Liverpool highlights a key issue for UK cities.
Some of the post-war neighbourhoods with the best accessibility are also the least dense.
These are the places policy needs to target for densification.
Join our launch event to find out how👇
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Who is most exposed to the energy price shock?
Derby tops the list, with 12% of jobs in energy-intensive industries, followed by Sunderland on 11%.
The expansion of BICS will matter most in places like these 👇
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📈 Over the last decade, Wakefield has been one of the UK’s cities where output and disposable income have grown faster than the national average.
Read more👇
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Manchester has a similar population to Kyiv, Rome and Warsaw within 20km.
But within 5km it is much smaller.
Looking only at total population misses what matters most for agglomeration: density close to the centre👇
📆 Join us on Thursday for the launch of our latest research investigating how density in UK cities compares to counterparts in France and Japan, revealing priority areas for delivering denser housing.
Register your place 👇
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One striking detail from Wakefield: 52 per cent of new jobs created over the last decade were in logistics and manufacturing.
These sectors matter for growth, but because they are mostly out of centre, the spillovers are weaker👇
British big cities have less dense urban cores than similarly sized cities abroad.
British cities can look large on a 13km ring. But within 4.5km of the centre, they have far fewer homes than similar French and Japanese cities👇
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Wakefield's jobs in logistics and manufacturing tend to be outside the city centre📍
This limits the multiplier effects they generate and weakens demand for additional goods and services👇
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Britain’s big cities are not too dense.
The issue is where density sits.
Manchester and Leeds can look large on a 20km population ring, but they have far fewer homes near the centre than comparable cities abroad👇
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The map of what's driving Wakefield's economy. Good illustration of the risks and rewards of out-of-town offerings.
Blog sets out Wakefield's promising plans to bolster the city centre and bring some of that economic activity inwards.
Wakefield offers a useful lesson in urban economic change.
Logistics and manufacturing have helped drive jobs growth and higher living standards.
But because these jobs are mostly outside the centre, the high street sees less of the gain👇
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Recent debate on the National Living Wage has focused on employers, workers and youth rates.
But local labour markets matter too.
Future decisions on the wage floor should account for the geography of pay across UK cities👇
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Across the UK, firms with international founders receive around £19 million per equity deal on average, versus £9 million for firms with only domestic founders.
That gap matters for places trying to grow more high-potential businesses👇
Funding is a big part of the story.
The new £2.3bn City Investment Fund includes £1.7bn for mayors in the North’s largest city regions, aimed at unlocking development and supporting denser city centres👇
Percentage levies do more to support growth.
They rise with demand, capture more from higher value stays and hold up better against inflation.
That creates a clearer incentive to grow and reinvest👇
International founders are involved in about 38% of UK equity deals, despite foreign citizens making up less than 10% of the population.
The challenge for Industrial Strategy is that this is concentrated in only a few cities👇
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Cities are moving more clearly to the centre of the Government’s growth strategy.
Recent announcements on the North, investment funds, new towns and reform all point in the same direction: a more urban approach to growth👇
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📆9th April
Everything you need to know about what the Integrated National Transport Strategy means for England’s big cities and metro mayors, how it connects with the Government’s broader devolution agenda, and what questions remain unanswered👇
Join the Centre for Cities team! #hiring
We are looking for a highly organised person interested in being part of the fast-paced world of policy and research by supporting the Chief Executive and Head of Finance & Operations as well the events team👇
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Flat rate visitor levies may look simpler.
In practice they risk being less fair to visitors and weaker for growth.
Our new blog explains why👇
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New York City is legalising ADUs and making them easier to build with clear rules, standard designs and finance support.
Our latest blog looks at what British planners could learn from that approach👇
New | The National Living Wage has risen to £12.71
But the same national rate means very different things in different cities.
In many places outside the Greater South East, it already sits above two-thirds of the local median wage👇
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Looking for a research or think tank internship?
@centreforcities.bsky.social have opened appns for their 4-month Economic Research Internship where you will get the chance to undertake qualitative and quantitative research on UK cities and towns.
Apply here: bit.ly/4ccAnqV
Debt does not follow the same geography as equity.
While more than 80% of equity finance goes to urban firms, debt is split almost evenly between urban and rural areas.
That has implications for the Government’s SME finance strategy👇
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Join the Centre for Cities team! #hiring
We are looking for a highly organised person interested in being part of the fast-paced world of policy and research by supporting the Chief Executive and Head of Finance & Operations as well the events team👇
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🎙️The Croydon planning experiment
@andrewcities.bsky.social is joined by Alison Coutinho and Guy Rochez who both worked for Croydon council when they were designing and implementing a new planning strategy to build more homes in the borough.
Give it a listen🎧👇
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We're #hiring!💼
This is a fantastic opportunity if you're seeking a first step in the world of policy and research. You would gain in-depth experience of a range of research duties through supporting our core research team.
Don't miss out, apply now 👇
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In Ontario, levy rates are tightly clustered.
Of municipalities with a visitor levy, 79 per cent charge 4 per cent.
This convergence happened without a provincial cap 👇
After lots of talking about Croydon as an outsider, we managed to get the creators of the Suburban Design Guide, Alison & Guy, on the @centreforcities.bsky.social podcast!!
They add so much detail to the story. I'd urge all rules-based planning enthusiasts - and sceptics - to give it a listen.
Join the Centre for Cities' team! #hiring
We are looking for a highly organised person interested in being part of the fast-paced world of policy and research by supporting the Chief Executive and Head of Finance & Operations as well the events team👇