A consortium representing 5 major cities in the North has got together to lobby the Chancellor of the Exchequer for an investment in development of the North’s infrastructure to create a secondary powerhouse in the UK’s economy.

Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and Sheffield have got together to create a report, supported by Hull, Bradford, Wakefield and York, that is being presented to George Osborne today. The report entitled: “One North” consists of a 15 year, £15 billion plan to redevelop the North’s infrastructure capabilities.

The One North proposal comes just months after the Chancellor’s suggestion of HS3 which he proposed could connect Manchester with Leeds, which will be under consultation this year and is expected to be built by 2033.

These proposals also follow on from calls for the development of a New Town close to Junction 22 on the M62. The proposed New Town would be roughly equidistant between Leeds and Manchester a distance, which George Osborne pointed out on BBC Radio 4’s Today Programme, is roughly the same as the length of the Central Line is London. It’s clear development of this area would represent an huge opportunity for commuters and distribution companies whilst working towards further bringing together the settled areas of the North into one homogeneous powerhouse.

The Leader of Manchester Council, Sir Richard Leese said of the proposal and the existing infrastructure: “The current constraints on our transport networks, the product of years of neglect and under-investment, affect the competitiveness of the North."

“East-west journeys take almost twice as long as equivalent journeys in the south and our rail links are too slow and unco-ordinated. Our motorways are congested, and there is an over-reliance on the M62."

“Addressing these limitations will require ambitious action, co-operation and a co-ordinated approach to strategic planning and investment – bringing together rail, road, water and freight and enabling the great cities of the north to be more than the sum of their parts."

“We need a new holistic approach to strategic investment and planning. The reward would be a substantially increased contribution to the national economy.”

The proposed development of the North would lead to a considerable number of jobs for the construction industry, with commercial and residential developments appearing across the region to benefit from the improved connectivity, an impact that's likely to be long lasting for our industry.