Mayors from across the North of England have unveiled plans to drive investment in their regions.
Mayors met in Leeds, at UKReiiF 2025, the UK’s leading investment summit, to announce the new partnership which seeks to unlock the North’s economic potential, potentially adding £118 billion to the British economy through investments in key sectors including clean energy, defence and advanced manufacturing and creative industries.
The Mayors have identified a number of opportunities that they hope The Great North partnership will help them accomplish, such as:
- An energy coast proposition down the East coast powering the ‘clean energy revolution’
- The Northern Arc and White Rose Plan which are transport initiatives stretching from the North West across the Pennines into Yorkshire, anchored by investment in the Transpennine Route Upgrade
- Advanced materials and manufacturing corridors bringing together Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, with links into key neighbouring economies, or between the North East and Tees Valley
- The One Creative North partnership which will build on and boost the North of England’s creative industries, driving inward investment and economic growth, and delivering new opportunities for creatives and communities to thrive
The White Rose Plan will be of particular interest of those in Hull and East Yorkshire. The £14 billion scheme was unveiled last week by Lord Blunkett alongside West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin, South Yorkshire Mayor Oliver Coppard, and York and North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith. The plan seeks to improve transportation within Yorkshire, helping people move in, out, and within the county. Quite noticeably the list of Mayors from North, South, and West Yorkshire respectively does not include any representation from East Yorkshire however the full “Yorkshire’s plan for rail” report does state: “The newly elected Mayor for Hull and East Yorkshire will be invited to join this new collaboration in due course.”
Luke Campbell, who was elected as the Mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire on May 1 attended UKReiiF 2025 and spoke of the importance of The Great North partnership. He said: “We have a great opportunity to do things differently, and put our local communities first, thanks to devolved funding and decision-making powers.
(Image: Donna Clifford/HullLive)
“As a new Combined Authority, it’s a fantastic opportunity for Hull and East Yorkshire to join up across the North on transport and other major infrastructure projects where we can make big changes happen and improve people’s lives, by working together and locally we can make decisions with people, not for people – and show that we are totally transparent and accountable to our communities.”
The Great North, which will be chaired by the Mayor of the North East, Kim McGuinness, has received support from Angela Rayner who as well as being the Deputy Prime Minister, is the Secretary of State responsible for devolution. She said: “We are taking action to shift power out of Whitehall and into our communities, giving local leaders the tools they need to realise their areas’ potential.
“Initiatives like The Great North are critical to this – putting directly elected Mayors front and centre of exciting plans for regional collaboration, in the places they know better than anyone else, building stronger and happier communities in the process.
“The North already makes a colossal contribution to our economy and our country as a whole – but there is so much more to come. I can’t wait to see what The Great North will achieve as local partners work hand-in-hand, supported by a government that shares their ambitions.”
The Great North partnership uses the ‘Great North’ label from the Great North Run. The founder of the Great North Run, Sir Brendan Foster CBE, said: “The Great North Run grew from an idea in 1981 to become the first mass participation event in the World to reach one million finishers, thus achieving national and international fame.
“We are excited that the ‘Great North’ brand as an identity of people and place is to be used as a mark of excellence and enthusiasm by the Metro mayors of the North of England. We will support them as they aim to make the ‘Great North’ a place of opportunity by campaigning for their fair share from government, business, and tourism.”
Keep up to date with all the latest breaking news and top stories from Hull with our free newsletter