Cambridge and Oxford are often spoken about in the same breath. For years, their economic performance was closely matched - but over the past decade, they’ve begun to pull apart.
What’s driving this divergence, and what does it mean for their future?
This blog takes a closer look ⬇️
📅 In conversation with @mayorofgm.bsky.social
Joins us to hear from the Mayor on Greater Manchester’s journey so far, lessons for other mayoral strategic authorities, his ambitions for Greater Manchester and the English devolution agenda more broadly👇
www.centreforcities.org/event/manche...
Another spin-out from Cities Outlook 2026!
This time, we’re breaking down household income further - looking at how different income sources shape living standards across urban Britain🔍
A sectoral-only approach risks leaving cutting-edge firms outside the IS-8 behind - and the places that depend more on those firms too.
That’s why place-based support matters: getting the basics right to create dense, innovation-rich places that support a wide range of cutting-edge activities🌱
What does income deprivation look like within UK cities?
This #DataViz shows the distribution of neighbourhoods by income deprivation percentile in 2025.
While the average would paint a limited picture, the variation within cities reveals the true shape of inequality.
NEW REPORT out today. TLDR: Rules-based planning works and we can introduce it in British cities relatively easily.
A small thread on Croydon’s 3-year planning ‘experiment’ and what it means for urban planning…
Why jobs (especially KIBS jobs) matter: they are the most direct way for residents to access their local economy and share in its growth🪴
Want to understand the economic picture across urban Britain?
Come see me and colleagues discuss how the government can raise living standards across the country at midday today, where I explain what's happening in this chart:
www.centreforcities.org/event/cities...
Want to compare how dense cities are in Britain, France and Japan? You're in luck! @centreforcities.bsky.social just released our data
As you can see, British big cities are very flat compared to their international peers.
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British cities are too flat — and it’s holding back housing supply.
Our new blog shows a big density gap with France and Japan, driven by missing mid-rise homes.
Read more 👉 buff.ly/mm3GBRX
Everybody loves brownfield-first. But where exactly should we densify our cities? And how?
Our new report shows Britain's density gap is wider in the biggest cities outside London than in the capital - and the inner city 'urban cores' up to 5km out from the centre are to blame.
Big cities like Birmingham could get many more people well connected to its city centre by a 30 minute public transport journey.
But this doesn't involve expanding the network - no new trams or new bus routes.
This is simply from making the existing network function better: integration.
Thread 🧵
With universities under strain and further education fragmented, how can the government reach the 66% target? This blog explores the current geography of participation and the past role of polytechnics to see whether a different kind of institution is needed to meet this ambition. Check here⬇️
📅 Centre for Cities on: The New Towns Taskforce report
Our housing and planning experts @antbreach.bsky.social and @mauricelange.bsky.social will introduce key takeaways from the report and what they mean for the Government’s housing delivery plans.
Register here👇
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Branch campuses are popping up in university 'coldspots'. Would attracting one in be a good way to achieve local growth?
Possibly. Though often these outposts only pop up in places already with an offer - specific strengths in their local economy. Worth investing in these first.
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Oxford and Cambridge account for more than a third of spin-outs that move from cities to the countryside, yet most settle in business parks on their peripheries. This reflects both the success of their local economies and the constraints of their current urban form.
Read the blog for more details⬇️
BLOG | Spinning out: Are university spin-outs leaving cities for the countryside?
Cities are ‘nurseries’ for the creation of innovative firms that often end up elsewhere rather than ‘gardens’ where they take root🌱
Read our latest blog from @xuanrulin.bsky.social 👇
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There is plenty to like about this pledge to help universities diversify income. But it really doesn't tackle the wider issues they face, or recognise their primary local roles in their home cities.
My blog on last week's announcement 👇
It's not just Oxbridge that are 'university towns' - they are a big presence in many other cities, often with struggling economies.
So @xuanrulin.bsky.social and I wanted to investigate the economic roles these institutions play in their cities, and what this might mean for national HE policy.
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UK universities are feeling the financial squeeze, and their future is uncertain.
So why does it matter? Our latest briefing breaks down the four big ways universities boost local economies - take a look⬇️
BLOG | A tale of four cities: what local economic role do their universities play? 🎓
🔍@__robjohnson__ takes a look at Plymouth, Exeter, Coventry and Cambridge as examples for what different university roles mean for pursuing local growth.
Read now👇
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PODCAST | The role of universities in city economies 🎙️
@andrewcities.bsky.social chats with the authors of our latest briefing 'Town and Gown' @rjson.bsky.social and @xuanrulin.bsky.social about the key ways in which universities contribute to city economies 🎓
Listen now 🎧👇
buff.ly/mBozliW
France, Germany and Japan all build more homes than England - both nationally and in their major cities.
What explains the gap? Check here to see what their planning systems have in common, and how England’s approach differs⬇️
NEW REPORT | Checking out: The varying performance of high streets across the country 🛍️
Our new report finds that that there is large variation between the performance of city centre high streets.
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Exciting to see our work featured in MHCLG’s latest housing stats release!🙌
And finally, BtR is largely funded by institutional investors, making it an effective vehicle for attracting domestic pension fund investment - aligning with the Government’s desire to boost such investments in the UK.
One reason for the city centre focus of BtR is its target market of young professionals. However, when comparing standard BtR and Co-living BtR, the types of homes provided suggest a potential under-supply of single-person or studio flats, which are in high demand within this market.
In London, BtRs are spread across suburbs, while in other cities, it's concentrated in city centres and adjacent neighbourhoods.
The key question is whether this pattern should continue. While BtR supports city centre regeneration, local authorities must balance it with commercial space needs.
BtR is now an important part of housebuilding in large cities, making up 12% of new accommodation in London and 14% in other large cities.
BtR’s focus on large cities is particularly interesting, given their long-standing housing challenges - suggesting BtR could help tackle this underperformance.
BtR is highly urban-focused, with 96% of multifamily BtR stock in cities and 84% in large cities. London alone accounts for 44%. This sets it apart from the rest of the housing market, where cities account for only half of the overall housing stock.
