Look north, the message to the world’s richest investors

CIVIC leaders from Leeds and Manchester will stand shoulder to shoulder tomorrow as they urge some of the world’s wealthiest investors to help create jobs in the North of England.
Tom RiordanTom Riordan
Tom Riordan

Tom Riordan, the CEO of Leeds city council and Sir Howard Bernstein, the CEO of Manchester City Council, will share the spotlight at the MIPIM international property conference in Cannes in the French Riviera, as they sell the North as a great place to do business and invest in infrastructure.

Mr Riordan said last night: “It’s vital that the North makes its voice heard in the UK and beyond.

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“Leeds and Manchester are working together increasingly well, for example on rail franchising, to increase our collective influence on key economic decisions that affect business growth.”

Mr Riordan and Sir Howard are appearing tomorrow at an event in the Palais de Festivals in Cannes, which will also feature Sir Albert Bore, the leader of Birmingham City Council. The event will examine the need for leading cities to find ways of investing in infrastructure and development at a time of public spending cuts.

Sir Howard Bernstein said last night: “England’s core cities, the country’s largest cities outside London, have a strong record of working together as a powerful collective voice, making the case for our cities as engines for growth which are important to the nation’s economic success.

“We have also worked with Leeds and others on proposals to devolve control of the franchise for the Transpennine Express and Northern Rail networks from central government to a regional consortium of Greater Manchester, South and West Yorkshire authorities.

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“Cities such as Manchester, Birmingham and Leeds are competing in a global market for investment and jobs and we’re happy to share a platform with each other on an international stage.

“In Manchester, we’ve taken some innovative approaches to securing investment for development in these challenging financial times, and we’re happy to share our insights as well as hearing about the experiences of others.”

One of the stars of today’s festivities at MIPIM, which is expected to attract 4,100 investors from 83 countries, will be Olympic cycling silver medallist Lizzie Armitstead, from Otley, who is due to cycle into Cannes to promote investment opportunities in the Leeds city region.

Ms Armitstead said yesterday: “I am delighted to be supporting my home city. It is a fantastic place to live, work and do business. I’m looking forward to the world seeing more of us during next year’s Tour de France and hoping more people see why it is such a good destination for investment.”

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Ms Armitstead is due to lead the Cycle to Cannes team as they complete the final stage of a charity ride from the UK to Cannes.

The Leeds City Region delegation to MIPIM is being led by Leeds and Partners – the marketing organisation that promotes Leeds as a place to live and work.

The delegation includes representatives from Leeds, Wakefield, Bradford and York city councils and the Leeds City Region local enterprise partnership, along with private sector partners.

The Leeds and Partners delegation has received more than £100,000 sponsorship to pay for their attendance,

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The MIPIM sponsors include major local employers such as law firms Addleshaw Goddard and Shulmans, and leading players in the property and development world such as Arup, Evans, GVA, Hammerson, Land Securities, White Rose Office Park, Town Centre Securities and Turner & Townsend. The event closes on Friday.

Mr Riordan added yesterday: “MIPIM is the ideal platform to demonstrate the confidence there is in the Leeds economy right now. We are seeing real results from the hard work of many people in the city – with Trinity (Leeds, a £350m retail centre) and the Leeds Arena due to open soon, a strong investment pipeline via the new city centre flood defences, the trolleybus, the City Deal, 70,000 new homes and several developments on the south bank, not least the enterprise zone.

“Now is the ideal time to get that message across, together with our city region partners, especially with the boost to our image that the Tour de France Grand Depart will bring.”

A report commissioned by commercial property consultant GVA, which is being released to coincide with MIPIM, suggests that Leeds has stayed strong during the slump, and become home to more financial services, legal and professional businesses.

LEPS taking a different view

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The Humber and Sheffield local enterprise partnerships (LEPS) have not sent delegations to MIPIM this year. A spokesman for the Sheffield LEP said it would consider “future engagement at MIPIM”.

This year, the Sheffield LEP’s inward investment team will be holding events that focus on advanced manufacturing, healthcare technologies, logistics, business and professional services and creative and digital industries, the spokesman said.

A spokesman for the Humber LEP said its activities were focused on developments in the offshore wind market.

“We’re targeting the money where we think it will have the most impact,’’ the spokesman said.