City regions set their stalls out for MIPIM

Delegations from both the Sheffield and Leeds local enterprise partnerships (LEPs) will attend the week long event in Cannes in Southern France next month.

Both LEPs will seek to highlight cultural plans for Yorkshire, including that of the revived Capital of Culture bid in Leeds and the plans for a trail of sculptures in Sheffield at the event, considered to be the largest property conference in the world.

Crucially both LEPs will form part of a wider panel drawn up of partnerships from city regions in Manchester, Liverpool and Newcastle under the Northern Powerhouse banner as part of a pabel sessions focused on what it called “northern style”.

The Leeds City Region LEP will seek to highlight to investors how culture and sport are key drivers for regeneration in the region. It will use the example of Rutland Mills in Wakefield which is currently the centre of a multi-million pound regeneration project. The conference will also be used by Bradford City Council as a springboard for its plans and opportunities around a number of new development sites.

In addition, the programme also includes panel sessions on topics including how a Leeds City Region and London partnership benefits the UK economy in conjunction with the London Economic Action Partnership (LEAP) and investments such as the East Leeds Extension.

Meanwhile Sheffield’s Gateway to the North public art project ‘Gateway to the North’ will be showcased to investors as the Sheffield LEP seeks to make the Don Valley corridor a cultural destination.

The “Onwards & Upwards” artwork by Alex Chinneck, featuring a trail of sculptural chimneys, was selected by Sheffield LEP to go forward for consideration by the Northern Cultural Regeneration Fund (NCRF).

That decision opened up the possibility investment worth up to £4m in the scheme, maximising its potential as a catalyst for major regeneration and transformation of the Don Valley waterways.

Mr Chinneck will join the private and public sector delegation from Sheffield City Region (SCR) for the event.

Sir Nigel Knowles, chairman of the LEP, said: “MIPIM is our opportunity to showcase Sheffield City Region’s excellence in innovation, super-connected economy and great quality of life to the world.

“Together, we propose to create a new cultural destination for Sheffield City Region and the UK: an immersive encounter with art, industry, history and nature.”

Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford City Council and chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, said: “It’s crucially important for the region to have a strong, unified and dynamic presence at MIPIM to ensure we continue to increase our levels of investment and as result deliver inclusive economic growth for the people who live and work here.

“I’m pleased that private sector support has continued to grow for the City Region’s delegation and I look forward to us working together across this programme to raise the international profile of Bradford and the City Region.

“In particular I’m delighted that Bradford will have a number of new development opportunities to launch during the conference display.”

MIPIM takes place between March 13 and 16 at the Palais des Festivals, Cannes, France.