An ambitious approach to cross border working
Our four investment themes ensure that people, places and the environment benefit from our projects and programmes across the Borderlands region.
About the deal
The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal is an integrated investment package - this means that the Deal's core objective is to ensure that there is a balance between high profile place-based projects together with Borderlands-wide investment programmes that meet the needs and opportunities of the rural nature of the region.
The deal will bring up to £450million of fresh investment into our region, delivering benefits for the long term.
Four investment themes underpin the Deal
Enabling infrastructure | Improving places | Supporting business, innovation and skills | Encouraging green growth
Transformational projects
Our strategic approach continues with the delivery of five high profile projects, which are having a transformational impact on the area as well as the wider regional economy.
Many of our projects and programmes span more than one of our investment themes, with some contributing to all four strategic themes.
Equally important in this strategic approach are the Borderlands-wide investment programmes that are designed to ensure benefits can be realised across the whole of the Borderlands region.
Enabling infrastructure
We are investing in the infrastructure needed to support improvements in connectivity and helping people to access the region. We are doing this by:
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Improving Carlisle Station as the gateway to the Borderlands region, providing the enabling infrastructure for onward travel across Cumbria, Northumberland, the south of Scotland and beyond
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Establishing a new campus for the University of Cumbria adjacent to Carlisle station and providing the higher education infrastructure to enable the university to fulfil its potential in supporting skills development, including digital skills, across the wider region
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Achieving as close as possible to 100% coverage of digital and mobile infrastructure to enable businesses and residents to be connected in a digital world. This will include addressing gaps in provision not met by the Shared Rural Network programme and the roll-out of full fibre from the R100 programme and the UK’s F20 programme
Improving places
We are revitalising places across the Borderlands region by investing in improvements to attract people to live, work and visit. We are achieving this by:
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Bringing forward strategic projects that will transform the role and perception of places in the region
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Investing in smaller market towns to reinvigorate and repurpose towns to support thriving and sustainable communities
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Capitalising on our heritage, cultural and recreational assets to promote the region as a destination to visit and as a place to live and work
Supporting business, innovation and skills
We are stimulating business growth to create a more diverse regional economy, and recognise that innovation and skills are central to success. We are embedding this by:
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Bringing forward business sites and premises to support rural business growth
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Working with Napier University to develop a world class innovation facility in the Scottish Borders focused on mountain biking
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Engaging with local educational institutions, including SRUC and University of Newcastle, to develop new and innovative approaches to land management, including dairy and forestry
Encouraging green growth
We are capitalising on our green credentials, decarbonisation and high value job creation to support low carbon energy generation and decarbonisation. We are realising this by:
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Developing Chapelcross as the region’s clean growth strategic investment site for low carbon energy generation and energy efficient businesses
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Developing an energy masterplan to identify and then bring forward priority investments to support the transition to a low carbon economy and contribute to achieving the UK and Scottish Government targets for net zero by 2050/2045
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Capitalising on the region’s natural capital to be an exemplar for the UK in the development of new and innovative clean growth rural land management practices
Carlisle Station Gateway and Citadels
Find out more about the development of Carlisle station
Lillidorei at the Alnwick Garden
Find out more about Lilidorei
