This report, and the three thematic
reports on which it draws,
demonstrates that economic growth
in the North, and in the UK as a whole,
has become increasingly dependent
upon the roles and performance of
key cities and city regions. In the
transition from an industrial to an
increasingly service-based economy,
high value-added activities in
particular have been drawn into cities
as a result of agglomeration – the
advantage for firms, their customers,
and employees of being located
together. However, this growth has not
been even, and has been focused, as
overseas, in the largest, most diverse,
and best connected places