The Sub Region &
Evidence Base

Key Facts

A report commissioned by the partnership and prepared by GVA Grimley (West Cheshire / North East Wales Sub Regional Study 2004) recognised the key strengths of the area:

  • A successful, prosperous and largely self-contained sub-region, with low unemployment, increasing economic activity and rising average GDP and where 83% of all journeys begin and end within the sub-region
  • A strong, stable ‘critical mass’ of population of 890,000, particularly those of working age (25-64)
  • A diverse economy including aerospace, automotive, chemicals, financial services, food, engineering and tourism/retail
  • A strong employment land supply, including Wrexham Industrial Estate, Chester Business Park and Deeside Industrial Park with further new developments proposed, including Wirral Waters and Northern Gateway on Deeside
  • Well connected to national and global markets and part of a ‘dynamic growth corridor’ from Dublin to Sweden
  • 203,992 dwellings in 2001, which represents an 8.8% rise in the housing stock on 1991. Housing growth exceeds the national level (7%)
  • Well connected to the national and international motorway and trunk road networks including Euroroute 22, providing access to airports and ports, and rail accessibility to the main urban settlements. 
  • The City of Chester’s ‘gilt-edged profile’ in terms of economic and tourism offer, and Wrexham’s role as major regional retail centre and principal urban centre in North Wales
  • High environmental quality of the sub-region including internationally significant nature conservation area at the Dee Estuary, with nationally important designations at the Mersey Estuary and Clwydian Range

Commissioned Reports

Further Regional and Sub-Regional Studies

The North East Wales / West Cheshire Sub-Regional Spatial Strategy

The North East Wales / West Cheshire Sub Regional Spatial Strategy was produced in 2006 and evolved from six years of partnership working and a Study undertaken by GVA Grimley in 2004. Its purpose is to provide a non-statutory framework for greater cross-border co-operation and development between North East Wales and West Cheshire over the next 15 years (2006-21), and to inform the Wales Spatial Plan and the North West Plan.

The Strategy won the North West’s Best Strategic Planning Document Award at the Royal Town Planning Institute’s (RTPI) Regional Planning Achievement Awards 2007.

Winner of the North West’s Best Strategic Planning Document Award 2007

The Strategy encompasses a core area of Chester and Ellesmere Port and Neston in England, with Flintshire and Wrexham in North Wales, though a ‘wider reference area’ was identified that includes Denbighshire, the Wirral and the Frodsham-Helsby sub-area of Vale Royal, Warrington and Halton.

The strategy provides an excellent framework for MDA strategic planning, whilst recognising that the geographical area covered by the MDA is wider than that of the spatial strategy. In particular the MDA has regard to the relevant Wirral and Denbighshire strategies, which were outside the core area of the North East Wales, West Cheshire Strategy. 

The strategy has been through a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), which included consultation with the public and consultation authorities, and provided detail about the way the strategy should be delivered. This indicates measures that should be taken to monitor the significant environmental effects of the plan. Delivering the Strategy with reference to the SEA is important as it ensures that the principles of sustainable development are taken forward.

The Sub-Regional Spatial Strategy is supported by a more detailed framework of principles, relating to key areas such as housing, the economy, the environment, transport and leisure and tourism. The main spatial strands of the Strategy are:

  • Supporting the existing strategic centres within the sub-region;
  • Focusing on areas in need of regeneration;
  • Enhancing links between areas of opportunity and areas of need;
  • Placing emphasis on existing and future roles of settlements and centres within the sub-region.

Regional Observatories