Keynote 1 : Liverpool Local Planning and Inclusive Growth

Abstract

In his keynote speech at the AESOP Head of Schools Meeting 2025, Councillor Nick Small, Cabinet Member for Growth and Economy at Liverpool City Council, presented the city’s strategic direction for inclusive growth. He emphasized that growth should be people-centered, guided not only by the local plan but primarily by the newly drafted Inclusive Growth Strategy. The address outlined the socioeconomic challenges facing Liverpool, particularly in North Liverpool, an area marked by structural deprivation. Small introduced initiatives such as the proposed “Opportunity North Liverpool” new town project and the establishment of a Locally Led Urban Development Corporation (LLUDC), aimed at regenerating key urban zones, attracting investment, and improving housing and job opportunities. He also highlighted local success stories, such as grassroots women entrepreneurship in Anfield, and stressed the need to better integrate the city’s underutilized waterfront with surrounding communities. The speech connected these strategic efforts to broader planning reforms and called for a balance between fast-tracking development and maintaining democratic accountability.