Member Article

Northern Powerhouse or Northern Power cut: Northumbria University to host January debate

North East professionals will be given the opportunity to voice their opinion on the pros and cons of the Northern Powerhouse in a joint Institutional Great Debate, held at Northumbria University next month, as development bodies from across the region come together.

RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors), RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects), ICE (Institution of Civil Engineers), RTPI (Royal Town Planning Institute), CECA (Civil Engineering Contractors Association) and the Land Institute (LI) will discuss how the regional land, property and construction industry can match the vision of the Northern Powerhouse.

The government’s Northern Powerhouse initiative aims to redress the North-South economic imbalance, and to attract investment into the North and create 50,000 jobs by the end of the next parliament.

Underlying this is the need to devolve powers from central government to the northern regions so that decisions to invest in and improve housing, transport and economic development, are taken at a level where it is best understood what is needed to boost the regional economy.

Geoff White, RICS Policy Manager, North & Midlands commented: “Thousands of our members and other built environment professionals will be integral to creating more great places to live, work and play, and ensure Northern economies and communities thrive in the future. Housing, roads, rail, offices, factories, schools, colleges, hospitals and leisure centers – they can’t be delivered without built environment professionals.

“This event will provide an opportunity for the institutions and their members to voice their support, or otherwise, of the government’s devolution programme in general and the Northern Powerhouse in particular. Will it all work, how will it work, and how can we help it to work?”

Held on Tuesday 26 January from 6pm-8pm in The Great Hall (Sutherland Building) at Northumbria University, the ‘North East Institutional Great Debate - Northern Powerhouse or Northern Powercut’, will be chaired by Ian Wylie Editor of Northern Correspondent.

Panellists include Philip Barnes, Group Land and Planning Director at Barratt Developments PLC, David Roberts, Deputy Chief Executive at igloo Regeneration and Noel Farrer, President of the Landscape Institute. Also on the panel will be Ross Smith, Director of Policy at the North East Chamber of Commerce and Jonathan Spruce, Chair of ICE’s Expert Panel on Transport.

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