Case Study

Ideopolis: knowledge city-regions - Sheffield case study  explores Sheffield’s strengths, challenges and opportunities within the framework of the nine Ideopolis drivers. It makes policy recommendations and shows what other cities can learn from Sheffield’s experience.

Key findings include:

• Physical knowledge city: The built environment, particularly in the centre, has improved hugely over the last ten years. There are some attractive and high quality Victorian suburbs relatively close to the city centre. Concerns remain about the availability of office accommodation.
• Diverse specialisation: The city’s industrial base is not historically diverse, and it needs to invest in diversification as a risk management strategy.
• High skill, high wage organisations: Sheffield lacks a critical mass of high skill, high wage organisations which would keep knowledge workers and graduates in the city.
• Vibrant education sector: Sheffield has two good, locally engaged universities.
• Leadership around a knowledge city vision: The city-region may provide Sheffield with the critical mass to succeed, but there are concerns that local authorities are fighting for the same money. Greater recognition of where each town stands in the city region is needed.