Picture: Willmott Dixon

The Seam, a major digital and tech campus in the town’s center, has been recently used as a case study in a new policy blueprint for national economic growth.

The blueprint was launched at the Upstream London Network Economic Forum.

It was developed by Hammersmith & Fulham Council in collaboration with innovation leaders from across Europe, Australia and South America.

It stated that the campus “demonstrates what sustained council ownership and curation can achieve, particularly in a place rebuilding its economy after industrial decline.”

It further regarded the town’s Tech Town status to be “a direct result of two decades of council-driven investment in digital infrastructure, incubators, accelerators and challenge-led innovation,

“Built to replace the jobs lost when coal and heavy industry declined.”

The blueprint had identified five key components behind economic growth as:

Triple-helix partnerships, where anchor institutions like universities, health trusts, research and development centres and major corporates work alongside government and business.

Entrepreneurial municipal government, with a local government that actively assembles the diverse range of components that inclusive, place-based growth needs.

Start-up and scale-up support which provides affordable, flexible workspace and labs for growing businesses, along with expert support and advice in a campus that encourages serendipitous collisions.

Investment attraction, using venture capital and other finance to drive growth.

Inclusivity interventions, with capital investment in facilities, revenue investment in services, and a shared culture of responsibility that translates into practical support for residents.

These launch held inter-industry leaders that discussed the ways in which countries can ‘respond to accelerating technological innovation’ and ‘intensifying global economic competition.’

Councillor Luke Wheat, Cabinet spokesperson for Regeneration and Assets, said: “We’re proud to have contributed to this international blueprint for inclusive, innovation-led growth.

“As the UK’s first government-backed Tech Town, we’re committed to sharing the benefits of innovation, by helping residents develop the skills they need for the jobs of the future and assist businesses in adopting new technologies to improve productivity.”

The campus’s Phase One currently has an urban park that includes biodiversity, digital and town-centre link gardens and council funding has been secured for a four star hotel to be built in Phase Two.