[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-ards-and-north-down":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":13,"pillars":14,"ranks":52,"averages":58,"peers":60,"rankLine":98,"countyIsDistinct":65,"content":99,"contentMeta":131,"dataFrom":134,"dataTo":135,"dataChangedAt":136},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":7,"region":8,"councilName":9,"activeCompanies":10,"score":11,"halfRange":12},"ards-and-north-down","Ards and North Down","Northern Ireland","northern-ireland",null,5028,972,18,361,[15,25,35,43],{"key":16,"name":17,"colourVar":18,"compositeWeight":19,"shown":20,"score":11,"halfRange":21,"rank":22,"rankOf":13,"outperforms":23,"topPercent":24},"innovation","Innovation","--pillar-innovation",0.3,true,25,178,50.7,50,{"key":26,"name":27,"colourVar":28,"compositeWeight":19,"shown":20,"score":29,"halfRange":30,"rank":31,"rankOf":32,"outperforms":33,"topPercent":34},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",986,31,221,360,38.6,75,{"key":36,"name":37,"colourVar":38,"compositeWeight":19,"shown":20,"score":39,"halfRange":40,"rank":41,"rankOf":32,"outperforms":42,"topPercent":34},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",931,33,233,35.3,{"key":44,"name":45,"colourVar":46,"compositeWeight":47,"shown":20,"score":48,"halfRange":49,"rank":50,"rankOf":13,"outperforms":51,"topPercent":40},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1048,27,98,72.9,{"national":53,"region":54,"county":57},203,{"rank":55,"of":56},10,11,{"rank":55,"of":56},{"county":59,"region":59},1012,[61,66,70,73,77,81,85,89,93,97],{"slug":62,"name":63,"score":64,"isCurrent":65},"belfast","Belfast",1088,false,{"slug":67,"name":68,"score":69,"isCurrent":65},"lisburn-and-castlereagh","Lisburn and Castlereagh",1015,{"slug":71,"name":72,"score":59,"isCurrent":65},"antrim-and-newtownabbey","Antrim and Newtownabbey",{"slug":74,"name":75,"score":76,"isCurrent":65},"mid-ulster","Mid Ulster",1005,{"slug":78,"name":79,"score":80,"isCurrent":65},"mid-and-east-antrim","Mid and East Antrim",989,{"slug":82,"name":83,"score":84,"isCurrent":65},"fermanagh-and-omagh","Fermanagh and Omagh",983,{"slug":86,"name":87,"score":88,"isCurrent":65},"causeway-coast-and-glens","Causeway Coast and Glens",982,{"slug":90,"name":91,"score":92,"isCurrent":65},"armagh-city-banbridge-and-craigavon","Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon",979,{"slug":94,"name":95,"score":96,"isCurrent":65},"derry-city-and-strabane","Derry City and Strabane",974,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":11,"isCurrent":20},"203rd of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":100,"intro":101,"pillarCommentary":105,"compareSummary":110,"faqs":111,"metaDescription":130},"Ards and North Down scores 972 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 203rd of 361 local authorities and 28 points below the UK benchmark. Its strongest result is on ESG, where it ranks 98th nationally and sits 48 points above the UK benchmark. Investment is the area where it trails most, coming in 69 points below the UK.",[102,103,104],"The composite score for Ards and North Down is built from four pillars: Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG, weighted at 30%, 30%, 30% and 10% respectively.","Each score is averaged across the area's active companies, with corporate groups counted once. That averaging means a smaller authority with highly active companies can outscore a larger one, making this a fair comparison across authorities of very different sizes.","The UK benchmark is set at 1,000, so a score of 972 places Ards and North Down just below the national average across its 5,028 active companies. The likely range of 954 to 990 shows how much the score could shift with a slightly different mix of companies; a score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":106,"scaling":107,"investment":108,"esg":109},"Innovation covers patents, academic spinouts, R&D grant value, innovative sector tags and IS-8 sector tags. Ards and North Down scores 972 on this pillar, 28 points below the UK benchmark, and ranks 178th of 361 authorities, outperforming just over half of all authorities.","The Scaling pillar measures scaleup status, headcount growth and accelerator participation. At 986, Ards and North Down sits 14 points below the UK benchmark and ranks 221st of 360 authorities, its closest pillar result to the national average.","Investment captures whether companies have raised equity, how much they have raised and whether they are first-time equity raisers, all in the last five years. With a score of 931, Ards and North Down is 69 points below the UK benchmark and ranks 233rd of 360 authorities, making this the area's weakest pillar.","ESG covers clean energy activity, other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals and a not-for-profit proxy. Ards and North Down scores 1,048 here, 48 points above the UK benchmark and ranking 98th of 361 authorities. It outperforms nearly three-quarters of all authorities on this pillar, a clear relative strength.","The chart below sets Ards and North Down's composite score of 972 against its Northern Ireland neighbours, where the regional average is 1,012.",[112,115,118,121,124,127],{"question":113,"answer":114},"What is the UK Local Growth Index score for Ards and North Down?","Ards and North Down scores 972 on the UK Local Growth Index, placing it 203rd of 361 local authorities and 28 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000.",{"question":116,"answer":117},"How does Ards and North Down compare to other Northern Ireland authorities?","Ards and North Down ranks 10th of 11 Northern Ireland authorities, scoring 40 points below the regional average of 1,012. Belfast is the top-scoring authority in the region with a score of 1,088.",{"question":119,"answer":120},"What is Ards and North Down's strongest pillar on the index?","ESG is the strongest pillar, with a score of 1,048, placing the authority 98th of 361 nationally and 48 points above the UK benchmark.",{"question":122,"answer":123},"Where does Ards and North Down rank for Investment?","Investment is the weakest pillar, with a score of 931, ranking 233rd of 360 authorities and sitting 69 points below the UK benchmark.",{"question":125,"answer":126},"How many active companies are counted in Ards and North Down?","The index covers 5,028 active companies in Ards and North Down, with corporate groups counted once rather than as separate registered entities.",{"question":128,"answer":129},"What does the likely range mean for Ards and North Down's score?","The likely range of 954 to 990 shows how much the composite score could move with a slightly different mix of companies. Scores are only published when this range is narrow enough to be reliable.","Ards and North Down scores 972 on the UK Local Growth Index, ranking 203rd of 361 authorities. ESG is its strongest pillar at 1,048, above the UK benchmark.",{"source":132,"cached":20,"generatedAt":133},"claude:claude-sonnet-4-6","2026-10-20 10:35:59",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]