Get in touch with our team

For cities of all sizes, attracting investment, developing a robust business case and establishing new models of funding and delivery, make the difference between hopeful ambitions and deliverable realities.

Having strong supporting evidence and a clear purpose enables projects to maintain consensus and withstand political and economic change. We act as economic planning consultants to many cities worldwide, helping leaders to align deep planning insights to local need and longer-term social and economic goals.

We help clients understand the economic potential or impact of proposals or policies, developing strategic responses, comprehensive solutions and area plans across the built environment. Our economic planning team works in collaboration with politicians, funders, transport authorities, and community leaders to agree a collective vision backed by practical, investable plans. We support cities to revitalise districts, develop innovation hubs, deliver appropriate housing, attract green finance, and protect what makes a place unique while reinventing themselves for the future. At a national level we also advise on longer term issues like macro-economic development and digital transformation.

How we can help you

Research and business case

Our approach helps to understand how schemes can maximise return on investment, demonstrate value to society, and improve overall city resilience.

Research and business case

Understanding the wide economic benefits of urban development and appraising the cost-benefit analysis can shape the intended outcome of a project at the outset.

Our approach helps to understand how schemes can maximise return on investment, demonstrate value to society, and improve overall city resilience. 

Working with stakeholders, planning and design colleagues and technical experts, we establish the wide economic benefits of urban development from diverse perspectives to make the case for investment, providing joined-up advice that makes complex projects work in practice.

Urban investment has to respond to the latest trends and social preferences. We develop proposals and business cases that draw on the latest research and policy advice to ensure clients understand what investment today will achieve tomorrow.

Impact assessments and evaluations

We help clients understand the economic potential or impact of proposals as well as the relevant policy, and to frame their strategies in response to both.

Impact assessments and evaluations

We help clients understand the economic potential or impact of proposals as well as the relevant policy, and to frame their strategies in response to both.

We work closely with our in-house technical and financial experts to deliver comprehensive solutions and area plans across the built environment. 

Every stage of a project offers valuable lessons for other urban interventions in future – from design choices and engineering techniques to environmental, economic and social implications. We deliver robust monitoring and evaluation approaches for policies and programmes to understand the impact of development at a granular level and share lessons to inform future projects.

Integrate land and finance priorities

We work with spatial planning and design colleagues to provide an integrated solution which we test in line with planning compliance, carbon goals and return on investment.

Integrate land and finance priorities

Connecting land use decisions in the business case stage to a viable, deliverable reality provides confidence to project leaders, funders and investors.

Southern Auckland development plan - aerial view of the land in the area

We helped Southern Auckland explore a new economic and urban future by creating an economic masterplan for this emerging part of the city – the first of its kind in New Zealand.

We work with spatial planning and design colleagues to provide an integrated solution which we test in line with planning compliance, carbon goals and return on investment.

This is where economic planning adds real value and insight to wider masterplanning activity, strengthening the case for a particular scheme or the elements that will govern its long-term success.

Working with Innovation Norway, municipal and regional governments, and local businesses and residents, we considered how the soon to be completed Andøya Spaceport can become a catalyst for wider economic development. The resulting Strategic Framework Andøy sets out a multi-stakeholder consensus around a vision, spatial strategies, and clear actions that will help establish Andøy and Norway as a leader in the new space economy. As Norway progressively reduces its dependence on the oil and gas sector, our work identifies new opportunities for sustainable growth, cooperation with other space industry clusters, value chain development and the need for supporting infrastructure.

Find out more about our work in Southern Auckland

Stimulate regional growth

We work with leaders, communities and governance bodies to build capacity in understanding and securing funding.

Stimulate regional growth

Local and regional communities’ access to funding and improvement requires deep understanding of local governance, devolved funding mechanisms and how national funds can be aligned to local needs.

UK town seen from the air

In the UK, we are working with the government's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities to provide specialist advice and support for towns looking to secure and deliver their 'Town Deals'.

It’s important that smaller towns and distant regions have the same access to economic development as the big cities and national capitals. We work with leaders, communities and governance bodies to build capacity in understanding and securing funding. We also support clients in establishing delivery organisations and help position them for green economy opportunities.

Find out more about our work on the Towns Fund