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HOTSPOT SOUTH RIBBLE
IN ASSOCIATION WITH:
By Ged Henderson
TAKING CENTRE STAGE
We continue our road trip around Lancashire’s hotspots with a visit to South Ribble. Representatives from the worlds of business and local government came together at AMRC North West to discuss the issues that sit high on their agendas and the challenges and opportunities facing the borough
South Ribble not only sits in the heart of Lancashire geographically it is also central to the economic future of the county and the defence and security of the nation.
Defence giant BAE Systems’ Samlesbury plant is already a major employer and will play a key role in the development of the UK’s next generation fighter aircraft under the new ‘Global Combat Air Programme’ announced in December last year (See page 10).
The government’s new National Cyber Force will also be based in Samlesbury, bringing thousands more high-skilled jobs to Lancashire. It will receive £5bn of funding by 2030 and its remit will be to protect the UK from offensive cyber operations.
Add to that the £20m AMRC North West building, a recent newcomer to the Samlesbury Aerospace Enterprise Zone which is now playing a key role in driving recovery, growth, productivity and innovation, supporting Lancashire firms to compete nationally and internationally.
South Ribble is also home to some high-profile, big name businesses including commercial vehicle manufacturer Leyland Trucks, featured in our automotive sector report on page 38 and the international brewing group Budweiser, as well as well-established and successful construction and professional service firms.
Jennifer Clough, investment and skills manager at South Ribble Council, says: “Perhaps people don’t realise what we have here. We have world leading companies and this is such a vibrant area for business. We are really fortunate.”
Looking at what is in the pipeline for the borough, she adds: “It is a case of building on our success and how we take things forward and this is why these opportunities are so exciting. The key thing for me is what those opportunities represent for people who live here.”
Melissa Conlon, commercial director at AMRC North West, believes the Global Combat Air Programme and National Cyber Force represent massive opportunities for the area and its economic wellbeing.
She says: “If you look at the global combat air programme, in terms of the UK economy it is going to bring in £26bn. A substantial amount of that is going to come into Lancashire.
“The exciting thing about the programme is that it is going to accelerate the technology adoption of all of our supply chain companies, many of which are in South Ribble.
“It’s not just about accelerating technologies for the aerospace sector. Look at the other markets that can be accessed by adopting these technologies.
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