Beyond the map: Why we are focusing on how things connect
- May 15
- 4 min read
Updated: May 18
If you look at the investment landscape of the North East, you will see many maps. You will see dots, shaded zones, and individual sites marked for development. But if you are an investor, you know that a map is just a static snapshot. It shows you where things are, but it does not reveal where the momentum is building.
In Durham, we are looking forward to how our county works as a whole and how our strategic sites are connected – not only through physical infrastructure but also through collaboration and innovation. An investment corridor is not just about improving a road or a rail line. It is a practical way to link our best assets so that businesses can grow and residents can thrive. When we talk about our investment corridors, we mean moving talent, ideas, and investment between the places that matter.
Key to this, of course, is our infrastructure, including the A1(M), the A19 and the proposed new Leamside Line, which will run to Durham.
Leamside Line
The proposed Leamside Line is a flagship transport investment in North East England, backed by strong Mayoral commitment and support from the North East Combined Authority. The line would reinstate a disused 21-mile rail corridor in the region, running through Gateshead, Washington and Durham, where it reconnects with the East Coast Main Line.
By reconnecting Durham towns along the line and linking strategic employment locations, such as Integra 61, directly to the wider region, the line will expand access to jobs, skills and education for local residents, widen labour pools for employers and support business growth. Improved connectivity between strategic sites will foster collaboration, innovation and new partnerships, enabling firms to benefit from closer links to urban centres, universities and research assets, and ensuring that people living in surrounding towns are better connected to opportunity.
Beyond economic impacts, the Leamside Line will deliver strong social value by supporting inclusion, reducing transport barriers, improving quality of life, and enabling easier access to leisure, learning and work, thereby helping to build stronger, more connected communities along the corridor.
Focusing on the assets that work
It is easy to get lost in regional strategy. For an investor, it comes down to our core locations with the right support and infrastructure in place. We have three main sites that form the base of our economy:
Integra 61: This site is our logistics and employment hub. By pushing for better transport links, such as the Leamside Line, we are ensuring the site remains connected to the rest of the region. This shows that if you get the infrastructure right, you can create real employment density and keep local supply chains moving. Planning permission for Phase 2 has recently been granted, unlocking a further 3m sq. ft. of commercial development.
Aykley Heads / Durham Innovation District (MDZ): This is our plan for the future of work. It is where we are creating an environment to attract high-value, knowledge-intensive jobs. We need to ensure our best talent stays in the county, and Aykley Heads is designed to host the tech, digital and corporate service businesses that provide those opportunities. Recently announced as a part of a Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ), the site will receive £27m of funding from the North East Combined Authority to unlock new jobs and accelerate urban regeneration at the Durham City site.
NETPark: This is our hub for science and technology. It is more than office space; it is a dedicated science park for printable electronics, advanced materials, and life sciences. It helps companies move from research to commercialisation. It works because it brings researchers, start-ups, and established global firms together in one place. NETPark offers room to grow, with ready-to-go space ranging from small R&D offices to larger-scale manufacturing and life sciences capabilities.
Integrating key employment sites, transport infrastructure and housing will help build stronger, more resilient communities, ensuring that economic growth delivers tangible social value alongside prosperity.
Why this approach helps investors
Investors do not want to guess where growth will come from. They want assurance that the infrastructure is planned and that the sites are ready. By grouping these assets along our main transport routes, we are making the decision to invest here as straightforward as possible.
We are not waiting for the market to dictate where things should happen. We are building the roads, rail links, and business environments that make it the most sensible decision, on the balance sheet, to base a business in Durham. We have the plan, and more importantly, we have the sites where it is already underway.
If you are at UKREiiF, come and speak to us. We are not interested in over-promising. We want to show you how we are building a system that delivers results for businesses.
Hear the plan, and speak to us at UKREiiF
Creating Investment Corridors that unlock regional opportunity
Wednesday 20th, 15:00-15:45 (please arrive 15 minutes early)
Location: North East England Pavilion (Water Pavilion 14, Pink Zone)
Or meet the Business Durham team throughout the week, to talk through the pipeline at the North East England Pavilion, Water Pavilion 14, Pink Zone.
