Econ mic Gr wth Strategy 2020 – 2025 CONTENTS 2 FOREWORD 3 INTRODUCTION 6 WHO WE ARE 8 WHAT WE DELIVER 14 CONSULTATION 17 OUR VISION AND STRATEGIC PRIORITIES 24 PRIORITIES AND ACTIONS 30 DELIVERY Economic Development, Midlothian Council, Fairfield House, Dalkeith, EH223AA Page 1 Economic Growth Strategy FOREWORD I am delighted to present this partnership strategy for growing Midlothian’s economy 2020 – 2025. This outlines our Community Planning Partnership based approach to economic growth for the next five years which will put collaboration, inclusivity, innovation and ambition at the heart of what we do. The Midlothian Council strategy follows Improving our skills landscape and Our business community is significant: extensive consultation across the area’s developing our people to meet the future of our 2,600 enterprises, small key sectors; harnessing and capturing economic needs is a high priority for businesses account for 58% of the the needs and aspirations of our the Community Planning Partnership. workforce and this is continuing to grow. businesses, communities, third Through this strategy, economic Small businesses are crucial to the sector and citizens of Midlothian. development partners in our Sustainable development of our economy, identifying Growth Partnership will work with gaps in the market and innovate to come This strategy is written in the context employers changing needs; collaborate up with solutions. of the Single Midlothian Plan with its to inform the Improving Opportunities three key shared outcomes of reducing We seek to work with entrepreneurs to Partnership, and the work of our inequalities in learning, health and enable them to start up and facilitate their education training and employability economic circumstances and builds expansion through our business and providers. This will well place our people on the success of previous work, as enterprise support offer. Going forward, to have the qualification; be it academic well as adding insights from our valued we aim to incentivise, advise and guide or vocational, to meet the growing stakeholders, partners and citizens, new and existing businesses, as well needs of the economy, increase local reflecting the commitment to work as inward investors with the message: employment, and ensure we are resilient together to put Midlothian on the map as Midlothian is open for business. to change. a great place to live, work and grow. Cllr Russell Imrie, Cabinet Member We have a strong ambition and vision for The Edinburgh and South East for Communities and Economy As Scotland’s fastest growing local Midlothian, and this strategy will detail Scotland City Region Deal (ESESCR) authority area, Midlothian has significant how we will deliver this in partnership with Midlothian Council, December 2019 provides opportunity to undertake challenges and opportunities. Good public sector agencies, key stakeholders, capital infrastructure works; including growth is integral to delivery of this businesses and the community. We have upgrading of the A701, A720 Sheriffhall strategy; ensuring opportunities developed this strategy’s priorities and grade separation, as well as investment are available to all of our business, actions to deliver a structured approach in Data Driven Innovation at the communities and our people. We will to economic development in our towns University of Edinburgh’s Easter Bush put a strong emphasis on local jobs for and communities. site which will be complemented by a local people and that jobs created by Integrated Regional Employability and I invite you to be part of this and capital infrastructure upgrades will be Skills programme. work with us on the journey. accessible to local contractors, would be employees, and our young people aspiring for careers in the industry. Economic Growth Strategy Page 2 INTRODUCTION This document sets out the economic development vision and key priorities for Midlothian for the period 2020-2025. Economic development increases the development of this strategy on behalf by creating growth and quality based approach to achieving our capacity of a local area to improve of its partners and it has been finalised employment opportunities. objectives. economic outcomes and uplift the with their input following workshops and In recognition of the challenging financial Midlothian has a number of sites which area’s quality of life. It is a process online consultation. Our strategy provides environment, our strategy seeks to deliver make up the current employment land of transformation and continuous a shared vision and key priorities for better outcomes for our economy in supply for businesses and developers. innovation, resulting in increased labour working in partnership with organisations conjunction with our partnership and The Midlothian Local Development Plan market productivity and improved that are integral to shaping and delivering the future direction of Midlothian Council (MLDP) ensures a readily available supply infrastructure – all of which reduces growth for Midlothian’s economy. set out in the Medium Term Financial for economic land, reflecting a range of costs and increases output. The purpose of this strategy is to set Strategy. sites and locations to help support local Social and economic factors contribute out our ambition to grow and transform economic growth. Key employment Economic development plays a strong to growth; social factors in ensuring the economy by taking and harnessing sectors are recognised as: professional, role in our communities. The social there is an improvement in conditions opportunity. Strategic objectives and scientific and technical services, elements of economic growth are and quality of life of the population key priorities set out in this document construction, tourism, wholesale and also explored, particularly in relation to i.e. access to the market, addressing align with the Scottish Government’s retail, housing and construction and the poverty and inequalities, and educational poverty and inequalities and the socio- Economic Strategy and are in the public sector. attainment. We recognise that good economic barriers associated with context of the Community Planning growth must be evident to all our people, We recognise there is a need for more education and health deprivation. Partnership’s Single Midlothian Plan and that economic development is a commercial property in many settlements Economic factors can include vision: ‘Midlothian – a great place to vital component in creating resilient and – this is reinforced by increasing rental developments to remove barriers and grow’, and its three key outcomes – vibrant communities. prices in the area over the course of the are measured by looking at income, life reducing inequalities in learning, health last five years. This strategy seeks to expectancy, poverty, inequalities and and economic circumstances. Our strategy supports the work of our work with planning, developers and the education outcomes. key partners: Council services including: Our strategy sets out a series of strategic local business base to address the scale Education, Communities and Lifelong Local economic development in the objectives for economic development of current and future economic growth Learning, ICT and Digital Services; Skills context of Midlothian is defined by and will contribute positively to the and reverse the trend of over reliance Development Scotland, Developing the partnership working with the Council, overall vision for our region. It links on commuting outwith Midlothian by Young Workforce, Business Gateway, businesses, the community, third sector, back to the themes, aspirations and creating and unlocking sites for local private sector and landowners, the third and young people. This empowers, delivery of Community Planning. It employment opportunities. and voluntary sector, the Midlothian and creates dialogue and allows the Council also sets a strategic context for other East Lothian Chamber of Commerce, the Over the period 2020 to 2025, our focus to make better informed choices on local plans such as the Midlothian Federation of Small Businesses, Scottish of work will be to raise our profile and development by taking a bottom up Local Development Plan (MLDP) Enterprise, Scottish Development promote our diverse offer and to reap approach to local issues, thereby and the Midlothian Tourism Strategy. International and Higher and Further the benefits of increased visibility. Recent increasing the efficacy of its services. The strategy offers support to the education providers. Our associated government policy has been focused on employability and anti-poverty actions of Midlothian Council has led the actions will reflect our strong partnership connection to create synergy and scale the Improving Opportunities Partnership Page 3 Economic Growth Strategy which is embedded in a sustainable the local economy and creating new • Housing and Construction This will raise the profile of the local economy and widened labour market. jobs. With the support of Scottish • Food and Drink authority area and showcase its assets Development International, we seek to to a global audience. Doing so will also Our strategy is underpinned by diversify our business base to thrive, Quality of Life enable capture of crucial data to ensure sustainability in achieving economic grow and internationalise with the • A great place to grow we are best equipped to analyse, target outcomes. We will accelerate the pace objective of increasing the number of and