Planning for industrial closure: Lessons from the experience of Longbridge, Birmingham

This article provides a case study of the policy response to the closure of the MG Rover car factory in Birmingham in 2005. This article records how this response evolved over time from one focused on regional industrial policy, built on a coalition of economic development actors and prioritizing the needs of redundant workers and the supply chain to one focused on local planning policy, built on a coalition of local planning authorities and the developer and prioritizing a broader range of local needs. Drawing on this experience, the article argues that the public policy response to plant closure must be multi-dimensional, inclusive and long term. © 2012 Copyright Taylor and Francis Group, LLC