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A vision for a prosperous, thriving North of England

Future North:

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Contents:5 Arup in the North

7 Executive summary

8 Planning to prosper

9 Competitive collaboration for collective impact

10 An economic network

14 Skills & Education

18 Climate Change

22 Natural Assets

26 Arts & Culture

30 Transport

34 Housing

38 Energy

42 Health

46 Contacts

HullBlackpool

Manchester Airport

Preston

Crewe

Chester

Doncaster

Bradford

Sunderland

DarlingtonWhitby

Scarborough

Wigan

Newcastle

West Cumbria

York

Leeds

Sheffield

Manchester

Liverpool

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Arup is an independent fi rm of designers, planners, engineers, consultants and technical specialists offering a broad range of professional services.

We opened our fi rst regional offi ce in Manchester in 1958. Today we employ over 1,000 consultants in the North of England and 13,000 worldwide. Our appreciation of the diverse communities we serve across the ‘Northern Powerhouse’ region gives us a unique perspective on the collective opportunity for the North.

Through our commitment to total design and culture of collaboration, we bring together our people and their skills, to combine our local knowledge with global expertise. The fi rm’s understanding of geopolitical challenges enables us to act as strategic advisers, partners and private-public sector brokers helping cities and regions shape a better world.

Arup is a wholly independent organisation, owned in trust on behalf of its staff. The result is an independence of spirit that is refl ected in the way the fi rm develops ideas and in its dedicated pursuit of technical excellence.

Arup in the North:

Above: Arup offices in ‘Northern Powerhouse’ region

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Executive summary:

The UK is one of the most economically centralised countries in the world, with London dominating to an extent not seen in any other advanced economy. But a new picture of growth is taking shape in the North of England.

The North has an opportunity to create a step-change in its performance – creating an economic powerhouse to advance the regional economy and help rebalance the UK economy.

Now is the time to grow the North, its towns and cities, to strengthen their international profi le, to attract businesses and talented workers, and celebrate local culture and heritage. Infrastructure that is reaching the end of its life must be rehabilitated for the future. And all this has to be done with shrinking public budgets amid newly evolving governance structures.

Across the globe, economic growth is increasingly driven by cities. But the North of England is a region with diverse centres and diverse opportunities. The key to achieving its growth potential lies in the creation of a regional economic network, a dynamic system, driving prosperity.

The insight in this paper is built on Arup’s appreciation of the complex interactions between different urban systems; everything from transport networks to social networks.

We believe creating real prosperity requires an approach that strengthens the North’s position as a global economic, social and cultural force. This means harnessing knowledge, innovation and technology to drive productivity. It means putting people and identity at the centre to create happy, healthy places and a sustainable future.

This is our vision for a prosperous North.

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Above:Prosperity will be driven by an approach that strengthens the North’s position as a global economic, social and cultural force.

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Planningto prosper:

Understanding the potential of the North’s collective impact is central to driving the economic resurgence we believe is possible.

By adopting the principles of collaborative competition, the towns and cities within the North can advance their individual economies, whilst developing meaningful linkages (across a networked economy) to improve prosperity for themselves and their neighbours.

Northern conurbations have traditionally driven growth through strategies which play to their individual strengths and give them competitive advantage. For example, Hull and Liverpool continue to attract investment through international connectivity and Ports.

By comparison, initiatives such as the Core Cities Group and Rail North franchising agreements, are evidence of how the North can plan successful outcomes through cooperation. By developing networks and bringing together partners with common interests, the North can articulate a collective view to achieve mutual benefi t.

The devolution of central government powers and fi scal controls to local authorities is a welcome shift in the UK political system, but could risk eroding the North’s ability to collaborate. Each city’s devolution ask has evolved in disparate and different ways throughout the North, limiting opportunity for collective thought or strategies. Ensuring learning and lessons can be shared between the city regions, will improve each partners’ ability to develop successful future devolution proposals and growth plans. Mayoral Development Corporations which have the potential to accelerate development are another way the North can cooperate and draw learning from different approaches on policy and fi scal levers.

By collaborating to mutual advantage the North’s networked economy could be collectively greater than the sum of its parts. We advocate a modern look at collaborative governance and economic competition, developing effi cient structures that can support competition, and even specialisation, within a networked economy.

Competitive collaboration for collective impact:

We advocate:

– collaboration between institutions across the North;

– a focus on outcomes and how individual achievements of partners contribute to collective strategies;

– a recognition that the collaborative process can involve conflict, requiring open and honest dialogue;

– knowledge exchange, sharing learning, ideas and experiences.

Record numbers of young people are leaving the capital for regional cities

Last year, more 30-39 year olds moved out of London than in any year since records began1. Businesses are struggling to attract and retain graduates put off by expensive, poor quality housing. Artists are being forced out due to a precipitous decline in affordable studio space, and 35% of grassroots music venues have been lost between 2007 – 20152.

1 Offi ce for National Statistics, Internal Migration Data, 2015.

2 GLA, ‘London’s Grass Roots Music Venues: Rescue Plan’, 2015

We believe creating real prosperity requires an approach that strengthens the region’s position as a global economic, socialand cultural force.

We want to see the North become a force that:

– harnesses knowledge and innovation to drive productivity – is centred around people and identity – ultimately delivers happy, healthy places and a sustainable future.

The Northern region is already rightly focusing on infrastructure, skills, innovation, education and health to build an economy in which highly skilled people and smart technology drive productivity and growth.

Beyond that, we believe the North can build on its greatest strength: its natural environment and quality of life.

Forging a high productivity economy means attracting and retaining skilled workers with:

– quality education for children – housing that offers quality and choice across the income scale – a diverse and compelling cultural offer – an attractive natural and built environment.

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Our vision for the North builds on the progress already made to deliver a step change in the region’s economic performance.

Advanced economies shift ever more towards knowledge intensive activities, the traditional perspective on how to achieve growth through agglomeration, could also should shift to a more nuanced approach focused on network economies.

In the traditional theory of agglomeration, spatial proximity creates scale and critical mass, to boost economic growth. In a networked economy, the focus is less on spatial dynamics and more on the ‘conditions’ for linking cities to allow them to reap mutual benefi ts and fulfi l their potential.

This means developing a network of physical and trading links that can exchange people, goods and ideas across the North. This network cannot be defi ned in simple terms, but looks like a dynamic system of ‘connections’. These connections might represent: cooperation between different agencies and institutions, fl ow of information and the social relationships (how we compete and collaborate) within the total system.

Developing effective mobility is one condition which will support a fl ow of skills and economic activity across the North, and transport should remain a priority. But beyond that, we believe other business, social, fi nancial, digital and governance linkages can help create a dynamic and prosperous networked economy.

An economic network:

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A network of physical and trading links that can exchange people, goods and ideas across the North.

Climate Change & Resilience

Arts & Culture

Energy

Health

Natural Assets

Industry

Skills & Education

Resilience

Healthy People

Green & Blue Infrastructure

Health Industry

International Profile

Globally Distinctive

Creativity

Global Connectivity

Integrated Transport

Spatial Planning

Skills aligned to Industry

Knowledge Economy

Workforce for the Future

Smart Mobility

Identity

Energy Distribution

Energy Industry

Renewables

Placemaking

Low Carbon

Transport

Housing

Innovation

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Economic value of Associated British Ports

Associated British Ports wanted to understand more about its contribution to the economy of the Humber region.

We undertook primary and secondary research and modelled projections of the economic impact of its operations around the UK, in terms of jobs and gross value added (GVA). We focused on investment into the Humber ports and the new £160m ‘GreenPort’ investment with Siemens.

We advocate:

– academic collaboration to create optimal groupings of skills and knowledge, such as The Sir Henry Royce Institute;

– a focus on cultivating high productivity sectors (including science, advanced engineering, biotech, pharmaceuticals, media, digital and creative);

– growth of the services sector, which employs many people and supports the strong visitor economy;

– flourishing culture, sport and leisure industries.

Assessing the impact of fi scal autonomy on urban infrastructure investment

How will rapid urban population growth and a corresponding rise in fi scal autonomy affect government investment in infrastructure? We’ve set up a research project to explore this question.

Our research will reveal cities’ approach to risk and changes to the infrastructure investment landscape. It will give us the knowledge and insights we need to adapt projects and services to clients’ changing needs.

This research, which is supported by the London School of Economics, will learn from major infrastructure projects in London. It will assess how the degree of local power and fi scal autonomy has helped or hindered investment in projects.

An economic networkInsights & case studies

What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth

Which policies are most effective at supporting and increasing local economic growth? The What Works Centre for Local Economic Growth was set up to get to the bottom of this question.

The Centre is a collaboration between London School of Economics, the Centre for Cities and Arup. It aims to signifi cantly improve the use of evidence in the design and delivery of policies for local economic growth; exploring a wide spectrum of interventions such as employment, skills, regeneration and transport initiatives. The Centre is now working with partners across the UK to develop demonstrator projects. This research forms part of the broader What Works Network of policy research centres.

Infrastructure prioritisation

For infrastructure to effectively drive economic growth it must support the area’s economic, social and environmental priorities. The criteria for prioritising projects must take into account the economic impacts different infrastructure types can bring about.

We undertook a critical review of the Strategic Infrastructure Plan (SIP) for the Tees Valley, on behalf of the Tees Valley Unlimited (TVU) Local Enterprise Partnership. We are now creating a project prioritisation process that can be applied to investment propositions across the Tees Valley.

The work will inform TVU’s prioritisation of strategic infrastructure projects.

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Skills & Education:

A prosperous North is a productive North. It relies on making the most of the great diversity of talent available, both growing local skills and attracting new skills.

Knowledge intensive sectors and a highly skilled workforce are recognised as drivers of productivity and economic growth.

We understand the critical contribution that science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM subjects) makes to national policy and addressing some of the world’s toughest challenges. Education policy is key to making the labour force more productive; from early years, to developing and retaining the right graduates from Northern Universities, six of which rank in the top 20 for research excellence nationally.

Employers can take an active role in shaping training and putting skills to work. In 2015, we were recognised as one of the UK’s Top 60 Employers of Apprentices. This is a testament to our commitment to nurture skills for the future and remain an employer of choice.

Skills & EducationInsights & case studies

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The Ove Arup Foundation

The Ove Arup Foundation is an independent charity, established in 1989. The Foundation is committed to promoting new thinking in education and to nurturing engineering of the built environment.

The most fertile age for education is a person’s earliest formative years. With this in mind, the Foundation is exploring how games and apps might be used to promote ideas of sustainable living, holistic design, and mathematics, amongst primary school children aged 11 and under.

The Arup apprenticeship

The Arup apprenticeship is just one way we are developing the skills of young people in the local communities in which we work.

In 2015, we created 48 apprenticeships for young people all over the UK, with the youngest being only 16. Our apprentices work across Arup’s multi-disciplinary teams. They mostly join us as apprentice technicians, working on CAD, BIM or other 3D modelling work but also support our business services groups.

The apprenticeship provides an opportunity to study for an academic qualifi cation, while working and learning in our offi ces alongside respected technical professionals.

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We advocate:

– high levels of skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM);

– improving public understanding of science and engineering;

– a diverse range of education and employment opportunities to grow skills in the local workforce;

– aligning the content of teaching and research to the demands of the North’s growing economies;

– more dialogue around early yearseducation and the different ways to engageand inspire our youngest populations.

Manchester Engineering Campus Development

Reinforcing Manchester’s status as a city of science, The Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD) will be one of the largest, single construction projects ever undertaken by a higher education institution in the UK.

Transforming the way The University of Manchester educates its engineers and scientists of the future, the MECD will sit at the heart of the University campus. Arup alongside architects Mecanoo are helping to design a rich, open and collaborative learning environment for both students and staff.

The development will feature primarily new build as well as limited refurbished accommodation, for four individual schools within the Engineering and Physical Sciences faculty. The new campus will house a variety of advanced technology and equipment, expanding the University’s existing world class research facilities.

Skills & EducationInsights & case studies

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Energy UTC, Cumbria

The Energy Coast UTC is an exciting new academy for students that opened in 2014. Specialising in energy, science, technology, engineering and maths, the UTC provides technical training alongside traditional education. Approximately 55% of the UTC students come from some of the highest areas of social deprivation in the UK. Arup is strongly committed to supporting the work of the UTC. Alongside our partner Morgan Sindall, we sponsored the college’s uniforms and a new 3D engineering classroom.

We are also helping to bring local people back into work through our Careers in Cumbria Programme, developed in association with Copeland Borough Council.

Engineering Awareness Week

A successful part of our extensive community outreach programme, ‘Engineering Awareness Week’ (EAW) provides a unique opportunity for students to gain insight into a career in engineering and consultancy.

EAW invites a mixture of students, aged 15-17 from local schools in Yorkshire to complete a week of work experience. Through activities and discussion we give students a better understanding of the fi rm’s different technical skills and disciplines, and the diverse projects we undertake.

Hosted in our Leeds offi ce on an annual basis, we transform our conference suite into a vibrant classroom setting and ask students to work on a fi ctitious project, such as ‘Planning the Olympics in Yorkshire in 2024’.

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Climate Change:

By continuing to take action on climate change, the North can become not only more resilient but also more prosperous.

The reality of climate change became starkly apparent at the close of 2015, as COP21 talks in Paris ended and storms wreaked havoc across much of the North.

The North has already shown it has the economic and political power to lead initiatives to tackle the effects of climate change. But further collaborative action between the public and private sectors is needed to scale up this response.

We have developed powerful collaborations with some of the leading thinkers, lobbyists and drivers of climate change transformation. These include the World Economic Forum, The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group and the Rockefeller Foundation.

We promote open dialogue and best practice on climate change.Our focus is on: collaboration and partnership, resilience and adaptation and transitional energy sources.

Climate Action in Mega Cities 3.0

Climate Action in Megacities 3.0 (CAM 3.0) looks at how the world’s greatest cities are forging a pathway to low carbon and climate resilient development, recognising climate risks and taking more action on climate adaptation, as well as mitigation.

Representing the largest and most long-term record of city climate action globally, CAM 3.0:

– analyses trends since 2011

– highlights the critical role of networking and collaboration in cultivating city climate action

– synthesises new data collected in 2015 on the costs of city climate action and the ways in which this action is being funded

– provides an evidence base to encourage more investment in city climate action.

arup.com/cam3

C40 Partnership

Research shows that cities have the potential to make a big difference by taking action on climate change.

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group (C40) and Arup launched Potential for Climate Action in December 2015. The report has found 27,000 specifi c actions that cities have yet to undertake as they work towards low carbon and climate resilient development.

The report identifi es 2,300 high impact, readily achievable actions that could save a massive 450 metric tonnes of CO2 by 2020 - equivalent to the annual emissions of the United Kingdom.

arup.com/potential

Climate ChangeInsights & case studies

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We advocate:

– continued action by city leaders to achieve a climate safe world;

– protecting essential infrastructure from the effects of climate change;

– investment in resilience planning, using accessible, evidence based analysisand tools;

– integrating climate change resilience measures in transport planning, public health, housing, energy provision, and urban design initiatives.

Sea level rises

How can communities and local economies in the North be protected from the effects of sea level rises?

Working with the Environment Agency, we are developing a £1bn investment strategy aimed at protecting communities, industry and agriculture from the effects of sea level rise on the Humber Estuary over the coming century. Focusing on the City of Hull, this project follows on from our continued work on the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme, one of the largest river fl ood defence schemes in the UK. The scheme will provide the city centre and over 3,000 homes and 500 businesses with protection against fl ood events from the River Aire and the Hol Beck.

City Resilience Framework, Rockefeller Foundation

Urban populations are facing increasing challenges from numerous natural and manmade pressures such as rapid urbanisation, climate change, terrorism and increased risks from natural hazards. Cities must learn to adapt and thrive in the face of these diverse challenges and build resilience. Armed with this knowledge and understanding, governments, donors, investors, policy makers, and the private sector will be able to develop effective strategies to foster more resilient cities.

The City Resilience Index is being developed by the Rockefeller Foundation and Arup. It builds on extensive research to establish an accessible, evidence based defi nition of urban resilience.

www.arup.com/cityindex

Mapping vulnerability in cities

Which parts of a city are most vulnerable to the effects ofclimate change?

A team in our Madrid offi ce are creating a decision making tool for investment in urban retrofi ts. This research aims to identify best practices for decision-making based on empirical data in cities. It will propose a methodology for mapping data layers using a geographical information systems (GIS) program.

The goal is to show the critical points in the fabric of the city, vulnerability hot spots that should be tackled in the short, medium and long term.

The criteria used includes social, economic and environmental indicators such as the age of the population, unemployment rates, pollution levels and energy consumption.

Flood damage calculation tool

Just how deep could fl oodwater get? Data on property fl ood depth is critically important when it comes to fl ood risk management.

We have invested in developing a one-click tool to calculate property fl ood depths from multiple model simulations.

Data on property fl ood depths underpins the industry best practice method of calculating damage due to fl ooding – our key clients for fl ood risk management schemes require it. So being able to extract this data effi ciently is vital to completing fl ood appraisals effi ciently and fl exibly.

The tool will calculate the annual and whole life damages, a vital step in the overall understanding of option damages and the resilience to climate change.

Climate ChangeInsights & case studies

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Natural Assets:

Northern natural assets are iconic and bring unrivalled prosperity to communities, businesses and the environment.

The area extending from Northumberland to Derbyshire contains fi ve of England’s ten National Parks. Each supports vital reserves of peat, forestry, woodland and wetlands that absorb greenhouse gases. They also supply cities and towns with fresh water and help attenuate fl ooding. So conserving and enhancing these natural assets benefi ts not just the environment, but also local communities and the visitor economy.

Similarly, integrating nature into urban areas can bring multiple benefi ts. Green and blue infrastructure, networks of woodlands, wildlife habitats and waterways, can improve the local environment, create attractive places and provide resilience.

Now is an ideal time to consider how to integrate ‘soft’ infrastructure effectively. Considering transport corridors as linear parks and encouraging non-car modes of travel will help the North adapt to and mitigate climate change, improve public health, boost mobility and support growth.

Natural AssetsInsights & case studies

Cities Alive

Embedding nature into urban systems can help the North tackle some of the most pressing global problems.

Our Cities Alive publication looks at how to build nature into urban systems at all scales through high quality landscape design, new development or retrofi tting through a green infrastructure design approach.

The publication analyses existing research and trends in landscape design, drawing out key elements which can help deal with rapidly rising urban populations, mitigate climate change and produce integrated solutions.

It shows how the creation of a linked ‘city ecosystem’ encompassing parks and open spaces, urban trees, streets, squares, woodland and waterways can help create healthier, safer and more prosperous urban environments.

arup.com/citiesalive

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We advocate:

– measures to protect and enhance the North’s natural assets;

– implementing green infrastructure, which encourages creativity, social inclusion and teaches children the importance of the natural world;

– innovative approaches which help value natural capital to support decision making;

– well designed landscapes to encourage resilience of urban and rural areas.

Natural AssetsInsights & case studies

Design with Water

How can regions such as the North address critical issues of resilience, fl ood risk, water supply and wastewater treatment? Our Design with Water publication takes a closer look.

We found that by placing a re-integrated water cycle at the heart of sustainable planning, design and delivery, actions taken to protect and enhance the water cycle can deliver multiple benefi ts.

arup.com/designwithwater

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Valuing Wales’ National Parks

How do you assess the merits of different development options? The valuation of natural capital, through thoughtfully applied environmental economic appraisal, provides a credible and functional framework to do exactly this.

Arup was commissioned by a partnership of the Welsh National Park Authorities, Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Local Government Association to consider the economic value of Wales’ national parks.

One of the fi ndings in the report, Valuing Wales’ National Parks, was that the parks account for over half a billion pounds of Wales’ gross value added. This represents 1.2% of the Welsh economy.

Liverpool Green Infrastructure Prospectus

Many cities will have opportunities for green infrastructure and renewable energy that are waiting to be unlocked.

In Liverpool, we are working with Mersey Forest and the Local Nature Partnership to develop a Green Infrastructure Prospectus for the city. It has identifi ed an investment portfolio of commissionable green infrastructure and renewable energy projects, for strategic investment areas and derelict and underused sites across the Liverpool City Region.

Using an evidence based approach, we have shown how the city can unlock sites to make them attractive to developers and grow economic activity.

Regenerating brownfi eld sites

It is possible to foster nature in even the most unpromising brownfi eld sites.

Remodelling the topography of this brownfi eld site in the Lower Lea Valley opened up waterways to alleviate fl ooding, improving access and creating stunning views in the process.

The park provides new freshwater habitats for inter-tidal invertebrates (fi sh and birds), and has established one of the largest areas of new wet woodland in the UK.

The watercourses and wetlands provide sustainable design, environmental and ecological enhancements. They also increase the storm attenuation capacity, removing 5,500 homes from the local authority’s register of properties at riskof fl ooding.

Arup’s landscape architects and engineers led the transformation of the southern section of the QueenElizabeth Olympic Park.

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Arts & Culture:

The Northern art and cultural scene is rich in history and variety. It has the potential to be a powerful elevator of status, to attract both talent and international attention.

Music, dance, theatre and arts have a key role to play in promoting social equality and diversity in communities. They will continue to act as enablers for the North to grow its thriving creative and digital industries and attract highly skilled workers and visitors.

Northern cities, towns and rural areas each have distinct regional identities and we believe it’s important to promote, protect and conserve the North’s heritage.

In the transition towards a more connected region, there is potential to foster the North’s combined artistic and cultural capital, to elevate its international status. The ‘Ruhrtriennale’, an international arts festival which takes place at venues across the Ruhr metropolitan area, is one example of how the North could augment its collective cultural impact.

Arts & CultureInsights & case studies

The First Direct Arena, Leeds

The North’s venues are already proving how culture can contribute to the local economy. The First Direct Arena in Leeds, for which we provided the engineering design, was a council funded project in the midst of the recession. A world class, profi ciently sustainable music venue, the £60m arena has a 13,500 capacity. Lying in the centre of the city, the arena’s innovative super-theatre design aimed to enhance and regenerate the city by creating a vibrant atmosphere.

Creating an estimated 500 new jobs and contributing £25.5m each year to the local economy, the arena hosts events ranging from gigs and sports to theatre and awards ceremonies.

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We advocate: – the power of arts and culture in creating a

rich and inclusive society;

– leveraging arts and culture to grow Northern creative and digital industries;

– protecting the North’s distinct regional identities;

– developing collective approaches to promoting artistic and cultural capital;

– the importance of cultural heritage across our cities, towns and rural areas.

Arts & CultureInsights & case studies

Angel of the North, Gateshead

The Angel of the North has helped to cement national and international artistic profi le for the area. We worked with the artist Antony Gormley on the structural design of the sculpture, helping to realise the artist’s vision and bring it to life. Winning dozens of awards, the sculpture is a unique landmark that dominates the skyline and is renowned throughout the world.

The Factory, Manchester

The Factory will be a cutting edge arts venue, taking a radically new approach to cultural production and performance.

It will be a large scale venue that captures the extraordinary creative vision and depth of Manchester’s cultural life. A fl agship cultural centre for the North, it will commission original works in partnership with leading national and international organisations. The Factory will build on the success of the Manchester International Festival and create innovative commissions all year round, playing a signifi cant role in the next phase of economic and cultural evolution in the North.

City Park, Bradford

City Park is a fl exible dynamic public space in the heart of Bradford. It contains the largest city centre water feature anywhere in the UK, a 4,000sq m ‘Mirror Pool’, and the UK’s tallest urban fountain which reaches a spectacular 100ft.

The park centres on the Grade I Listed, 19th Century City Hall and helps to connect major visitor attractions like the National Media Museum and the Alhambra Theatre with transport hubs and the rest of the city centre. The lighting carefully balances a fl exible, playful night time setting, while maintaining the functional requirements for a city centre.

City Park brings the community together, hosting large scale events such as markets, theatre productions and festivals. It enhances the overall image of Bradford and helps create a landscape for investment.

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Transport:

Providing safe, convenient and affordable mobility is a challenge for cities, towns and regions all over the world.

The increasing pace of urbanisation will place more stress on ageing infrastructure and action is needed now to safeguard the future.

Transforming mobility across the North means considering the needs of the whole region. How can rail, light rail, bus, car, cycleways and walkways be integrated to deliver greater mobility? And how do we create the most effi cient journeys, whether within our cities, between cities, or outside of cities, connecting our towns and villages?

Passengers will demand end-to-end journeys. So tomorrow’s transport must feed into an interconnected, seamless mobility network. This network must be safe, accessible and energy effi cient. And it must reduce congestion, greenhouse gas emissions and other forms of pollution.

Transport in the North can be shaped by emerging digital technology, enabling people to engage ever more deeply with their environment to plan their travel in response to real-time information.

TransportInsights & case studies

Future of Rail

What role will rail play in the North three or four decades from now?

Our Future of Rail 2050 publication identifi es how we believe passenger and freight rail will continue to form the backbone of the transport system, linking major urban hubs and feeding into multi-modal local transport networks.

Passengers will expect a service that includes level access, no waiting, smart ticketing, personal security, and effortless planning. Stations of the future will be destinations in their own right, with extensive business and leisure facilities.

arup.com/futurerail

Future of Highways

In the future, the North’s highways could look and function very differently.

Imagine if you could make a seamless, integrated journey by electric bus, driverless car and bike hire, all paid for easily through your smartphone.

Imagine if the highway beneath your car repaired itself, reducing disruptive road works. Imagine temperature-sensitive road markings that warn you of icy conditions, car parks that double as solar panels, or pavements that turn footsteps into electricity.

These are some of the scenarios we envisage in our report, Future of Highways.

arup.com/futureofhighways

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TransportInsights & case studies

PRT Mass Transport, Heathrow Terminal 5, London, UK

Arup and Ultra Global

The future could see entirely new, autonomous forms of transport emerge in the North.

Personal rapid transit is an on-demand system of individual driverless pods that take you from origin to destination.

This form of transport is currently in use on a small scale at Heathrow Airport Terminal 5. We designed the infrastructure for the system, which takes people from the main terminal to the business car parks – replacing timetabled buses that often travelled with hardly any passengers on board.

This technology could be used in cities at different scales. It could form a universal transport system for the entire city, or it could focus on getting people from their homes to transport hubs in suburban or sprawled areas.

We advocate: – Transport for the North (TfN) taking the lead

on all strategic travel modes;

– improved connections (particularly bus) to pull more second-tier towns and cities into the economic orbit of the core cities;

– investment in integrated passenger and freight transport;

– liveable, cycleable and walkable cities;

– long-term investment models with contributions from both the public and private sectors – across current and future generations;

– creating a seamless ‘smart network’ on the existing transport infrastructure.

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Integrated Transport Journeys

Imagine your phone telling you to delay your journey because the traffi c is terrible, or that the quickest way to get to work today is to hop on your bike. This is smart mobility in action, and one example of the power of intelligent transport systems (ITS).

The oneTRANSPORT project, for which we are leading the transport consulting, is making this a reality. We are creating an open-source ITS platform that shares transport data using ‘internet-of-things’ technology. It will help expert developers and analytics communities create new public information services and tools that make getting around easier.

Wirelessly Charged Electric Buses

Arup/Mitsui

Electric buses promise low carbon, effi cient public transport. But when do you recharge a bus that operates all day?

Milton Keynes has a rechargeable electric bus system, planned and managed by an Arup-Mitsui joint venture, that operates a 17-hour-a-day, 7-day-a-week route.

The system uses a rapid rechargeable wireless system with inductive plates set into the road. This means buses can recharge at bus stops or during short breaks.

This technology provides environmental and economic benefi ts because it does not emit particulates or CO2. The buses save approximately 270 tonnes of CO2 per year compared to ordinary diesel vehicles.

Bus Rapid Transit

Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) is a high capacity, relatively low cost public transport solution that could improve urban mobility across the North. The system uses buses or specialised vehicles on roadways or dedicated lanes to effi ciently transport passengers. BRT systems can be customised to community needs and incorporate state-of-the-art, low cost technologies that result in more passengers and less congestion.

The bus system of Curitiba, Brazil, exemplifi es a model BRT system. It is one of the most heavily used, yet lowcost, transit systems in the world. It offers many of the features of a subway system including fare collection prior to boarding, quick passenger loading and unloading, but it is above ground. Around 70% of Curitiba’s commuters use the BRT to travel to work.

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Housing:

Well designed homes and neighbourhoods will continue to ensure the North is a great place to live, work and play.

Shaping desirable places that improve quality of life for communities, create genuine value for property developers and foster sustainable approaches, will be essential to economic growth in the region.

Forward thinking strategies across local authority boundaries can give long term stability for both public and private sector investors. These strategies connect conversations about the type, quality, density and tenure mix of new housing, as well as how to improve existing neighbourhoods and housing stock.

The focus must remain on how the North can meet growing demand for homes in places close to employment, transport and leisure opportunities.

Land and Asset Boards are being created across the North. These will coordinate and oversee all land held in public sector ownership, including brownfi eld sites. By continuing to embrace this sort of joined-up thinking, the North can keep creating excellent places to live.

HousingInsights & case studies

Redeveloping brownfi eld sites

Innovative remediation solutions help mitigate the risks from contaminated land legacy and restore sites for future redevelopment.

Newly formed Land Commissions will be required to examine what publically owned land and other key strategic sites could be made available for future development.

We are working with Tees Valley to create a register of all brownfi eld and surplus public sector land. Following the identifi cation of the sites, we will assess the potential of the land for future use, exploring ways to overcome barriers to future redevelopment. This information will be used to create a long term, prioritised pipeline of development.

Housing delivery models

There is an emerging recognition that there is not a ‘one model fi ts all’ solution to achieving greater housing delivery. Identifying potential public-private partnerships and establishing the right governance structures is one way our city regions can provide strategic planning and manage the release of land for development.

By exploring the current Housing Development Company Models and Housing Delivery Vehicles across England, we are helping to distil critical success factors and barriers to delivery. This knowledge is being used to determine how such a model might be successfully developed for the West Yorkshire Combined Authority.

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We advocate: – spatial planning of housing, employment,

transport and energy infrastructure;

– sustainable developments which integrate green space and water to promote quality of life;

– innovative funding mechanisms such as private rented sector (PRS) models;

– a range of house types to meet the needs of diverse populations;

– affordable homes.

HousingInsights & case studies

Smart Programme Delivery Dashboard

How can local authorities easily keep track of regeneration programmes involving multiple projects?

In London, Arup’s tailor made, web-based programme delivery dashboard helped the London Borough of Croydon to easily visualise, monitor and manage a complex fi ve year regeneration programme.

The programme included nearly 10,000 new homes, a £2bn shopping centre offering 10,000 new jobs and the revitalisation of its commercial sector.

Spatial Frameworks

City Regions in the North are looking to use Spatial Frameworks to ensure they have the right land in the right places, to deliver the homes and jobs needed.

A strong evidence base can support the prioritisation of sites, by considering the new infrastructure (such as roads, rail, light rail and utility networks) required to allow for development, without increasing travel congestion or carbon emissions.

Regenerating brownfi eld sites is an effi cient way to bring forward dense development proposals in urban centres, close to employment and public transport interchanges. To meet the demand for housing some development on selected greenfi eld land could also be considered where it could achieve other policy objectives.

Sustainable, affordable homes

Arup and Salix Homes published a report in 2012 demonstrating how the holistic retrofitting programme on a housing estate in Salford saved the tenants an average £353 on their annual gas bill.

We provided low carbon retrofit advice on the New Barracks Estate, comprising 79 Edwardian properties. After a year evaluating retrofit options and understanding tenants’ energy behaviours pre, and post, retrofit, we calculated the resulting social return on investment. We found that over a 20 year period the monetised value of benefits to all relevant stakeholders was estimated to be £3.4m, giving a total social value added (difference between the investment and the total social benefits) of £1.58m.

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Energy:

The North is at the forefront of energy innovation in the UK. From pioneering local energy systems to renewable energy generation and its status as a centre of nuclear expertise.

The Energy market is increasingly complex and the sector is undergoing unprecedented change as it transitions to a more diverse energy system. Technology, scale, storage and the trading of energy are changing, as are behaviours and the way we consume energy.

Digital technology is having a profound impact on supply and demand, and smart systems are providing new ways of generating, distributing and supplying energy where it’s needed.

The energy policy landscape can be volatile which creates investor uncertainty in the market. We believe the North can use its unique cross-sector expertise to infl uence long term policies, develop skills and commercialise new technology. In doing so, it can provide energy security and sustainability for its people and stimulate competitive investment opportunities.

EnergyInsights & case studies

District heat networks

District heating networks provide access to low carbon, affordable heat. District heating networks link heat sources to multiple end users.

Our work with The Department of Energy and Climate Change Heat Networks Delivery Unit is helping to develop proposals for investment in low and zero carbon heat networks across the North. The recent announcement by the government of £300m capital funding, leveraging up to £2bn of private investment is a huge opportunity for the North. Successful business cases to secure funding will be heavily focused on carbon performance. The North will need to demonstrate deliverability, socio-economic value and innovation to remain competitive.

Energy Trilemma

As world population continues exponentially growing and becomes more urbanised and affl uent, demand for power, heat and transport will grow with it.

The three challenges of security, affordability and sustainability, known as the energy trilemma, have to be addressed when facing investment in energy and demand. Each of the variables cannot be thought of in isolation.

Energy security is the effective management of primary energy supply from domestic and external

The Energy TrilemmaThe three variables cannot be thought of independently

Energy Security

Energy Affordability

Energy Sustainability

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sources, ensuring that current and future demand can be met.

Energy sustainability is an indication of energy’s propensityto create damaging pollution.

Energy affordability refers to the accessibility and affordability of energy supply across the population.

To learn more, see our Five-Minute Guide to the Energy Trilemma.

www.arup.com/trilemma

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We advocate: – improving existing energy infrastructure;

– long term planning and policy to support robust investment proposals;

– transitional and integrated future energy solutions;

– developing innovative district energy network financial models;

– using open data and understanding user behaviour to support decision makingand control.

EnergyInsights & case studies

Five Minute Guides

How can cities make best use of energy? What is the potential of energy storage? And how can microgrids help solve the sort of challenges the North faces?

Arup has produced a series of Five-Minute Guides to explain complex energy issues in an easy-to-digest format:

Five-Minute Guide to Energy Trilemmawww.arup.com/trilemma

Five-Minute Guide to Energy in Citiesarup.com/energyincities

Five-Minute Guide to Electricity Storage Technologiesarup.com/electricitystorage

Five-Minute Guide to Microgridsarup.com/microgrids

Five-Minute Guide to Hydrogenwww.arup.com/hydrogen

Five-Minute Guide to Rooftop Solar PVwww.arup.com/solarpv

European Commission DIMMER ICT SmartCities project

If you want to increase energy effi ciency at a district level, you have to understand as much as possible about how energy is used.

We are collaborating with research partners on sophisticated computer models to provide a complete view of energy use. One of these is the District Information Modelling and Management for Energy Reduction (DIMMER) project.

DIMMER integrates building information models (BIM) and district-level 3D models with real-time data from sensors and user feedback to analyse and correlate buildings’ energy use and provide real-time feedback about energy-related behaviours.

Creating positive conditions for investment

If resilient, low carbon energy infrastructure is to be delivered at the pace needed and effi ciently, then greater emphasis needs to be placed on increasing investor certainty. This calls on consistent, long term policy making, supported and enhanced by institutional change.

Our work alongside PwC for the European Investment Bank, has highlighted the importance of credible strategies, targets, project portfolios, skills and resources, in creating the environment needed to attract and secure investment to deliver low carbon infrastructure.

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Air quality

The World Health Organisation’s most recent estimate attributes one in eight premature deaths around the world to air pollution. The economic cost from the impacts of air pollution in the UK was estimated by the Government at £9-19bn every year1.

Road traffi c is one of the primary drivers of poor air quality in the North, increasing asthma, and causing heart and lung conditions. We believe the integration of health governance, transport and land use planning could be used to identify innovative ways to fund reductions in air quality inthe North.

1 https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/fi le/69340/pb13378-air-pollution.pdfHealth:

The North has an enormous opportunity to combine its healthcare, academic and industrial knowledge to create better health outcomes.

The pioneering Manchester health and social care devolution deal is pointing to a more radical, integrated approach to health. An approach which aligns the governance of urban design and local services to the governance of health, to consider issues such as air quality, fuel poverty, social care, and access to leisure, in order to reduce the need for costly treatments.

Coping with an ageing population, optimising healthcare estates and engaging with patients to develop services, will ensure the North can maintain quality and safety of care.

Greater collaboration between academia and industry and the use of digital technology will continue to drive Health innovation in the North. From disease prevention, to detection and diagnosis of disease, and more effi cient treatment, the region can make a signifi cant contribution to UK and global health.

HealthInsights & case studies

Cities & diabetes

The C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group is working with the Cities Changing Diabetes study group, including cities such as Houston, Copenhagen and Shanghai, to establish evidence of the co-benefi ts of climate change reductions, on the health of city populations. Currently two thirds of the world’s 415 million people living with diabetes can be found in urban areas. Evidence is emerging that measures to develop and maintain urban environments and social interactions, such as walkable city environments, can facilitate good health and prevent conditions such as diabetes, as well as reduce city carbon emissions.

citieschangingdiabetes.com

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We advocate: – review of healthcare estates, to improve

performance and operation in a new eraof a whole health economy;

– radical acceleration of innovation, discovery and treatment leading to better health outcomes;

– integration of health and social care;

– community and citizen engagement to shape healthy decisions and develop services;

– taking action now to design for ourageing populations.

HealthInsights & case studies

Health Impact of Mobility Infrastructure in Cities

The relationship between health and the built environment needs to be understood in greater detail, to help create a healthier future.

Working with our research partners (BRE, Perkins Will and University College London), we are developing a scenario appraisal tool, which compares the health impact of different mobility options withina city.

The research focuses on identifying the impact of transport options, amenities and public space on engagement in active forms of travel. The tool will visualise spatial data, to provide an evidence base for strategic spatial planning, policy development, and investment and decision making around how to design urban environments to promote health. Promoting active travel

In Bristol, Arup have authored a Cycle Design Guide intended to defi ne the city’s approach to the design and the provision of appropriate cycling infrastructure, including cycle lanes, routes, crossings and parking. A joint initiative with Bristol City Council, we are helping to reduce congestion, pollution, parking problems and the negative health effects associated with inactive lifestyles.

Sensing City,Christchurch, New Zealand

Sensing City is a world fi rst initiative using digital sensors and citizen engagement, to collect real-time information on a range of health related variables in the city. It will monitor pedestrian and vehicle traffi c fl ow and water and air pollution.

A pilot project involved students in measuring water quality along Christchurch’s waterways using ‘Little Water Sensor’ kits which were created by Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

By integrating and making data from a variety of sources openly available, Sensing City encourages information-based solutions to improve quality of life for people.

Shaping Ageing Cities

In 2050, for the fi rst time in human history, the number of older people will be greater than the number of children under 15 years old.

More people are growing old in housing, streets and communities that are often failing to respond with specifi c policies for ageing populations.

The Shaping Ageing Cities report addresses this global concern through a comparative overview of the performance of 10 European cities. It shows how cities can respond to this demographic change and deliver suitable solutions.

Arup undertook this forward-thinking report in collaboration with HelpAge International, Intel ICRI Cities and Systematica.

arup.com/ageingcities

Natural environment

The North’s cities and urban areas are surrounded by a wealth of countryside and coastlines. Nature has been shown to improve physical and mental health, reduce hospital recovery times and increase workplace productivity. So it’s vital that the North continues to safeguard its natural assets.

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ManchesterKeith RuddManchester Offi ce Leader

6th FloorThree Piccadilly PlaceManchesterM1 3BN

+44 (0) 161 228 2331

Sheffi eldJim BellSheffi eld Offi ce Leader

New Oxford House30 Barkers PoolSheffi eldS1 2HB

+44 (0) 114 272 8247

Twitter

@ArupUKMEA

@ArupThoughts

Webarup.com

LeedsJim JohnsonLeeds Offi ce Leader

Rose Wharf78 East StreetLeedsLS9 8EE

+44 (0) 113 242 8498

NewcastleJim BurridgeNewcastle Offi ce Leader

Central SquareForth StreetNewcastle Upon TyneNE1 3PL

+44 (0) 191 261 6080

YorkGeoff DavidsonYork Offi ce Leader

Lendal Arches Tanners MoatYork YO1 6HU

+44 (0) 1904 652 373

CumbriaMichael OsborneCumbria Offi ce Leader

Albion TwoAlbion SquareSwingpump LaneWhitehavenCumbriaCA28 7NE

+44 (0) 113 237 3780

LiverpoolGarry BanksLiverpool Offi ce Leader

12th Floor, The Plaza100 Old Hall StreetLiverpoolL3 9QJ

+44 (0) 151 227 9397

LondonJoanna RowelleCities Leader

13 Fitzroy Street LondonW1T 4BQ

+44 (0) 20 7636 1531

It’s an exciting time in the North of England. As the plans for a better connected economic region evolve, there are more and more opportunities to create prosperity.

We welcome your thoughts on this document and would be happy to answer any questions you might have. You can get in touch using the details below.

Get in touch

© Arup 2016

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