Market Towns Initiative

September 2016 update: Productivity Report
Following the publication of the Market Towns Initiative (MTI) report in March 2016, RSA North Fellowship Councillors embarked upon three follow-up projects. Follow: Productivity in the North for more information.

Maximising productivity is the greatest challenge for the Northern Powerhouse, but the city focus ignores the role and value of rural communities.

Outdated centralised schemes that focus exclusively on city regions and physical connectivity overlook the unprecedented changes in the way we live and work.

Commuting is inefficient but face-to-face interaction is vital for innovation so we need to find new ways of working.

New style hubs in outlying areas that provide a balance between flexibility and human interaction have been shown to significantly improve productivity and reduce environmental impact.

We started this project asking where do market towns fit in?

There is no single solution but towns can draw inspiration from global businesses by better combining resources with technological changes and new ways of working. This will strengthen their Community Capital, helping to develop productive and sustainable futures and support the overall aim of the Northern Powerhouse.

• Download: The Northern Powerhouse - where do market towns fit in? (PDF, 1MB)
• Press release: What can market towns offer the Northern Powerhouse debate?