By KLTV Newsdesk –

Six sector ‘Cluster Action Plans’ set to deliver jobs, investment and innovation across the region

West Yorkshire leaders have approved a landmark package of six “Cluster Action Plans”, marking the launch of one of the most ambitious regional growth strategies in the UK.

The plans, two years in development, are designed to unlock multibillion-pound business opportunities and create tens of thousands of good jobs, while strengthening public–private partnerships to deliver long-term prosperity.

Mayor of West Yorkshire Tracy Brabin hailed the announcement as a turning point: “The approval of these new plans will be a genuine catalyst for growth and a gamechanger for our region.

“By focusing our collective energy on the sectors where we have world-class strengths, we are sending a clear message to the world: West Yorkshire is where opportunity lives.

“We are not just talking about growth – we are delivering it through a new, dynamic partnership with our brilliant businesses, creating skilled jobs and powering our region’s contribution to the UK’s economic success.”

Targeting six world-class sectors

The action plans focus on six high-growth industries, each chosen for its proven strengths and global potential:

• Advancing Manufacturing – The North’s largest manufacturing workforce, producing for sectors from aerospace to construction.

• Financial and Professional Services – England’s second-largest financial hub, home to the Bank of England and FCA regional bases.

• Healthtech – A global leader in medical innovation, anchored by Europe’s largest teaching hospital and a £160m investment programme.

• Digital and Technology – The UK’s top location for tech scale-ups, with cutting-edge expertise in AI and data analytics.

• Creative Industries – A dynamic sector backed by £150m in government investment, bolstered by Bradford’s UK City of Culture 2025.

• Green Economy – At the forefront of the UK’s net-zero transition, forecast to grow to £11.1bn by 2026.

Each plan provides tailored interventions, from talent pipelines and innovation hubs to trade missions and specialist business support, ensuring local firms can access the tools and investment needed to thrive.

A catalyst for growth

The plans build on West Yorkshire’s £7 billion Local Growth Plan, launched last year, and are closely aligned with major initiatives such as the Home Energy West Yorkshire retrofit programme, the new Microsoft hyperscale data centre in Leeds, and trade partnerships with cities including Nashville, USA.

Mandy Ridyard, Mayor’s Business Advisor and Chair of the West Yorkshire Business Board, said: “The clarity and focus of the cluster approach gives businesses the confidence that we have a robust, long-term plan in place to drive sustainable growth.

“This joined-up approach will be the catalyst for the next decade of prosperity.”

Putting West Yorkshire on the map

Felix Kumi-Ampofo, Director of Inclusive Economy, Skills and Culture at the Combined Authority, added: “We have worked hard with our partners to create one of the most ambitious growth plans in the country, putting West Yorkshire firmly on the map.

“This cluster-led approach sends a clear signal to local, national and global businesses that this is a region with a clear, confident plan for the future.”

The approval comes as Leeds has been described by The Sunday Times as “the funky sibling to the City of London” for its booming financial technology sector, with major firms such as GoCardless, PEXA and Julius Baer investing in the region.