North West views: DTM Legal’s Richard Thomas on the Northern Powerhouse

With the government’s vision of creating a Northern Powerhouse commanding the attention of the North West business community, particularly in the wake of the UK Northern Powerhouse International Conference & Exhibition, at Bdaily we’ve decided to run a new series of interviews to establish just what the region’s business leaders think of the plans.

Is the North West set for an overhaul in the coming years – one to turn the region into a true example of economic empowerment through business growth, job creation and prosperity?

Today we caught up with Richard Thomas, a partner at North West law firm DTM Legal.

What does the Northern Powerhouse mean to you?

The Northern Powerhouse is a major opportunity to improve and strengthen the economic performance of the region in the way we want to and that best suits the region’s economy.

This though has to go hand in hand with social improvement in terms of housing, medical facilities and care. It will be almost impossible to attract significant inward investment without having sufficient quality accommodation, excellent quality health care and appropriate social care for those people who it is intended to attract to the region to work.

Are there signs of the Northern Powerhouse starting to bear fruit in the region?

Not in terms of results but it is far too early for that. However, the enthusiasm and confidence created by the concept itself is evident and if that can be harnessed in the right way and Westminster delivers on the rhetoric then this will be a game-changer and make a significant difference now and for future generations.

Has the government done enough to convince you of its commitment to Osborne’s vision?

Not yet. The Chancellor’s commitment in the Budget to fund the HS3, trans-Pennine tunnel plans and the acceleration of upgrades to the M62 is a positive step in the right direction, but more action is needed to make the vision a reality.

There is a concentration on Leeds and Manchester at present and this view needs to be broadened and the entire area of the Northern Powerhouse involved as early as possible. His plans to improve Northern infrastructure need to move swiftly in order to maximise the enthusiasm there is for this concept, as otherwise it will be at risk of becoming yet another example of how central Government fails to deliver in the North.

Transport improvement is intrinsic to the Northern Powerhouse. Do you believe that spending billions on infrastructure will improve Northern productivity?

Not of itself no. There needs to be some smart thinking as to how best to maximise the available money to bring about real, significant and sustainable improvement. There has to be a collaborative effort across the patch to ensure that the improvements made are for the benefit of the whole of the Northern Powerhouse, from Hull to Holyhead.

Innovative ideas for coordinated transport links that don’t just serve one part of the region, but connect the whole of the region with services and facilities fit for purpose, now and into the future must be deployed. This innovation must apply to the public sector as well in how it ensures these projects are not held back and are actually propelled forward to completion.

This will obviously require a groundbreaking change of culture, but there is no reason why this cannot be achieved once everyone appreciates the true difference it would make.

Are there any other areas which you believe money should be spent on, ahead of transport?

I think transport links are the cornerstone of this process, but that does not mean we should lose sight of all other aspects where improvements could be achieved.

The digital landscape can be improved significantly to facilitate higher quality and more widely available communication and internet access. Steps can also be taken to remove the bars to growth in terms of red tape and bureaucracy, for example planning procedures.

This doesn’t cost money in terms of capital investment but a bit of common sense applied across the board to ensure consistency and predictability for businesses will make a huge difference.

While Manchester is a key city in the government’s vision, do you think enough is being done to cater for other important North West towns and cities?

No, and the risk is that the Northern Powerhouse concept morphs into the Manchester Metropolis project.

The maximum benefit will not be extracted from this once-in-a-generation opportunity unless the improvements are implemented throughout the full extent of the Northern Powerhouse region, ensuring that the plans for the constituent parts are coordinated and designed to interact and complement each other rather than compete.

For all our latest Northern Powerhouse news and views, click here. Share your views and get involved with our latest interview series by contacting North West editor Richard at richard.bell@bdaily.co.uk