Tender: EDNA 2026 – Shropshire Economic Development Needs Assessment for Local Plan and Employment Land to 2046

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Shropshire Council is seeking a supplier for an Economic Development Needs Assessment (EDNA 2026) to inform the Council’s Local Plan to 2046 and a revision of the Shropshire Economic Growth Strategy by identifying employment land requirements, modelling labour demand and supply, and assessing economic opportunities and constraints to support sustainable growth from 2026 to 2046 (with market outlooks to 2036, 2046 and further to 2050). The study must define Shropshire’s functional economic market area; summarise social, economic and labour market characteristics and the structure and performance of the local economy; provide a comprehensive overview of the commercial land, development and property market; model baseline labour demand from the Baseline Economic Forecast and labour supply from the Shropshire Standard Method Local Housing Need (including minimum and maximum job growth scales), produce at least one additional labour demand and one additional labour supply scenario, identify a range of reasonable alternatives for the employment land requirement for 2026–2046, set out structural, economic and spatial planning considerations and mechanisms and stakeholders to address them, and guide an appropriate Economic Vision, Strategy and measurable outcomes for the Local Plan. The Council aims to commission the study in Financial Q2 2026-27 and receive the Draft Final Report in Financial Q4 2026-27, while remaining open to proposals that extend the timetable and agree key milestones with the appointed consultant.