Economic Development

MK Skyline landscape

Introducing Economic Development in Milton Keynes

The Economic Development team provides key information, statistics and intelligence on the economy for decision making in the Council, partner agencies and businesses.  The team produces the Local Economic Assessment and the Economic Development Strategy as well as providing regular reports on aspects of the economy such as jobs growth and unemployment.  The team supports all sizes of businesses from start-up businesses, micro, SME's to large corporations.  There is a dedicated line for property and land enquiries as well as an online property database for property reports. Part of the remit is also to drive Inward Investment and promote Milton Keynes nationally and internationally.  You can find out more about what the Economic Development team does in the following pages and related links.

Milton Keynes is a dynamic and growing place with a scale and pace of growth, powered by investment in housing and employment, unique in the UK.  This growth is assisted by a specialist team, Invest Milton Keynes.  The role of the team is to attract inward investment to the area, offering a range of support to businesses looking to relocate to Milton Keynes and providing ongoing assistance to those companies already based within the city.

Statistics and accolades all point to the strength of Milton Keynes as a regional economic powerhouse.  Forecasts and plans for future development further suggest that this role will continue and grow:

  • Between 2010 and 2016, Milton Keynes experienced the highest percentage growth in employment of any UK city.  Employment increased by 29% with over 41,000 new jobs created. 
  • In 2016, there were 183,000 jobs in Milton Keynes.
  • ONS estimates suggest the population will continue to increase from 264,500 in 2016 to over 300,000 by 2027. 
  • One of the UK’s top five cities for business start-ups per 10,000 population
  • The Milton Keynes economy (GVA) was worth £11.2 billion in 2015 and £12.14 billion in 2016 (provisional), an increase of 8%. The value of goods and services produced within the borough in 2016 was an impressive £66,875 per worker, the fourth highest of UK cities.
  • Milton Keynes is consistently within the top 12 for new patents per 100,000 population
  • The Irwin Mitchell UK Powerhouse reports consistently rank Milton Keynes as one of the top UK cities for both existing and forecast growth in employment and   Gross Value Added (GVA)
  • Milton Keynes regularly features as one of the UK’s top ten cities to work
  • Ranked 8th in the UK in the UK Tech Innovation index 2017
  • Identified as one of the UK’s five Fast Growth Cities
  • At the centre of the Cambridge-Milton Keynes-Oxford Corridor

Last Updated: 31 January 2020