[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"authority-chelmsford":3},{"authority":4,"scoredCount":14,"pillars":15,"ranks":53,"averages":61,"peers":64,"rankLine":101,"countyIsDistinct":21,"content":102,"contentMeta":134,"dataFrom":137,"dataTo":138,"dataChangedAt":139},{"slug":5,"name":6,"county":7,"regionName":8,"region":9,"councilName":10,"activeCompanies":11,"score":12,"halfRange":13},"chelmsford","Chelmsford","Essex","East of England","east-of-england","Chelmsford Council",12030,979,11,361,[16,27,35,43],{"key":17,"name":18,"colourVar":19,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":22,"halfRange":23,"rank":24,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":25,"topPercent":26},"innovation","Innovation","--pillar-innovation",0.3,true,977,15,166,54,50,{"key":28,"name":29,"colourVar":30,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":31,"halfRange":32,"rank":24,"rankOf":33,"outperforms":34,"topPercent":26},"scaling","Scaling","--pillar-scaling",999,20,360,53.9,{"key":36,"name":37,"colourVar":38,"compositeWeight":20,"shown":21,"score":39,"halfRange":40,"rank":41,"rankOf":33,"outperforms":42,"topPercent":26},"investment","Investment","--pillar-investment",955,23,141,60.8,{"key":44,"name":45,"colourVar":46,"compositeWeight":47,"shown":21,"score":48,"halfRange":49,"rank":50,"rankOf":14,"outperforms":51,"topPercent":52},"esg","ESG","--pillar-esg",0.1,1001,17,212,41.3,75,{"national":54,"region":55,"county":58},163,{"rank":56,"of":57},16,45,{"rank":59,"of":60},2,14,{"county":62,"region":63},956,991,[65,70,71,75,78,82,86,89,93,97],{"slug":66,"name":67,"score":68,"isCurrent":69},"uttlesford","Uttlesford",1013,false,{"slug":5,"name":6,"score":12,"isCurrent":21},{"slug":72,"name":73,"score":74,"isCurrent":69},"braintree","Braintree",972,{"slug":76,"name":77,"score":74,"isCurrent":69},"colchester","Colchester",{"slug":79,"name":80,"score":81,"isCurrent":69},"brentwood","Brentwood",964,{"slug":83,"name":84,"score":85,"isCurrent":69},"maldon","Maldon",957,{"slug":87,"name":88,"score":62,"isCurrent":69},"tendring","Tendring",{"slug":90,"name":91,"score":92,"isCurrent":69},"basildon","Basildon",953,{"slug":94,"name":95,"score":96,"isCurrent":69},"rochford","Rochford",950,{"slug":98,"name":99,"score":100,"isCurrent":69},"harlow","Harlow",948,"163rd of 361 authorities nationally",{"heroSummary":103,"intro":104,"pillarCommentary":108,"compareSummary":113,"faqs":114,"metaDescription":133},"Chelmsford ranks 163rd of 361 UK local authorities, with a Local Growth Score of 979: 21 points below the UK benchmark of 1,000, 12 points below the East of England score and 23 points above the Essex score. It stands out most on Investment, at 955; its biggest opportunity is ESG, at 1,001.",[105,106,107],"Chelmsford's scores are built from the area's 12,030 active companies, each measured on the same 16 characteristics.","The Local Growth Index scores every UK local authority on four pillars (Innovation, Scaling, Investment and ESG) using company-level data from the Beauhurst platform. Each measure is averaged across the area's companies, so a score reflects how active the typical local company is rather than how large the local economy is.","Every score is set against a fixed UK benchmark of 1,000, the score of the UK as a whole, so Chelmsford's 979 puts it 21 points below the UK. Its likely range, 968–990, shows how much the score could move with a slightly different mix of companies. A score is only published when that range is narrow enough to rely on.",{"innovation":109,"scaling":110,"investment":111,"esg":112},"Chelmsford sits in the upper half nationally on Innovation, ahead of 54.0% of authorities. The Innovation pillar measures how rooted local companies are in research and new technology: granted patents filed in the last 20 years, university spinouts, R&D grant funding won in the last five years, and the share of companies in innovative sectors or the eight IS-8 growth sectors.","Chelmsford sits in the upper half nationally on Scaling, ahead of 53.9% of authorities. The Scaling pillar looks past the startup phase: how many local companies are scaleups, how fast established companies are adding staff, and how many have attended an accelerator.","Investment is Chelmsford's strongest pillar relative to other authorities, scoring 955 (45 points below the UK) and outperforming 60.8% of authorities nationally. The Investment pillar captures equity finance: how many local companies raised equity in the last five years, how much they raised, and how many raised for the first time.","ESG is Chelmsford's clearest opportunity, scoring 1,001 (1 points above the UK). It currently outperforms 41.3% of authorities. The ESG pillar tracks clean energy and other green activity, environmental accolades, social and governance signals, and the share of companies set up on a not-for-profit basis.","Chelmsford scores 12 points below the East of England score, and 23 points above the Essex score.",[115,118,121,124,127,130],{"question":116,"answer":117},"What is Chelmsford's Local Growth Score?","Chelmsford has a Local Growth Score of 979, ranking 163rd of 361 authorities nationally. The UK as a whole scores 1,000. Its pillar scores are Innovation 977, Scaling 999, Investment 955, ESG 1,001.",{"question":119,"answer":120},"How is the Local Growth Score calculated?","Each company is measured on 16 characteristics, which are averaged across the area and compared with a fixed UK baseline. The results are combined into four pillar scores, and a composite weighted 30% each to Innovation, Scaling and Investment and 10% to ESG, on a scale where the UK scores 1,000.",{"question":122,"answer":123},"What is Chelmsford's strongest economic pillar?","Relative to other authorities, Investment is Chelmsford's strongest pillar at 955, placing Chelmsford in the top 50% of UK local authorities on that pillar.",{"question":125,"answer":126},"Where does Chelmsford have the most room to improve?","ESG is Chelmsford's weakest pillar relative to other authorities, at 1,001, 1 points above the UK benchmark. It is the clearest opportunity for local economic development.",{"question":128,"answer":129},"How does Chelmsford compare to the rest of Essex?","Chelmsford ranks 2nd of the 14 authorities in Essex, scoring 23 points above the county score. The next-highest-scoring authority in the county is Uttlesford, on 1,013.",{"question":131,"answer":132},"How many active companies are based in Chelmsford?","Chelmsford has 12,030 active, non-dormant companies with their head office there. Every measure in the Local Growth Index is averaged across these companies.","Chelmsford scores 979 on the UK Local Growth Index, where the UK is 1,000, ranking 163rd of 361 local authorities. Powered by Beauhurst data.",{"source":135,"cached":21,"generatedAt":136},"template","2026-10-20 10:51:20",2021,2026,"2026-10-20"]