Cumbria: a great example of regional economic potential

The county of Cumbria, for many, epitomises rural England. But the Wordsworthian reverence for the Cumbrian countryside isn’t an accurate reflection of the county’s economic footprint – and its true potential.

Cumbria is home to some of the UK’s most innovative front-line industries such as nuclear, advanced material manufacturing, a growing construction sector. And that’s on top of the agricultural and tourism industries that drive economic activity across the county and generate billions of pounds in revenue. Yet this is a narrative that is rarely championed, so Cumbria doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.

However, with levelling up still firmly on the agenda and the deepening issues surrounding the price of energy, Cumbria's unique natural assets and business culture present an opportunity to make a meaningful impact on critical sectors of the national economy.

Cumbria is already home to a nuclear cluster

With the high price of natural gas and the instability in the global energy market, the domestic energy supply has become ever more vital to UK economic stability. Cumbria is a critical part of that national energy jigsaw.

Diana Richardson, CEO of Britain's Energy Coast Cluster, described its Cumbrian home as "the place where energy meets business.". This internationally recognised nuclear cluster possesses many of the vital ingredients needed to be a world leader on a host of large-scale projects. This opportunity will only get larger following the government’s announcement in the Spring Budget that it will list nuclear energy as environmentally sustainable – it’s a significant win for the county.

The UK nuclear industry is already valued at £95bn, benefiting both regional and national economies. And it’s focus on innovation means it’s a UK leader in high productivity, attracting highly skilled labour and growing at an annual rate of 2.1%.

Cumbria itself is home to Sellafield, a subsidiary of the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, and