Unlocking the potential in UK places could be one of our greatest strengths

Deloitte’s managing partner for UK places, Richard Bray, explains how harnessing local commitment and building on the unique characteristics of Britain’s towns, cities and countryside can be central to the UK’s future growth story. 

The places we call home matter. 

Where we grow our economy is just as important as how we do it.

In recent months, the Prime Minister’s focus on devolution has rightly placed the idea of place-based growth at the heart of our national conversation. 

The vision is clear: growth across the UK, enacted by empowering local communities and moving funding closer to the people and places that will benefit most.

As Deloitte’s managing partner for UK places, with the aim of boosting growth and opportunities across the UK, I have an interesting vantage point from which to understand what’s working – and see the positive impact when it does.

It’s shown me that if growth is the goal, then unlocking the vast potential in the UK’s towns, cities, coastlines and countryside could be one of our greatest strengths. And that local connections and our collective commitment to the communities we call home are powerful forces. 

Businesses like ours can play a central role in helping to bring this vision to life.

With 25,000 people working across 24 UK locations – and around 40% of this number based outside of London – we’re proud to support fulfilling careers that enable our people to make a meaningful impact in the places they love. 

Our thriving network makes a diverse and valuable contribution to UK growth throughout the country. And, together, we have the potential to do even more.

As with all complex endeavours, employing the right strategy will be vital. First, it’s important to remember that UK growth is not a zero-sum game. 

One place’s gain is not another’s loss. For growth to succeed on a national scale, it should - and must - look different everywhere.

London’s continued position as an economic driver remains vital. The capital attracts global investment and leads the way through developments like the expanded Square Mile, an exciting representation of what’s to come.

Elsewhere, Greater Manchester – the UK’s fastest-growing city region since 2015 – showcases a range of success stories in areas such as digital, cyber, AI and the creative industries. Its ever-transforming skyline, chronicled in our firm’s regular crane surveys, illustrates this vibrant growth. 

In Anglesey, the establishment of clean-energy infrastructure at the new Gwyndod Power Plant, which we’ve supported through our work with Great British Energy – Nuclear, is expanding the area’s nuclear power presence and creating new local supply chains. 

And in Birmingham, the flourishing Sports Quarter Development is a clear symbol of the West Midlands’ growth potential.

What enables such success often isn’t directly visible: the industrial leaders, collaborative partnerships and the long-term political commitment driving these strategies, behind the scenes.

To truly thrive, growth across the UK requires a deep understanding of what’s happening in each of our towns and cities. The aim is not to compete amongst ourselves but to boost UK productivity and compete in the global marketplace.

Secondly, boosting productivity must be a strong focus.

In every sector of the UK’s economy, we have some high-performing businesses - but to truly boost productivity across the board, we need more of them.  

The UK is by no means the only country to see disparity between the economic performance of different regions. France has a similar distribution of productivity, albeit its levels are higher overall. In Germany, we see smaller gaps between productivity at the worker level. 

If we in the UK could reduce regional inequality in productivity levels, while maintaining the levels in our highest performing locations, we’d see a significant boost to overall GDP figures.

Sharing best practice locally provides a practical way to achieve this. For example, Deloitte’s Best Managed Companies Awards shine a spotlight on exceptional private businesses across the UK, offering a platform to exchange ideas and strategies to boost performance.

Collaboration between local and devolved governments and businesses can also align job creation with workforce development. And as the government’s plans to equip more young people with skills and career opportunities evolve, we can expect practical local partnerships to be crucial.

As an example, contributing to the Digital Skills for Defence STEM Bursary Programme this year, bringing 200 students into our Manchester office to develop skills linked to software engineering and cyber security, was rewarding for me and many of our people. 

Finally, it’s important to realise the immense potential of local connection and pride and the deep commitments we have to the places we call home.

Where we show up matters. Seeing our communities thrive inspires us to channel our creativity, skills and energy into projects that uplift those closest to us, creating a virtuous cycle. Making communities work drives growth, which improves communities.

At Deloitte, our local knowledge and long-term relationships form the foundation of our work with clients and networks across the UK.

Take our new office in Belfast’s Ewart Building as an example. By integrating into the fabric of the city and housing NOW Group and Catalyst within our space, we actively contribute to the community’s vitality. 

Similarly, our wider investments in new offices - from Aberdeen and Bristol to our soon-to-open Birmingham home to name only three - reflect our commitment to building a future in which no one needs to uproot themselves to achieve a fulfilling career.

In addition, Deloitte’s social impact programme is a testament to cocreation with local communities. In Neath Port Talbot, for instance, our public sector teams are collaborating with government and businesses to design a programme aimed at expanding inclusive work opportunities.

These initiatives go beyond corporate responsibility. They reflect a sincere commitment to supporting the areas we operate in – and they are a true privilege for us.

When people are empowered to build extraordinary careers rooted in their own communities, the opportunities are boundless.