Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal

The Borderlands Partnership is made up of the 5 border councils:

  • Carlisle City Council
  • Cumbria County Council
  • Dumfries and Galloway Council
  • Northumberland County Council
  • Scottish Borders Council. 

It was formed to unlock the potential for sustainable and inclusive economic growth across the South of Scotland and North of England. The Partnership is working collaboratively with UK and Scottish Governments and other public and private sector partners to deliver the benefits of Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal and establish the foundations for sustainable and inclusive growth over the long term.

The Partnership has a shared ambition: 

"Our shared ambition is for the Borderlands to be a vibrant place, attracting, rewarding and retaining people to live, work, visit and invest here, by offering a high-quality experience in beautiful, well-connected surroundings."

By making the most of our shared opportunities and responding to our common challenges, we will support our business, communities and people to prosper. This underpins our Deal, focused on increasing productivity, attracting a larger working-age population and delivering a more inclusive economy.

The Deal is unique, the only Deal that is cross border and provides a strategic approach to the challenges and opportunities of the region.  The signing of the Deal, with the UK Government and Scottish Government, took place on 18 March 2021. The Deal is made up of £265 million from UK Government £85 million from the Scottish Government and £102.56 million from local partners.

The Deal Agreement states that the following are expected to be achieved over the 20 year benefits realisation period for the Deal, subject to full business cases:

  • deliver an additional 5,500 job opportunities
  • attract more than four million extra tourists to the area
  • improve mobile and digital connections
  • unlock investment in towns across the area
  • generate around £1.1 billion in GVA for the Borderland's economy


Borderlands Place Programme

The Borderlands Place Programme will support the development and renewal of towns across the Borderlands region and is core to our Improving Places theme.  It brings up to £50m of funding, £20m from the Scottish Government and £30m from the UK Government, in a new approach focused on smaller places across the Borderlands. 

The Programme is a central part of the Deal and will support the towns' growth through Place and Town Investment Plans. Developed at local level, each Place Plan will set out the community's vision for the future of their area and enable them to apply for investment through a range of matched funding beyond the Deal's investment.  

The Programme will also bring direct investment through the Town Investment Plans. The Place Programme is a ten-year investment with the first Place Plans due to come through in 2022. The programme will invest in places to help boost economic activity across the region and recognises the importance of our smaller rural market and coastal towns to the local economy.

Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.

 Title  Date  Size
8/03/2022 6612k
8/03/2022 5572k
8/03/2022 14494k
8/03/2022 8411k
8/03/2022 4084k