Look to alternatives for success, says study

The study – which has the title ‘What’s the Alternative?’ – illustrates how alternative investments have outperformed more traditional rivals in recent years.

Ben Hall, investment director at GVA’s Leeds office, said: “What makes this interesting for Yorkshire is how we can combine the alternative sectors with the solid economic foundations that already lie in the Leeds City Region.

“The region has a lot to offer, across a lot of sectors. Industrial properties are benefiting from the motorways and infrastructure.

“The office sector has fantastic buildings in key cities, and Leeds has just seen the arrival of Trinity Leeds and the Leeds Arena will open later on this year. Leeds City Region is investment ready and should be a hugely exciting proposition for any savvy investor.”

The sectors GVA focused on in its research were automotive, data centres, energy and waste, healthcare, hotels, leisure and student accommodation.

A GVA spokesman said: “The march towards a fully digitalised society has highlighted the reliance of business on modern technology.

“Changes in working practices, greater use of the internet and the ability to work remotely anywhere in the world has led to an increase in the amount of data generated, and will continue to do so. For that reason, data centres form a strong proposition as an alternative investment class.”