We have successfully developed and delivered economic and business cases aligned to HM Treasury’s Five Cases approach. We are market leaders, which we achieve by ensuring that we support the case for change, understand the value drivers for decisions, and demonstrate how projects can deliver to budget, to scope, and for impact.
Ebbsfleet Garden City
We were selected as the sole Business Case Advisor for Ebbsfleet Development Corporation (EDC), which saw us focus on the delivery of Green Book Compliant economic analysis relating to housing, regeneration, community, leisure, health and transport interventions. The commission builds upon a highly successful working relationship which began in 2018 and has involved, amongst other projects, Spending Review submissions to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) and HM Treasury. The Garden City has the potential to support up to 15,000 new homes alongside the delivery of community buildings and schools.
Reimagining Belfast Waterside
Belfast Waterside is a once in a generation opportunity to reimagine Belfast City Centre. For years the site was an industrial complex with no public access, making travelling between the city centre and East Belfast difficult. The overriding vision for the redevelopment of the site is to create an accessible environment seen as an extension of the shared space within the city centre. The scheme will deliver 800 new homes, a new hotel and significant office space. We have undertaken the social cost benefit analysis in line with Green Book guidance to support the Economic Case for the scheme.
Funding Applications
We are specialists in funding bid applications for housing, regeneration, visitor and transport interventions.
We can also advise on Section 106 and Community Infrastructure Levy applications, rate retention, tax relief opportunities and support available through regional investment zones.
Appraising Funding Bids
We specialise in appraising funding bids, and have worked with clients include the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA), Walsall Council, and Lincoln Council. We have been a long-standing economic advisor to the WMCA, reviewing external funding applications and providing expert advice to develop the Strategic Partnership Programme. Our team was also extensively involved in the development of the West Midlands Investment Prospectus and subsequent Trailblazing Devolution Deal application.
Levelling Up across England
At the end of 2024, the government announced its third round of Levelling Up Fund (LUF) bids. Building on successes in earlier rounds, we have further cemented our market leading status, securing £489 million in LUF grants across the country. This success is unparalleled in the sector. Highlights from round three include assisting Wolverhampton City Council's Green Innovation Corridor which was awarded £19.9 million. We also worked with Wigan Council on the Leigh Town Centre scheme which received £11.4 million. In Manchester, AMION supported the economic analysis underpinning the Wythenshawe Town Centre bid which received £20 million, and in Wales, we helped Pembrokeshire County Council secure £10.5 million for their Westgate to Eastgate project.
Economic Research
We deliver landmark economic research such as the Homes England Placemaking Guidance. We created the globally recognised Additionality Guide to assess the real additional impact of public interventions.
Housing Regeneration with Impact
We were asked by Homes England, the government's housing and regeneration agency, to collaborate on their report on the impacts of housing regeneration. Overall, the study found that housing-led regeneration has a wider, positive impact on the surrounding area, including on house prices. It also demonstrated the extent of the wider benefits on housing-led activity delivered by Homes England that might have otherwise been significantly underestimated.
Recognising Heritage High Streets
We were commissioned by Historic England to undertaken an evaluation of their £95 million High Street Heritage Action Zone (HSHAZ) programme. Our study has assessed the impact of physical, economic, and social regeneration of 67 high streets. Within our study, we identified a research gap relating to the heritage benefits of historic shopfront improvements on high streets. These improvements were a focal component to the HSHAZ programme. We undertook a bespoke Contingent Valuation Study which provided use and non-use values for our own work as well as the wider industry. The methodology approach was reviewed by Department for Culture, Media and Sport economists.
Evaluations
We have developed nationally recognised expertise in designing, developing and implementing appropriate methodologies for the evaluation of a wide range of programmes and interventions.
National Funding Programme Evaluation
We are market leaders in evaluating programmes and projects delivered using various local and national funding sources. The last five years have seen us undertake over 100 evaluations covering issues such as innovation, business support, skills, regeneration, environmental protection and culture. We have evaluated schemes such as Dudley Council’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme and Innovate UK Business Growth funded schemes for clients such as Newable and Magnetic. We are currently evaluating Levelling Up Fund schemes for Canterbury and Forest of Dean Councils. Our clients have included universities (such as Loughborough, Warwick, Imperial College and Lancaster), local authorities (such as Lewisham, Birmingham and Solihull) and Combined Authorities (such as Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and the West of England Combined Authority) among others.
Bradford City of Culture
Bradford's UK City of Culture runs from January to December 2025 and is a celebration of the city, its towns, villages, and green spaces. We were appointed to undertake the official Economic Impact and Value for Money Assessment over two years. The study reviews areas including the local curriculum, skills and training programmes, investment in existing and new creative spaces, and cultural participation. It also includes quantifying local spending, employment, volunteering, funding, image, and other potential benefits of the Year. The commission included the development of social cost benefit analysis, together with wider qualitative social impacts arising from UK City of Culture status.
Impact Assessments
We conduct robust economic, social value and environmental impact assessments of major projects and events, ranging from cultural and social moments, to regular events in regional and local calendars.
Liverpool's Eurovision Legacy
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority commissioned AMION to undertake an economic impact assessment of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. In May that year, the city hosted the event, which reached an audience of 162 million around the world. The study examined the direct and indirect economic benefits of the event, including analysis of the number of visitors to the city, expenditure, employment, and GVA. The report showed a £54.8 million net economic boost to the City Region, with 473,000 attendees at events and two million people reached through education and community programmes.
STEP Impact Assessment
The Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme is a globally significant research initiative led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority. The project centres on a prototype fusion energy plant at the former coal power station site in West Burton, Nottinghamshire and has the potential to pave the way for commercial operations. We assessed the economic and wider impacts of the programme, ensuring that local and wider community benefits from STEP are maximised. This included a multi-regional input-output model, and linked impact framework to outline the scale of the potential effects at local, regional and national levels.
Strategy Development
We develop strategies for housing, employment and education as well as supporting major planning applications for development and infrastructure
Investment Zones
We are a leading partner in shaping Investment Zone policy across the UK, working with local and regional government, research organisations, and industry to bring forward targeted Investment Zone programmes that deliver real change. With our support, the Liverpool City Region Life Science Investment Zone secured a pipeline of high value, innovative projects.
Having supported partners in the East Midlands to navigate the approval requirements for a Green Industries and Advanced Manufacturing Investment Zone, we are now developing a Strategy and Investment Plan. We are also supporting partners in North Wales to shape programme development for an Advanced Manufacturing
Investment Zone, working alongside industry and devolved government.
Addressing Retrofitting Barriers
The North East and Yorkshire Net Zero Hub (NEY NZH) commissioned us to develop a Retrofitting Plan, and Skills Pilot proposals, to address barriers holding back the area's ambitions.
This report assessed the current and future skill requirements of the local supply chain, analysed capability challenges, evaluated past initiatives and proposed strategies to address the need.
Recommendations for lengthening and strengthening the local supply chain capacity were developed through engagement with training providers, local authorities, educational institutions and employers, and national
construction and retrofitting bodies. Six Skills Pilot proposals were developed to tackle the distinct skills challenges identified within the local supply chain.
Transport Economics
One of the key areas of opportunity for the UK’s growth agenda, we undertake economic appraisals for road, public transport, and active travel schemes, as well as assessing development projects with a transport component. We have an outstanding team of talented people who care deeply about the difference our work makes to the communities our clients support.
East Midlands Transformation
East Midlands County Combined Authority (EMCCA) commissioned us to prepare a Programme Business Case for a range of transport and growth-related interventions around the area's four mainline stations. The Authority's vision is for a transformational infrastructure investment programme that can help to unlock growth, including over 23,500 homes and 2.7 m sqm of commercial, educational, medical, retail and community floorspace. The work forms part of a two-year study funded by the Department for Transport (DfT) to explore growth potential in the East Midlands. Along with the assessment of wider development benefits, we will undertake the economic appraisal for transport improvements.
Keeping Villa Fans Moving
We undertook a review and reassessment of the value of proposed improvements to Witton station, an important link on Birmingham's rail network. The station sits between Wolverhampton and Walsall via Birmingham New Street and functions as the principal station for Aston Villa Football Club.
The site is in a poor state of repair and struggles to cater for crowds on matchdays. Platforms are narrow, passenger waiting areas unwelcoming, and the queueing areas are frequently at, or above, capacity which causes safety problems. We are making the case for investment and undertaking new analysis to improve the economic appraisal and capture of all likely impacts arising from the scheme.
Visitor & Leisure
Our specialist Visitor and Leisure team works exclusively in the areas of sport, tourism, culture, heritage and entertainment to produce business plans, business cases, feasibility studies, strategies and impact assessments.
Heritage Attractions across England
For many years, AMION has been a trusted advisor to English Heritage - the charity that cares for hundreds of historic sites in every corner of England. We have created long-term development strategies for five of the charity's biggest visitor attractions including Dover Castle, Carlisle Castle, Kenilworth Castle, Berwick Barracks and Brodsworth House.
Co-ordinating a team of experts and specialists for each project, our strategies have helped English Heritage to generate more income, increase engagement, improve visitor operations and plan for major investment projects.
Opportunities for Aberystwyth University
As part of a wider project team, we produced a detailed business plan for the redevelopment of Old College at Aberystwyth University, after the opportunity came up for the university to purchase a building which was adjacent to Old College.
We provided a headline financial assessment of the impact that purchasing the building would have, which helped the university to make an operational and financial decision. The additional bedrooms would allow the venue to accommodate most of the guests for the events the university hosted such as weddings and conferences, generating additional income for the institute.
