The rise of the non-state ‘place-based’ economic development strategy

This article explores an alternative model of local and regional economic development, specifically the rise of the non-state ‘place-based’ economic development strategy. Illustrated through a case study of the Peel Group’s Atlantic Gateway Strategy in North West England, the article showcases the near-future potential for a growth in alternative place-based economic development strategies designed, orchestrated and implemented by non-state actors. In an era where both state and society find themselves increasingly reliant on non-state actors – in particular major private investment groups – to deliver the future jobs, growth and regeneration of major urban regions, this article highlights a series of important concerns that the rise of non-state spatial strategies pose for place-based economic development interventions.