A BLUEPRINT to help double the county’s economy by 2040 has been announced.

Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) set out a refreshed strategic economic plan (SEP) on Friday, July 7.

The new plan builds on the previous one developed in 2014, and includes Brexit, the Northern Powerhouse, the Government’s industrial strategy, confirmation of Crewe as a location for a regional HS2 hub, and the creation of Transport for the North.

Christine Gaskell, chairman of Cheshire and Warrington LEP, said: “We have a strong economy that is outperforming the national average, a highly skilled workforce and unrivalled quality of place.

“The SEP sets out how we can build on these strengths to deliver our bold vision for economic growth and the strategic priorities we need to deliver to reach our target of a GDP of £50 billion per annum by 2040.”

The SEP was developed in partnership with Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, and Warrington Borough Council, and in consultation with businesses and business organisations.

It places considerable emphasis on building on the county’s reputation as a great place to live, work and invest in order to attract and retain the people that the area needs to grow its economy.

It prioritises delivering a transport system that allows people to travel around quickly and easily, ensuring that schools, colleges and universities equip people with the skills that Cheshire needs, emphasising the need to build more homes in urban areas close to good transport links, and creating great town centres, leisure opportunities and green spaces.

For more information visit 871candwep.co.uk