Sub-regional

UK sub-regions and city-regions cover two or more local authority areas connected by functional links or similar challenges - for instance: travel-to-work patterns, housing growth areas, flooding, green infrastructure and efficient energy generation.

These new geographic, economic and environmental linkages extend beyond political boundaries making sub- and city-regions important spatial units at which many key aspects of sustainability can be delivered.

Local authorities are coming together and designing collaborative approaches to face current challenges - the globalisation and downturn of the economy, fundamental changes in the way we live our lives (high mobility, demographic changes, etc) - as well as the scale of the climate change challenge.

Local authorities increasingly understand the benefits and cost efficiencies of working together and are establishing new sub-regional governance and delivery structures, ranging from Multi Area Agreements (MAAs), regeneration or economic partnerships, Housing Market Pathfinders, Growth Areas, Local Delivery Vehicles, Development Companies and Corporations.

These new sub-regional structures in the UK present new opportunities for sustainability and climate change objectives to be tackled by joint action. The following are some of the sub-regional mechanisms coming into place to address these issues:

  • Sub-regional development frameworks
  • Sub-regional climate change strategies
  • Strategic flood risk assessment
  • Multi Area Agreements
  • Joint core strategies
  • Shared evidence bases for joint preparation of Local Development Frameworks

Opportunities for sub-regional or city-region joint working are described in the following options

Energy

Waste

Water

Transport

Green Infrastructure

Public Space