New official figures predict a ‘fantastic future’ for the Cheshire and Warrington area which includes Chester, enterprise chiefs believe.

The figures, published by the Office for National Statistics, show the area, known as a sub region, produces 20% more per head than the UK average, confirming its position as the north’s economic powerhouse it is suggested.

They show that economic output grew by 6% between 2015 and 2016 to just under £30bn a year, confirming Cheshire and Warrington as having the second highest income per head of any sub-region in England outside of London.

The data also confirms the area still produces 25% of the north west’s manufacturing output, worth £6.5bn a year, highlighting the sub-region’s economy as the best performing in the north.

Christine Gaskell, chair of the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership

Christine Gaskell, chairman of the powerful Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “These figures confirm the strengths of the Cheshire and Warrington economy which is reflected in successes including the Cheshire Science Corridor Enterprise Zone which in its first 18 months has already created over 430 jobs, attracted nearly 30 business and over £8m of private sector investment.”

She suggests that taken with other growth opportunities through the arrival of HS2 in Crewe, development in north Cheshire and the work being done by organisations in Wales to promote growth in north west Cheshire and Deeside, ‘Cheshire and Warrington has a fantastic future as one of the UK’s leading places to live, work and invest’.

The LEP has ambitions to deliver a £50bn economy for Cheshire and Warrington by 2040 and to create 139,000 new homes and 127,000 new jobs in its 871 sq mile area.