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Although the UK's wider economy is showing some signs of recovery, the outlook for local authorities and their planners, especially in northern England, remains very difficult, as the coalition government's [...]

The paper considers two mega projects, which it is claimed will transform economic prospects in northern England, specifically in the North West of England. They are Atlantic Gateway, a mega project driven by the private sector, focused on ambitious plans for the redevelopment of brownfield sites; and High Speed Two (HS2), a mega infrastructure project, led by the UK Government. Reviewing and comparing the characteristics of both projects, the paper concludes that despite its private sector provenance, Atlantic Gateway may have more in common with a developmental or goal-orientated approach to strategic planning than High Speed Two, and be less exposed to the public sector financial risks often experienced in mega projects. Keywords: mega project, infrastructure, Atlantic Gateway, high speed rail, regional planning, Introduction: mega projects and British governance With some arguable exceptions such as the 2012 Olympics, it is widely acknowledged that Britain does not excel at the planning or execution of [...]