The East Midlands in 2006: executive summary

The East Midlands in 2006 is the evidence base that was produced to underpin the development of the regional economic strategy, A Flourishing Region. It presents a statistical portrait of the region covering demography, economy & productivity, the labour market, deprivation & economic inclusion, transport, infrastructure & development and the environment. This document is the executive summary

Green innovation and the development of sustainable communities: the case of Blueprint Regeneration's Trent Basin Development

With nearly one third of the UK's total consumption of energy devoted to the domestic household sector, sustainable housing developments have an important part to play in reducing greenhouse gas emissions in order to combat climate change. This study analyses a sustainable housing development in the city of Nottingham in the UK that takes the form not merely of a sustainable housing project, but rather an experiment in developing sustainable communities. In terms of green or eco-innovation, it incorporates innovations in housing design geared to curbing the demand for energy; technological innovations in energy supply centred on a novel community energy system; and innovations in the governance models employed. The scheme is notable for the novel public-private partnership carrying out the development. A partnership which specializes in developments characterized by an emphasis on quality urban design and a strong commitment to environmental sustainability

Geographical scales and functions: the case of the Midlands Engine

This paper addresses the question: What functions or activities does it make sense to discharge at a pan-regional level? It addresses this question from the specific perspective of the Midlands Engine. The introductory section outlines the changing nature of interest in regional geographies over time and some key underlying concepts related to them. It also outlines the concept of the Midlands Engine as a pan-region between the regional and national scales. The next section details the geography of the Midlands, setting out its spatial and economic development, highlighting its polycentric nature and associated implications. Attention shifts to boundaries, governance and jurisdiction design in the following section. The final section considers links between functions and activities at different geographical scales and sets out which might be most appropriate at Midlands Engine level