Herefordshire has launched its Big Economic Plan, setting out how partners across the county will use their collective agency, resources and levers to deliver an ambitious vision to 2050. Metro Dynamics were commissioned by Herefordshire Council and worked with partners from across the public, private and voluntary, community and social enterprise sectors to develop this plan.

Herefordshire is a mix of the modern and historic; steeped in rich history mixed with outward-looking, innovative businesses in cyber and technology, culture and creative industries, construction, and manufacturing and engineering. The county is well placed to embrace 21st century living, but like many rural areas, it also faces low wages, declining productivity and very significant environmental and pollution pressures from agriculture. Ensuring that the transition to a lower carbon and high-value future both protects existing strengths and creates high-wage jobs and opportunities is a major challenge. The plan seeks to show how the county can use its distinctive mix of assets to prosper over the coming decades, whilst maintaining and enhancing its beautiful natural environment, sense of community and celebrating the diverse identities across its market towns and villages.

Ultimately all rural areas face a series of decisions about land use and the labour market, in which goals for biodiversity, carbon reduction, housing, employment land, and transport infrastructure have to exist alongside sustainable food production, leisure access, energy generation and water management. The Big Economic Plan has seen partners come together from across Herefordshire to work on these issues and agree priorities around which they can mobilise action.

You can read the Big Economic Plan here.