The county of Cumbria, for many, epitomises rural England. But the Wordsworthian reverence for the Cumbrian countryside isn’t an accurate reflection of the county’s economic footprint – and its true potential.
Cumbria is home to some of the UK’s most innovative front-line industries such as nuclear, advanced material manufacturing, a growing construction sector. And that’s on top of the agricultural and tourism industries that drive economic activity across the county and generate billions of pounds in revenue. Yet this is a narrative that is rarely championed, so Cumbria doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.
However, with levelling up still firmly on the agenda and the deepening issues surrounding the price of energy, Cumbria's unique natural assets and business culture present an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on critical sectors of the national economy.
Cumbria is already home to a nuclear cluster
With the high price of natural gas and the instability in the global energy market, the domestic energy supply has become ever more vital to UK economic stability. Cumbria is a critical part of that national energy jigsaw.
Diana Richardson, CEO of Britain's Energy Coast Cluster, described its Cumbrian home as "the place where energy meets business.". This internationally recognised nuclear cluster possesses many of the vital ingredients needed to be a world leader on a host of large-scale projects. This opportunity will only get larger following the government’s announcement in the Spring Budget that it will list nuclear energy as environmentally sustainable – it’s a significant win for the county.
The UK nuclear industry is already valued at £95bn, benefiting both regional and national economies. And it’s focus on innovation means it’s a UK leader in high productivity, attracting highly skilled labour and growing at an annual rate of 2.1%.
Cumbria itself is home to Sellafield, a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and BAE Systems Submarines, which design and manufacture the UK's nuclear submarines. And while operations are beginning to ramp down at Sellafield, new collaborations with Rolls Royce will see the county attract a small modular reactor to the site in West Cumbria.4 This will bring in thousands of well-paid, highly skilled jobs and help catapult the region to the forefront of the green industrial revolution.
Similarly, BAE is set to expand its operations in the region following the Aukus deal between the UK, US and Australia, announced in March. That included £5bn investment in the Royal Navy’s submarine arm and the industry which builds and supports it. The company's shipyard at Barrow-in-Furness already employs over 10,000 people and has invested more than £1bn into developing and expanding infrastructure over the last few years. This year, it plans to put a further 1,000 early career recruits through their £25m state-of-the-art training academy.
The region can lead on renewable energy
While nuclear remains one of the critical components of the Cumbrian energy coast and the wider economy, its natural assets have enabled the region to seize the moment on renewable energy as well. Wind farms such as Walney, located 9 miles west off the coast of Walney Island, generates green electricity for almost 600,000 UK homes.
Cumbria’s topography and high tidal ranges bring tidal power into play. By collaborating and sharing best practices with those involved in tidal projects in the Mersey, the North West could accelerate its innovation, turn ambition into reality and help the region become one of the first o reap the rewards of becoming net zero.
But even with such a rich tapestry of green potential, businesses across the county repeatedly refer to the significant barriers that hold back growth. This includes connectivity to the grid, as existing transmission networks remain limited in capacity, preventing export of energy both locally and nationally. Planning is another issue – made harder by the natural beauty of the Cumbrian landscape. Like in many rural and coastal communities, the Localism Act and regional opposition in Cumbria make the issue heavily politicised and continues to be a barrier to some technologies (particularly wind).
Despite this, Cumbria continues to demonstrate its resilience to the barriers in front of it. Many CBI members that make up the vibrant business ecosystem in the region remain optimistic about the future. With its wealth of green assets and the dedicated businesses that operate there, the county has more opportunity to benefit from net zero than many others.
But it means the region must unite behind this common cause and champion its strengths nationally to reap these rewards. At the CBI, we are determined to ensure this happens. Through increased regional policy activity, we aim to champion the county and ensure it gets the recognition it deserves. For example, our upcoming Rural and Coastal Project will explore critical themes we’ve outlined here and act as a vital tool for promoting economic growth. It’s just a small part of our broader vision to work with businesses and stakeholders across the region, identifying barriers and shaping policy that fosters and nourishes economic prosperity.
For more information on this upcoming project, contact Alex Guest– and read our Clusters Playbook for inspiration on how regions like this can benefit from realising its unique strengths and getting behind a shared vision.
