THE north's second most populated local authority has laid out an ambitious roadmap to rejuvenate its economy around its strength areas of agri-food, health and life sciences, and advanced manufacturing.
The framework from Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Council not only focusses on a sharp and swift recovery from the Covid pandemic, but outlines recommendations for the next three years and how the borough can forge a path to future inclusive growth.
And despite a myriad of roadblocks, contributors at the online launch of the blueprint praised the "remarkable resilience" of the people in the borough, an industrial and food heartland which contributes almost £4 billion (about 10 per cent) to the whole of the north's economy, and which saw 245 business start up during the pandemic.
Councillor Brian Pope, who chairs the council’s economic development and regeneration committee, said:
“While we are aware of the challenges we face in the short term, we are excited about the possibilities for this borough in the years ahead.
“There are so many creative options in the plan, and we'll go forward with a sense of optimism, despite the current difficulties which the wider economy is facing.”
He said ABC Council has been working with key partners to help support the borough during the pandemic, but going forward a key issue would be collaboration with organisations like Invest NI, Tourism NI and Regional Colleges NI.
As well as looking at short term supporting actions in the context of Covid-19, in particular finance and funding opportunities for businesses, the document pinpoints long term growth initiatives to advance productivity, local innovation, and inward investment.
It sets out a series of aims such as boosting tourism and footfall in towns, and delivering support to business of all sizes, as well as longer-term interventions which will boost efficiency and competitiveness.
The framework emphasises the regional focus on driving economic investment for Northern Ireland around key sectors where the borough already excels and which, with support to improve skills, connectivity, and productivity, can become global exemplars.
Agri-food is one of ABC's economic backbones, with the region seen as the north's ‘food heartland’, but many players in the sector are due an operational/technological overhaul. It is less volatile than other sectors if and when the focus can move beyond commodity into branded premium for export markets.
The borough's health and life sciences sector has steady growth potential with limited volatility, and while it still lacks scale as a genuine ABC ‘cluster’, it has the potential to be a centre of excellence for life sciences in the north.
The document also addresses the need for a specific focus on the case for investment in sustainable roads and rail infrastructure, for urban regeneration and rural development; for education and training to upskill the talent pool; for support of technological developments and investment in manufacturing research & development; and a commitment to driving regional competitiveness through the development of a start-up and innovative business ecosystem.
