Published in 2009, the Report discusses the productivity of City Regions and Regions with a focus on Manchester, what might explain these differences and how Manchester can increase overall productivity. Agglomeration refers to the spatial concentration of economic activity in cities, it occurs when individuals and firms benefit from being near to others.

The Report concludes that there is some evidence that focusing growth within Manchester will increase overall productivity and therefore economic growth, but considerations such as housing and transport cannot be overlooked. It is much more important to reduce the costs of living and production which will naturally create growth in the City Region.