£1.5m awarded for digital infrastructure map to boost Midlands Engine

Local business and council leaders across the Midlands will receive up to £1.5m to pioneer cutting-edge technology to identify the best investment and regeneration opportunities across the area.

The Midlands Engine Partnership, in collaboration with the Geospatial Commission, will use the funding to develop a digital map of the region combining public and private sector data linked to location – covering infrastructure, local services, housing and other developments.

The partnership said that bringing this information about the Midlands together in one place for the first time will allow for better, faster and more informed decisions around health, education, housing, trade and tourism.

The move is expected to create jobs, benefit the local economy and increase productivity.

For example, land earmarked for housebuilding could be identified by other sectors as an opportunity to invest in developing nearby public assets, such as a school or office complex, as well as installing next-generation technologies, such as 5G connectivity.
Midlands Engine chairman Sir John Peace said: “This really is great news for everyone in the Midlands Engine Partnership. This will fund an invaluable one-stop digital map for local authorities that will allow them to work much faster and more efficiently.

“At the Midlands Engine we have committed to supporting the build of 600,000 new homes in the next 15 years. This is an ambitious target and the tool will support local authorities by giving them the information that they need to identify suitable development sites and work in a more joined-up way.

“The mapping tool will also allow faster and more informed decisions with ready access to maps of utilities, surgeries and educational establishments.”