Evaluating State-Sponsored Economic Development Models: Comparing Property-Led Initiatives in Lanarkshire, Scotland from 1990 to the Present

The aim of this research is to critically assess the historical and long-term performance of government-supported initiatives in economic regeneration within urban regions, with specific reference to two contrasting development models adopted in Lanarkshire, Scotland during the 1990’s: The Lanarkshire Enterprise Zone and the Strathclyde Business Park. This will evaluate economic outcomes from two different policy approaches in the shared conurbation space. The first is an “Enterprise Zone” a concept that represents national and local policy support for economic development within a specific area and is driven by government policy and money. The second, a “Business Park,” generally refers to single-use employment location by corporations that has been created for a unique set of operations, is based within a geographic context and has evolved from predominantly office, research or industry focused development goals. In addition, business parks are typically located away from urban city centers and are privately funded although the land might be publicly held.