OUR PLAN FOR BARROW

A future for everyone

By 2035, Barrow will be a thriving, prosperous town where our people flourish and grow.

Our 10-year plan for Barrow sets an exciting and ambitious vision for how we’ll transform this extraordinary town into a thriving place where people love to live, work and visit.

Recognised as a strategic national asset, Barrow plays a vital role in our defence and security thanks to the world-class submarines it designs and builds for the Royal Navy.

With defence spending fuelling substantial growth and multi-decade submarine programmes providing long-term employment opportunities for an expanding workforce, in well-paid, highly skilled roles, Barrow is undergoing a rebirth.

The town has a bright and prosperous future where growth and expansion equal opportunity. Thanks to Government investment and its ongoing commitment to the UK submarine programme, Barrow has a level of economic certainty that is unrivalled in most other parts of the country.

Our plan explains how the town will be transformed for current and future generations. It’s an ambition underpinned by the mandate to deliver two core outcomes:

Enable and sustain the Defence Nuclear Enterprise in Barrow efficiently and securely.

Diversify and strengthen Barrow’s economy and increase productivity .

Download a PDF version of our 10-Year Plan for Barrow, to learn more about our plan for change and approach to delivery.

Download the plan (PDF)

Thrive

Barrow will offer a rich choice of sustainable and affordable housing to meet the needs of a diverse community, with a thriving town centre and cultural scene.

The town centre will be transformed, with contemporary buildings and spaces complementing our rich heritage. It will provide a range of cultural offerings, with great places to eat and socialise. It will feel safe, clean, and well-maintained, becoming the ‘go to’ place to socialise.

New housing will cater to all needs, rent or buy, and will include a mix of size, type and price, located across Barrow and satellite villages and towns.

Town centre property will be higher-density, with more rented housing, to appeal to students and young people, attracted by its new vibrancy.

What success will mean

Existing housing will be of a high standard
Thousands of new homes will be built in the region, with the focus of these in Barrow, catering to all needs (rent and buy) and including a mix of size, type and price.
Town centre occupancy that’s amongst the highest in England and has high footfall compared to towns of similar size.

How we’ll achieve this

Significantly transforming the town centre and other sites close to the town, working with local stakeholders, the University of Cumbria and communities to reflect their needs.
Working with developers and the private sector, helping them to understand the opportunities in Barrow and removing barriers to investment. We will secure master developers for key sites and work with them to leverage social value commitments, such as apprenticeships and training.
Improving the standard of existing housing will contribute to better health. We will work with Homes England to increase social housing to meet local needs.
Intervening, where necessary, to acquire sites, facilitate development opportunities and some direct development.

Prosper

Barrow offers prosperity to all: a place where people love to live, recognised nationally as a prosperous and vibrant town, known for its world-class engineering, heritage, nature and culture.

We will feel even more proud of the town we call home, and our vibrant cultural scene and stunning landscapes will attract new people.

Innovation, university education, world-class engineering and industry and a deep connection to culture and history, make Barrow a place where people can flourish and prosper, inspired by our maritime heritage.

There will be a thriving and sustainable voluntary and community sector, as well as a range of cultural, sporting, and social activities. Communities will be resilient and well-connected.

What success will mean

An increase in working-aged people in well-paid jobs, contributing to a good quality of life.
Above national average for levels of personal wellbeing and life satisfaction.
An increase in the number of people moving to the town.
A significant reduction in life expectancy inequality.

How we’ll achieve this

Building on an already thriving cultural scene, to deliver a strong and engaging cultural offer that connects with and engages local communities.
Cementing a social value proposition from anchor employers that secures environmental and social benefits and builds community wealth.
Enabling the voluntary and community sector to provide vital services and to work alongside residents to co-produce opportunities to connect and share strengths.
Providing safe and stimulating spaces for young people to thrive. We will work with educators, families, voluntary and community sectors to create safe and welcoming shared spaces to support learning, personal growth, and wellbeing.
Supporting flourishing social enterprises so we have a hyper-local sector that creates training, volunteering and employment opportunities and provides additional financial security for voluntary, community and faith-sector organisations.
Bold and imaginative place-based marketing campaign to showcase Barrow’s assets and opportunities.

Flourish

Our people will flourish, enjoying the best possible physical, mental and emotional wellbeing.

We will live in well-connected communities with access to affordable leisure, cultural and health facilities and stunning natural landscapes.

Underpinned by right-sized health and care services, with an excellent reputation for delivering high-quality, easy-to-access services with great outcomes.

Children will have a great start to life, be ready to learn and be able to fulfil their potential. Parents and families will have access to the facilities, services, and support they need, including excellent health, early years and education provision.

Employers will provide job opportunities which support good health, and employees will feel happy, valued, healthy and fulfilled. This focus on health and wellbeing will attract new industries and a growing workforce.

People who cannot work due to ill health will be supported by a range of opportunities, giving them access to leisure facilities, education, volunteering training and employment.

What success will mean

Patients attending the Emergency Department in Furness General Hospital will be admitted, treated or discharged within four hours.
More people who have long-term physical or mental health conditions will be able to access jobs, raising employment levels among this group to above the national average.
More people will report positive experiences of General Practice (measured through a 10% improvement in the annual GP survey).
Barrow will be smoke-free, meaning less than 5% of the population will smoke cigarettes or use other forms of tobacco.
The percentage of children achieving a Good Level of Development at the end of reception will increase to above the average in England.

How we’ll achieve this

Reforming public services, creating a new social contract for health creation between local people, the NHS, local authority, and the voluntary and community sectors, leveraging additional funding through the Barrow Transformation Fund.
Creating capacity and capability in the statutory health, education, and children’s social care services needed for the systemic change required to transform outcomes.
Increasing collaboration and integration between employers and health, care and community services to promote healthy workplaces and reduce economic inactivity.
Creating an infrastructure plan for health and wellbeing facilities in primary, community, hospital care and mental health to respond to the needs of our growing population and support our overall health objectives.

Connect

Barrow’s transport, digital and utilities infrastructure will help drive our economic growth through improved connectivity and reliability.

We’ll have an efficient and reliable transport network to support major investment in the town. This will provide wider access to job opportunities and improve the efficiency of businesses that need to link to supply chains and end markets.

It will also create more opportunities for our local people, giving us ready access to services, leisure and cultural facilities.

What success will mean

Journeys on the A590 and A595 are more reliable – providing confidence that people and freight will arrive on time.
Trains are used more extensively by people and freight because they are more reliable, quicker, and more frequent.
A more efficient transport network in Barrow, making it easier for people to get to jobs and services, as well as and create capacity to support new developments and investments.
More people walking, wheeling and cycling, which will bring new opportunities and improve health.

How we’ll achieve this

Working with National Highways and Network Rail to secure funding to pay for major improvements, including more reliable and frequent trains on the Furness and Cumbria coastlines and a focus on
the A590.
Collaborating with Barrow’s major employers to understand how transport can support future growth needs.
Integrating transport planning into master-planning activity, to ensure transport networks work for our communities.
Investing in active travel, to enhance connections and support active wellbeing.
Making better use of existing assets, like the port and rail network.

Learn

Barrow will have a thriving and inclusive education sector that creates opportunity for all, helps fuel our economy and offers clear routes into fulfilling careers.

We will be a vibrant, inclusive and successful university town that draws on our rich industrial heritage, cultural assets and the diversity of our people’s talents.

Young people of all backgrounds will be ready to start learning and will reach their potential in outstanding schools, with access to enriching learning activities, safe and stimulating spaces and extracurricular opportunities.

Educational attainment rates at all stages will exceed the national average and young people will have a wide choice of education, employment and career pathways.

Higher education and skills providers will work proactively with employers to ensure provision is demand-shaped and future employees are ready for work. Employers will be able to attract, retain and develop the talent pool needed for their businesses to thrive, building on our strong tradition of excellent apprenticeships.

Barrow’s Learning Quarter will be a catalyst for transformational impact, attracting and retaining talent, levering place-based investment and facilitating new models of public service delivery, new skills, and business start-up and productivity gains.

Collaboration throughout our education ecosystem will be the norm.

What success will mean

Attendance and educational attainment at Key Stages 2 and 4 will be better than the national average.
Our workforce will have grown, and more people will be equipped to meet our labour and skills demands.
Barrow’s economic inactivity rate will be lower than the national average (percentage of 16-64 population).
Improved high-level skills and productivity, as shown by an increase in the proportion of people qualified to RQF 4+.
A higher retention rate of employees who stay after relocating.

How we’ll achieve this

Supporting schools and pre-schools, and those that support, lead and teach in them, to take an asset-based and holistic approach to transforming educational outcomes. This will include factors such as attendance, behaviour, mental health and wellbeing; teaching, learning and CPD; harnessing the power and potential of technology; and early childcare and parental and community engagement, so that all children are ready to start their education.
Helping those with the least opportunity to realise their potential. We’ll work with and support Westmorland and Furness Council, Enterprising Cumbria, Government departments and the voluntary and community sector to accelerate the increase of new and re-entrants to the workforce.
Establishing a high-quality and responsive skills offer that supports employers, as well as those in or joining the workforce. Higher education, further education and skills providers will work with employers and their representative bodies to identify skills gaps, develop capability and accessible and relevant training programmes, and create clear pathways for career progression, ensuring a workforce that is equipped for current and future industry needs.
Maximising Barrow as a university town. As a Barrow anchor institute, and through the economic and place-based role of the University of Cumbria, we will work to increase town vibrancy and attractiveness. We will support clear pathways for local students to university education and we will attract students to study, work and live in Barrow. The University of Cumbria will lead collaboration with other universities, drawing in the best from other areas.

Invest

Barrow will offer businesses opportunities to invest and grow, encourage entrepreneurship and provide good and varied earning opportunities.

Businesses will relocate to or invest in the area because of the opportunities, skills, infrastructure and connections. A diverse and stable economy will provide a variety of well-paid, high-quality jobs in various sectors, including defence, maritime and clean energy.

Barrow will be known for its university, innovation and exporting ideas worldwide, building on its existing manufacturing capability. A strong supply chain will be built around established businesses and there will be growth at BAE Systems.

Entrepreneurs will choose to remain in their hometown, setting up and growing their own businesses and social enterprises. At the same time those from out of town will be encouraged to relocate or expand.

Businesses and social enterprises will have easy access to the finance, premises, skills, innovation and support they need to thrive and be successful.

The clean energy sector will have expanded significantly in 10 years, so we will target growth in this area given its potential, Barrow’s current offshore wind capability, and potential for carbon capture and storage.

What success will mean

A large increase in the number of small, medium and large businesses registered in Barrow from a range of sectors, including clean power.
Innovation and adoption of new technologies is higher than elsewhere.
New business start-up rate is above the national average.
A significant increase in the rate of business investment in the area.

How we’ll achieve this

Working with Enterprising Cumbria and Cumbria Social Enterprise Partnership to offer business support, so they have specific advice, tools and access to finance to start, grow or invest in the town. We’ll also work with employers and investors who want to invest in the town, making it is easy for them to do so, and target support to help grow our own.
Working with Government to ensure SMEs from Barrow get the best out of the recent commitment to set up an SME support hub for the defence sector, including working to have the hub located in Barrow.
Collaborating with UKRI and local universities. We will develop an innovation infrastructure to maximise the growth potential of our leading clusters, through initiatives such as the Advanced Manufacturing Catapult, so that businesses can collaborate, develop new products and access new markets.
Taking opportunities for expansion into markets with potential for growth, including construction, leisure, tourism and clean power, working with Government, investors and other companies.
Identifying space for companies to locate their business and then promote these widely, through the master-planning and local plan process.
Creating and facilitating strong business networks for businesses to start-up, grow and expand into Barrow.

A better future for all

Download a PDF version of our 10-Year Plan for Barrow.

Download PDF