St.Helens The Heart of the North West

A major study of Merseyside’s rural areas has been launched to develop an action plan that will maximise its assets, stimulate business and contribute to the wider economic development of the region.

Based on in-depth analysis, the Rural Economy Action Plan (REAP) will set out a vision for Merseyside’s rural areas, and identify opportunities for economic diversification, development and enterprise.

The research has been commissioned by five Greater Merseyside Local Authorities – St.Helens, Sefton, Wirral, Halton and Knowsley – plus The Mersey Partnership, the Mersey Forest, and the Northwest Development Agency.

It is being led by St.Helens Council and follows on from extensive research already carried out in the Borough in 2007, which is itself 55% rural and is home to established nature reserves, and tourism and leisure attractions such as the Phytobotanica essential oils farm and Carr Mill Dam, which draw increasing numbers of visitors each year.

Leading research specialists Rural Innovation will undertake the study, together with economic development expert Robert Huggins, Professor of Management and Policy at the Cardiff School of Management and Director of the Centre for International Competitiveness.

Cllr. Richard Ferry, Executive Member for Urban Regeneration & Housing at St.Helens Council, comments: “Merseyside may not be readily associated with rural economic development, yet over and above our wonderful coastline we have great countryside, innovative rural businesses, and significant untapped potential in terms of making the most of these important assets and growth opportunities.

“Working together on a major study of this nature will help us to build a true picture of our rural economy and give us an informed baseline from which we can move forward, identifying appropriate projects and, where possible, attracting the funding that will make them happen.”