Supporting the Clean & Sustainable Growth Science and Innovation Audit for the North West Coastal Arc

Lancaster University appointed Steer Economic Development to support the development of the North West Coastal Arc Science and Innovation Audit (SIA), forming part of the Third Wave of Government-sponsored SIAs. The consortium included a range of HE and FE actors in the North West and North Wales.

The SIA focused on the Coastal Arc’s Science and Innovation Specialism in Clean & Sustainable Growth. The SIA particularly focused on: Environmental industries, technologies and services; Future Energy Systems; Advanced manufacturing, chemistry and materials; and Cross-cutting research and innovation for clean and sustainable growth.  

Steer Economic Development undertook:

• extensive document reviews and desk-based qualitative analyses, including reviews of relevant SIAs emerging projects in the SIA area.
• consultations with 30 business leaders, SMEs, and stakeholder groups.
• stakeholder workshops to understand the main strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the North West Coastal Arc’s Clean & Sustainable Growth offering.

The qualitative inputs from Steer Economic Development complemented the quantitative assessments undertaken by Lancaster University.