CWE – Pride in Place Programme Support

Pride in Place puts up to £5.8 billion into 284 of the UK's most deprived neighbourhoods with the aim of building stronger communities, creating thriving places and empowering people to take control. The main programme provides up to £20 million per place over ten years and requires a credible 10-year vision and 4-year investment plan. A separate Impact Fund provides £1.5 million to a further 95 areas for immediate place improvements. This is a simpler process that does not require a full investment plan.

Our Approach

Four Areas of Focus

We work with local authorities to develop Pride in Place plans that are evidence-based, economically grounded and built for delivery. Our founders' direct experience of MHCLG frameworks gives councils the analytical depth and policy credibility to act confidently as accountable bodies , and to demonstrate that funding will deliver real, lasting change.

Optioneering & Project Selection

Helping Neighbourhood Boards and local authorities assess and prioritise options and ensure the right projects are selected, with clear evidence of community need and deliverability.

Understanding Your Local Economy

Economic baseline analysis to establish a clear picture of local economic conditions, deprivation, labour markets and growth opportunities. This provides the evidence foundation for the Pride in Place Plan.

Regeneration Plan & Strategy

Developing credible, community-led Pride in Place Plans: grounded in evidence, aligned with local economic strategies, and structured for MHCLG approval.

Economic Appraisal & Business Cases

Where interventions fall outside pre-approved options, we provide Green Book-compliant appraisals and business cases to demonstrate value for money and meet MHCLG scrutiny requirements.

Our Experience

A Strong Track Record in Regeneration and Place

We have a strong track record of supporting place-based investment and regeneration across England, including direct experience of predecessor programmes to Pride in Place. Working in partnership with Bradshaw Advisory, we have secured transformative outcomes for communities across England. Our work spans economic strategy, heritage-led regeneration, business case development and investment promotion.

Hyndburn Borough Council

We crafted Hyndburn's first Town Centre Investment Plan and secured £65 million in funding, including successful Levelling Up Fund, UK Shared Prosperity Fund and National Lottery Heritage Fund applications. We developed a heritage-led vision and secured a visit from the Historic England Places Panel.

The Piece Hall Trust, Halifax

Working with The Piece Hall Trust in Halifax, we demonstrated how heritage and cultural assets can anchor place-based investment strategies. Our economic strategy showed a return of £5.30 per £1 spent. This is the kind of robust, investment-grade evidence that Pride in Place boards need when making the case for non-standard interventions.

Swindon: Brunel's Carriage Works

We provided the financial and economic cases together with a full investment strategy for the redevelopment of Brunel's historic Carriage Works. This Grade II* listed heritage asset is being transformed into a mixed-use creative and innovation hub, driving town centre regeneration and delivering long-term economic value.

What Sets Us Apart

A Distinct Perspective

Our work combines economic rigour with policy insight. This gives local authorities the analytical depth and credibility needed to develop plans that stand up to MHCLG scrutiny.

Delivery-Focused

We go beyond plan-writing to understand what is required to make projects happen. We address viability, governance and accountability from the outset.

MHCLG Insight

Our founders are former senior MHCLG economists with a direct understanding of government expectations for regeneration plans and investment proposals.

Economic Rigour

All appraisal and business case work is conducted by economists with government experience, applying the same analytical standards used in central government.

Bespoke Support

Every commission is tailored to the specific community, local authority context and programme stage. We support from early scoping through to delivery oversight.

Building Capability, Not Dependency

Unlike large consultancies that parachute in and run the process for you, we focus on helping local authorities understand the process and build their own internal capability. Our role is to guide, advise and upskill your team so that you remain in control and are better equipped to deliver and manage programmes long after our engagement ends.

The Programme

Pre-Approved Intervention Themes

MHCLG has published a list of pre-approved interventions across eight themes. Neighbourhood Boards can select from these without a full business case. Where an area wishes to pursue activities outside this list, a more rigorous appraisal process applies. That is where our support adds most value.

Regeneration, High Streets and Heritage

Work, Productivity and Skills

Community Cohesion

Health and Wellbeing

Transport and Connectivity

Safety and Security

Education and Opportunity

Housing

incl. affordable and supported

Getting Started

What to Do Now

Delivery is already underway for Phase 1 areas. Phase 2 areas need to move quickly to establish the foundations for a credible plan. Here are the most important steps to take now.

Establish a clear optioneering process

Agree a transparent framework for how your Neighbourhood Board will assess and select projects, covering both pre-approved and non pre-approved interventions.

Build your economic baseline

Develop a clear picture of your local economy, including deprivation, labour markets, high street health and community assets, to ground your vision in evidence.

Focus on fewer, higher-impact projects

Spreading funding thinly across many interventions reduces impact. A smaller number of well-evidenced projects is more likely to deliver lasting change and pass MHCLG scrutiny.

Get ahead of the business case requirement

If your area is considering off-menu interventions, start the appraisal process early. Green Book-compliant business cases take time to do well and cannot be rushed at the end.

The Team

Who You Will Be Working With

Our team combines senior economic and policy expertise with direct experience of MHCLG frameworks. We support local authorities from evidence development through to plan approval.

Paul Chamberlain

Founding Partner / Director

Senior economist and founding partner with over 20 years’ experience in housing, planning and local growth policy. Former Deputy Director of Analysis at MHCLG, where he played a central role in major national planning and housing reforms.

paul@cweconomics.co.uk

Jay Atwal

Senior Associate — Economics

Senior economist specialising in Green Book appraisal, business case development and investment strategies. Experience across local authorities, combined authorities and Homes England.

jay@cweconomics.co.uk

Dr. Geraint Coles

Senior Associate — Place Making

Specialist in regeneration, community wellbeing and place shaping. Founding director of the Cultural Heritage Institute at the Royal Agricultural University, with extensive experience across heritage, planning and sustainable development.

geraint@cweconomics.co.uk