to delivering economic growth in and around Deeside. Carefully targeted investment will help the different forms of transport to link better together and will help to reduce congestion and increase parking availability. The Council is working closely with Welsh Government on the delivery of these improvements and the Deeside Plan provides an important framework to justify funding for transport improvements; Welsh Government have, for example, already agreed to support preparatory work for improvements to the cycle network in Deeside.