November 2022 News Digest

Welcome to the UK Innovation Districts Group Monthly Digest, exploring the latest trends and insights in innovation, regeneration, inclusive growth, placemaking and the sustainable development of innovation districts.

UK IDG Study Visit & Policy-in-Action roundtable

The UK IDG members had a fantastic study visit to Belfast earlier in October combined with the Inclusive Innovation policy roundtable discussing the details set out in our recent research commission: The Innovation Economy: The Case For Inclusive Innovation in the UK.

The study visit focussed on Belfast Innovation City and the harbour areas, as well as hearing from CSIT’s national cyber security expert team based there and Studio Ulster’s world leading VR and AR creative studios space.

Huge thanks to Clare Guinness CDir and #belfastinnovationcity for being incredible hosts. Also thanks to our brilliant speakers; Alex Cousins, Lord Mayor Christina Black, Eleanor Springer, Neil Lee and Andy Haldane.

Latest News

  • NLA report Innovation Districts: Designing Inclusive Places has been published. The report presents an exclusive summary of key recommendations that different stakeholders should consider when creating an inclusive innovation district, as well as a showcase of over 50 projects that are supporting and having a transformational impact on the education, healthcare, technology and innovation sectors in the UK.

  • Centre for Cities article suggests the government can’t go for growth without backing regeneration in city centres. If the Government is serious about getting the UK’s economy growing, it should look to regeneration in city centres.

  • UK in a Changing Europe report outlines how people feel about how people feel about their areas, what could and should be done to improve them, and who they trust to actually do it in regards to ‘levelling up’ and the problem of regional inequality in the UK.

  • UKRI have launched a programme for developing local policy innovation partnerships. The programme will fund a network of Local Policy Innovation Partnerships (LPIPs) to address social, community, economic and environmental priorities that contribute towards inclusive sustainable economic growth. Applicants can bid for between 20-50K and applications close 12th January 2023.

  • Nesta blog examines the new innovation strategy from Welsh Government needs to be more specific and ensure the benefits of innovation are more widely felt.

Podcasts

  • Centre for Cities podcast, City Talks, asks how creative industries drive urban economies. The episode explores the role of creative industries in driving the economic performance of urban areas.

  • Connected Places Catapult Podcast on Reimagining our Railways and Stations. Our railways and stations are changing, but how is innovation shaping their future? Hear how the rail industry is collaborating like never before – with special guest, Michael Portillo.

Partner News

  • Liverpool City Council has approved the planning application for HEMISPHERE, a new 120,000 sq ft, eight-storey, standout innovative workspace development located on Paddington Village, in the Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, next to the iconic Spine building. 

  • Bristol Temple Meads to become testbed for passenger tech. A multi-million pound programme will turn Bristol Temple Meads into the UK’s first ‘Station Innovation Zone’, trialling new technologies designed to upgrade passengers’ experience.