A mega city of Northern England?

Does anyone think that soon building expansion in the north will cause Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield to overlap like how London grew and is now a mega city, considered it's own region? If so, what could you imagine it being called? London is named from after the centre expanding out, but currently Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield are surely too major for one of them to have their name placed over the rest?

I was thinking a united megacity in the north would somehow balance the concentration put on London.

I was thinking they could call it Leechesterpoolfield, lol.

Reply 1

ilickbatteries

Original post by Snagprophet

The Pennines kinda get in the way.

Reply 2

Martyn*

Original post by Snagprophet

What's a "soon building expansion"?

Reply 3

Arbolus

I would say that those cities are slightly too far apart, and most of the land in between is greenbelt and can't be developed. They're unlikely to merge into each other any time soon.

Reply 4

Rakas21

Unlikely, there's just too much room between them even if it is relatively quick to travel from one to another.

With that being said however it's notable that the counties of five of the eight core cities are connected and so perhaps a regional parliament comprising Merseyside, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, South Yorkshire and Nottingham could be a possibility with the same powers as the London Assembly.

As for the name/center there's really only Greater Manchester and what would be Greater Leeds in the frame (Wakefield and Bradford).

Original post by Snagprophet

Reply 5

OMGWTFBBQ

Greenbelt laws stop this unfortunately.

I'd be in favour of relaxing the greenbelt around northern cities for this reason - otherwise London, which developed first, will always be leagues ahead.

Reply 6

Rakas21

Original post by OMGWTFBBQ

Greenbelt laws stop this unfortunately.

I'd be in favour of relaxing the greenbelt around northern cities for this reason - otherwise London, which developed first, will always be leagues ahead.

You don't need to relax the greenbelt laws and join them up, this would just encourage inefficient urban sprawl . What we need is for the five counties i alluded to containing core cities to be recognized as an administrative region and governed as such.

Reply 7

Bridgeta222

The concept you describe is called: conurbation?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conurbation

Reply 8

OMGWTFBBQ

Original post by Rakas21

I obviously don't want them joining up - but a bit of urban sprawl would certainly benefit Manchester, which really ought to have fully absorbed Salford by now.

They're too distant from eachother to be governed under one body.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 9

Rakas21

Original post by OMGWTFBBQ

Why is the distance a concern? They are joined up which means transport policy is not an issue, infrastructure in general should see no issues

Ultimately they are connected so i don't see a problem with joint governance.

Reply 10

OMGWTFBBQ

Original post by Rakas21

The same argument applies to the entire country though?
And the world, by extension?

They are culturally distinct too. Not sure why you want a joint governance?

They should all be allowed to expand - seperately - and have improved transport links. They don't need joint governance for that though.