What Are Place-Based Business Cases?

This report explains what a place-based business case is and how such cases can support more effective, strategic, and accountable investment decisions across local and national government. Drawing on insights from the Green Book review and City-REDI research, it outlines three possible purposes for place-based business cases—funding gateways, strategic investment frameworks, and governance tools—and recommends a hybrid model that improves decision-making, strengthens collaboration, and supports place-wide outcomes.

Read the full analysis and explore how place-based business cases can strengthen strategic planning and fairer investment across the UK.

This research is for the Local Policy Innovation Partnership (LPIP) Hub which seeks to address nationwide issues through local partnerships and place.

By working with local LPIPs, the Hub aims to understand and solve local challenges around the UK through an innovative and effective service-driven approach to place-based policy-making and public service delivery. The LPIP Hub is designed to lead to a step-change in the quality and impact of the evidence created by universities and their local place partners.

The Hub has £3.6 million from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC), and Innovate UK. It is a national consortium, led by the University of Birmingham, convening stakeholders across the research and policy ecosystem.