Darlington Railway Station - East Coast Mainline
Subsea sector strengths
Leading the way in bio-pharmaceutical technology
Economic Overview
Part of the wider Tees Valley sub region, Darlington is an ambitious place with a diverse and resilient economy grown out of a tradition of technological and entrepreneurial innovation.
Darlington’s strategy for growth is based on capitalising on our outstanding assets of excellent transport links, highly qualified local workforce, high achieving schools, good quality residential areas, low land and premises costs and a fantastic quality of life.
£2.57bn
value of the Darlington economy in 2016
£500m
of Public and Private Sector investment attracted into Darlington over the last 5 years
"Darlington is the 7th fastest growing economy in the UK - given our size and geographic location that is no mean feat - but more importantly it's sustained growth, which comes down to having a sound economic strategy created by businesses to meet their needs".
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Key Facts:
- Contributed £2.57bn to the Tees Valley Economy in 2016, and part of the wider Tees Valley economy valued at £12.8bn
- Darlington has seen consistent and sustained growth since 2012
- Over 3,500 new jobs since 2012
- Strategic sectors include – Advanced Manufacturing & Engineering, Logistics, Digital, Construction, Professional and Business Services, Health and Public Services. These sectors are forecast to remain central to the success of Darlington’s economy on into the future
- Over £500 million of public and private sector investment has been attracted into Darlington over the last 5 years - delivering a wide range of transport, infrastructure and physical regeneration schemes designed to boost the economy
- Darlington has a working age population (16 - 64) of 64,800 (Source: NOMIS)
Key Facts:
- Darlington has a higher percentage of the working age population educated to degree level than the average for the North East as a whole
- Darlington has a higher proportion of people in management and professional occupations compared to the North East (2015 - 2016)
- In terms of employment concentrations against National and Tees Valley averages Darlington has comparative advantage in a number of sectors, such as, Manufacturing and Engineering, Specialised Construction, Logistics and Financial Service Activities
- The employment rate in Darlington, currently at 74.7%, outperforms all other areas within the Tees Valley (Source: NOMIS)
- Gross disposable Household Income for Darlington residents has grown by over 7.9% (between 2012 - 2015) to £16,139
Key Facts:
- Leading companies include Amec Foster Wheeler, Whessoe Engineering, Cummins Emissions Solutions, Cleveland Bridge, Students Loan Company, Capita and Nobia AB
- Darlington is home to the University of Teesside, the recipient of the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education 2013 for outstanding work in the field of enterprise and business engagement
- Darlington was the winner of the 2017 LGC Driving Growth Award