CPD, training and skills in Local and Regional Economic Development
Expert knowledge, proven frameworks, and practical tools for local authority officers, consultants, and practitioners delivering regional growth strategies, innovation programmes, and place-based policy – built from 32 years of working in the field
- 15 hours of on-demand courses covering the 8 disciplines of local and regional economic development
- Practical workbooks (e.g. FDI from scratch; develop a great project idea)
- Community, chatrooms, discussion
- Mentoring and coaching support
- Continuing Professional Development (CPD)
- Skills and training in local and regional economic development
The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook
The Practitioner’s Guide for Everyone Whose Work Shapes Places and Economies
Whether you work in planning, property, higher education, skills, government, or community development — the economic forces reshaping UK places are directly reshaping your work. And if you work in economic development itself, you’ve never had a handbook like this one.
The Local & Regional Economic Development Handbook is the comprehensive, honest, practitioner-authored guide to how local economies work, why economic development so often fails to deliver what it promises, and what those working in and around the field can do differently.
Endorsements
“A big shout out to Glenn Athey who has taken his many years in economic development consultancy and created Economic Development World (www.economicdevelopment.world), the UK’s first online community for local and regional economic development that provides CPD, on-demand lean learning, a community of peers and workbooks. Built on three pillars of accelerated learning, shared knowledge and community support, it is a fabulous resource for our industry.
“From what I have seen already, this has the potential to create a step change in how the UK delivers economic development, putting the skills and development of practitioners, whether newbies or old hands, front and centre. Get yourselves signed up, get involved and support this great initiative.”
Adam Breeze, Breeze Strategy
“2026 has to be the year that economic development professionals take the important steps, from policy comment, strategic views, to decisive practictioner application and delivery. Critical is to have an accessible platform for CPD, training, and a focused community to ask questions and discuss best practice and aspects of local and regional economic development. I am delighted that an established and respected colleague Glenn Athey has founded and created this resource on www.economicdevelopment.world .”
Mark Pearson, Head of Economic Development, Reading's Economy & Destination Agency (REDA)

Want Local and Regional Economic Development Strategies that Actually Get Implemented?

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Founded by Glenn Athey, an Economic Development Professional and Advisor With 32 Years of Supporting UK Economic Development
LPIP Fellow, University of Birmingham
Author of "The Local and Regional Economic Development Handbook"
Latest News and Advice
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External news
Regional Economies: UK house prices rise and economic growth revised up but Iran war clouds outlook – business live
Source: Regional Economies Author: Lauren Almeida Date published: 2026-03-31 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Introduction: UK house prices rise again in MarchGood morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of business, the financial...
Regional Economies: Does a legacy in manufacturing preclude a future in it?
Source: Regional Economies Author: Stephen Leverton Date published: 2026-03-30 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Originally published on Agglomerations, the Substack newsletter from the Economic Innovation Group. By Kenan Fikri What can...
Local Growth and the United Kingdom: Gloucestershire councils outline goal to join WECA
Source: Local Growth and the United Kingdom Author: kate.jones@newsquest.co.uk | Kate Jones Date published: 2026-03-30 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] In the letter from leaders of six of Gloucestershire’s seven councils - sent to ministers...
The Strategist: Capturing the data centre gold rush is a strategic imperative for Australia
Source: The Strategist Author: David Wroe Date published: 2026-03-25 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] If you were a tech giant that had set up data centres in the Middle East because of the cheap fossil-fuel power and permissive regulatory...
Supercool Ltd: What would it take to eradicate child poverty in Scotland?
Source: Supercool Ltd Author: Sukhada Tatke Date published: 2026-03-25 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] Delivering on the First Minister’s commitment to ‘eradicate’ child poverty seems a long way off.The Scottish government is set to publish...
Local Economies (UK): New Policy Impact Book published – Improving inclusive innovation outcomes
Source: Local Economies (UK) Author: Alex Holmes Date published: 2026-03-24 [original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end] The RSA is pleased to announce the publication of the 13th Policy Impact book: Improving inclusive innovation outcomes: Lessons from...

