South Yorkshire has outlined a ten-year strategy aimed at driving business investment, skills, and productivity across the region. The South Yorkshire Growth Plan, launched by Mayor Oliver Coppard and the Mayor’s Economic Advisory Council, highlights advanced manufacturing, clean energy, defenc,e and life sciences as priority sectors.
The University of Sheffield has been positioned as a core delivery partner. Its Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) supports over 400 SMEs each year and anchors the Advanced Manufacturing Park, which has attracted more than £350m in private investment. The AMRC Training Centre has already provided manufacturing skills to over 2,000 young people working within regional SMEs.
Major initiatives tied to the plan include COMPASS, a collaborative research programme housed alongside Factory 2050 to support aviation with lightweight components, backed by £80m from government, industry, and the University. Runway Park, a 100-acre innovation site led by the University, will connect research with business activity, while the Sheffield Innovation Spine will link regeneration areas to support knowledge-based start-ups and scale-ups.
South Yorkshire holds the largest share of the UK’s clean tech economy at 6.9%, strengthening the case for new investment in hydrogen and low-carbon energy. The University’s applied research and innovation centres, including facilities for sustainable aviation fuels, gene therapy and energy innovation, are expected to expand commercial partnerships with major industry players such as Boeing, Rolls Royce and McLaren.
Professor Ashutosh Tiwari, Deputy Vice-President for Innovation at the University of Sheffield, said: “As a global university rooted in our city and region, we are committed to driving economic growth and success for our communities.
The South Yorkshire Growth Plan highlights the critical role our research, innovation and education will play in boosting productivity in our region, creating high-value jobs and opportunities that will improve people’s lives.”
The Growth Plan emphasises collaboration between academia and business as a route to long-term economic resilience, high-value employment, and regional competitiveness.
