Good growth in every postcode 14th August 2026

Andy Burnham’s pledge to the country is “good growth in every postcode and hope in every heart”. What would this look like in practice? The answer lies in the economic success stories of British companies across the UK and building on these successes across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Each week during recess, Paul Dimoldenberg looks at economic news from across the country to identify what “good growth” looks like in a diverse set of local communities to deliver the much-needed economic growth to power the economy and deliver new jobs, increased wealth and additional tax revenues to pay for improved public services. This week we feature (including postcodes!)

• Plymouth company to develop counter-drone air defence systems (PL9)
• Plans to double capacity at East Renfrewshire onshore windfarm (G76)
• Expansion of rail battery production in Sunderland (NE11)
• New offices in Northallerton and Pontefract for Wigan heating contractor (DL7 and WF7)
• New data centre for Silicon Sands project in Blackpool (FY4)
• North Wales’ first virtual production studio expands (LL56)
• Folding wings tests by Airbus in Chester and Bristol (CH4 and BS34)

Plymouth: Plymouth company to develop counter-drone air defence systems (PL9)

Babcock has signed a memorandum of understanding with Plymouth-based ACUA Ocean Technologies and Frankenburg Technologies to develop counter-drone air defence systems for the maritime domain. The collaboration builds on a partnership Babcock signed with Frankenburg in January to explore new air defence systems against one-way attack drones. ACUA’s Pioneer uncrewed surface vessel operated continuously 16–20 nautical miles offshore in June, completing more than 100 hours at sea without hands-on intervention.

To counter mass drone attacks, maritime air defence must be uninterrupted, yet rough weather often forces traditional systems out of limits. The unique stability of ACUA’s Pioneer-class ensures these counter UAS and interchangeable payloads remain online and fully operational on the high seas where other platforms fail. The tripartite agreement supports the UK’s vision for a hybrid navy and the development of technologies to underpin next-generation autonomous capability.

East Renfrewshire: Plans to double capacity at UK’s largest onshore windfarm (G76)

Scottish Power has announced plans to double the generating capacity at the UK’s largest onshore windfarm at Whitelee in East Renfrewshire. This would involve replacing the existing turbines with a smaller number of turbines which stand considerably taller. Under the plans, the current count of 214 turbines could be reduced to 124, taking its installed capacity from 533MW to over 1GW – making it one of the largest in Europe.

The current generation of turbines, which measure up to 140m tall at blade tip, are reaching the end of their lifespan. The new ones could reach well above 240 metres at blade tip height. Whitelee windfarm has been open to the public since it opened in 2008. Scottish Power says the proposals would take place in three phases to maintain access to the visitor centre.

Sunderland: Expansion of rail battery production in Sunderland (NE11)

Turntide Technologies is expanding high-voltage rail battery production at its Sunderland site. Driven by demand from Hitachi Rail and the growth of hybrid rail operations globally, the company is growing its high-voltage lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) rail battery systems manufacturing line to the Turntide Sunderland facility. The high-voltage battery system enables hybrid and tri-mode trains to operate on both electrified and non-electrified rail lines while reducing fuel consumption and emissions.

This LFP battery system allows for lower operating costs, extended range, and a path to zero-emission travel, while reducing reliance on fossil fuels and improving air quality and noise pollution and will be manufactured exclusively at the Sunderland location. The global rail industry is moving quickly toward hybrid and tri-mode platforms as operators look for practical ways to reduce emissions, improve efficiency, and extend the reach of electrified rail networks.

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Yorkshire: Two more offices in Northallerton and Pontefract for Wigan heating contractor (DL7 and WF7)

Domestic heating and renewable energy contractor RPS Group is opening two new offices in Northallerton and Pontefract, amid increasing demand for home upgrades across Yorkshire and the Humber. Around 500,000 homes in the region are expected to need heating and energy efficiency upgrades under the government’s Warm Homes Plan to retrofit five million properties nationwide.

Founded in Wigan in 1991, the company has improved thousands of homes for housing associations and local authorities by making them more energy-efficient, cutting carbon emissions, and reducing bills for often low-income, fuel-poor households. As part of its expansion, the firm is set to grow its local workforce, recruiting site and project managers alongside heating and renewable energy engineers, as well as creating apprenticeship opportunities, helping to develop the next generation of skilled workers in the heating and renewable energy sector.

Blackpool: New data centre for Silicon Sands project in Blackpool (FY4)

Plans for the first data centre as part of the Silicon Sands scheme in Blackpool, which will bring up to £300m of investment into the Fylde coast, have moved forward with the announcement of a preferred contractor that would meet the investment, construction and running costs, following previous work and funding by Labour-run Blackpool Council and Lancashire Combined County Authority to assemble the land.

The new data centre will form the first phase of Silicon Sands, a new business park designed to attract technology and digital companies to the area, creating new, well-paid jobs for residents. Outline planning permission has already been granted for the data centre along with a 20,000 sq ft office and research space. The Council says it is working with responsible suppliers to develop energy-efficient data centres that are also environmentally friendly by using renewable energy, innovative cooling technology and a district heat network to maximise energy use and reduce waste heat.

Bangor: North Wales’ first virtual production studio expands (LL56)

A North Wales virtual production studio is to expand just months after it was launched, following support from the British Business Bank. Daniel Parry Evans founded virtual production studio Vedri in October 2025 after identifying a gap in the market for high-end, real-time filming technology outside major UK cities. The business has been supported by a £15,000 Start Up Loan from the British Business Bank. Vedri uses advanced green screen and real-time technology to place people into realistic, computer-generated environments while they are being filmed.

Following an initial launch at a shared workspace in Gwynedd, Evans has secured a new site in Bangor, four times the size of the current space, providing greater flexibility for filming and allowing the business to meet growing demand. Vedri works with a range of clients, from smaller businesses and start-ups to production companies and content creators, offering a more cost-effective alternative to traditional filming. The studio enables users to create multiple locations in a single session, control environmental factors such as lighting and weather, and significantly reduce production time. Evans is also working with local schools to introduce young people to virtual production technology, helping to build awareness and skills in the next generation.

Chester: Folding wings to be tested by Airbus for next generation of commercial aircraft (CH4 and BS34)

Airbus’s UK plants are to test revolutionary new folding wing extensions for the aerospace group’s next generation of jetliners as it looks to make flying more efficient while reducing fuel consumption. Over the next three years, the factories in Broughton, near Chester, and Filton in Bristol will design, build and flight-test the extensions, expected to add four or five extra metres to the 35.8m wingspan of a single-aisle Airbus A321neo. The tests are part of Airbus’s pioneering Wing of Tomorrow programme, a major research project designing lighter, longer and more slender ‘gull-shaped’ wings to maximise aerodynamic efficiency.

They also align with the aviation industry’s ambition to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Wing extensions that unfold during flight but retract while on the ground would also help solve problems at airports linked to space for parking and taxiing aircraft. Broughton, which employs around 4,500 people, will act as a primary assembly and prototyping hub. The site is the base for Airbus’s Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC). The Wing of Tomorrow programme has been backed by £227m in funding since 2014 through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI) programme, a partnership between the ATI, Department for Business and Trade and Innovate UK, which is designed to maintain the UK’s position as a leader in aerospace technology.

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