This project, commissioned by the North West Development Agency (NWDA) was designed to produce a better understanding of key economic linkages between the North-West's city-regions, rural areas and Cumbria and to cast light on the potential for further development of the region as a whole and its sub-regions. The work involved Michael Artis and Brian Robson of Manchester University and Alan Harding of SURF, Salford University.

This project was undertaken by the Manchester Regional Economics Centre (MREC) and the final report can be downloaded from the NWDA website.