Over the past decade Hull has -
- seen billions of pounds of public and private sector investment
- cemented its place as city of culture with increases in visitors and leisure activities
- reached its highest levels of employment
Rising to face the current challenges and take advantage of Hull’s significant strengths and opportunities, we have developed the economic strategy for consultation.
The strategy provides a framework to ensure the city benefits from opportunities ahead. Its aims are to exceed previous employment, productivity, and growth levels across three interlinking themes of -
- people
- place
- productivity
People
Improving levels of employment and access to learning and skills.
- women, young people, and minority communities who have all been disproportionately affected by COVID-19 will see improved levels of employment and access to learning and skills
- in five years, Hull will have responded to the economic downturn resulting from the pandemic with employment levels going beyond previous highs
- building on Hull’s entrepreneurial spirit every young person and resident will have the opportunity to learn key enterprising skills
Place
Increasing Hull’s vibrant culture, enterprise, and creating new opportunities.
- with plans for carbon neutrality, the city will be at the forefront of innovative, low carbon, climate resilient development. Making it one of the most sustainable and greenest cities to live, learn, play and work. This builds on the platform of work laid by the Living with Water Partnership.
- the city centre’s major transformations – Albion Square, Whitefriargate, Queens Gardens, and the Maritime Project – will be boosted by continued growth in quality office accommodation, leisure and retail investments, flood protection and high-quality affordable housing.
- continuing to push its advantages of being a UK front-runner for both digital connectivity and transport links. The city will be one of the country’s leading smart cities, building on its citywide access to affordable ultrafast fibre optic broadband
Productivity
Developing a high skills economy – continuing to reduce the proportion of Hull’s working age population with no qualifications.
- our position as a major port city and part of the Humber Freeport will lead to the establishment of Hull as the UK’s Green Energy City
- continued growth in research and development along with Hull’s strengths in advanced manufacturing, trade, logistics, and the green economy will help the city exceed regional performance with GVA reaching £30,000 per head of population
- Hull’s location will see it benefitting from some of the country's best international connections, building on its trade and visitor access to Europe. Investments across transport and road systems will provide more choices, improving travel times and air quality as well as promoting active sustainable travel plans