A BLUEPRINT FOR WORLD CLASS REGION.

Byline: NEIL HODGSON Industry Reporter

AN ACTION plan spelling out the "big ideas" for Merseyside has been launched by regional leaders.

The blueprint aims to make Merseyside a "world class city region" and was unveiled by World Bank economist Tom O'Brien, who took up his new role as Mersey Partnership chief executive this week.

It is the first part of a regional master plan for the area by the North-West Development Agency. Toxteth-born Mr O'Brien said it will ensure Merseyside leads the way.

"We are not an island at the end of the M62 - we want to play our part in the whole scene, " he said.

Merseyside's two big ideas are fundamental to a 20-year strategy championed by the North-West Development Agency.

They are the development of a 70mile Mersey waterfront regional park stretching from Wirral to Southport and the creation of a national centre for bio-technology at Speke, despite Glaxo's proposed closure of its plant with the loss of 700 jobs.

Mr O'Brien said: "There are going to be ups and downs and bumps along the road. Our hope is this is a bump.

"There is a tremendous amount of strength and history, but we have to be bold enough and brave enough to compete in this sector."

The waterfront park will focus on four themes: Tourism; investment in port activities; development of the estuaries; and flagship schemes.

The action plan will now go out to public consultation. Eight public meetings have been arranged between September 25 and October 3 throughout the region.

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TOM O'BRIEN: Merseyside must play its part