Leeds City Region announces ambitious programme of activity for MIPIM UK 2015

Leeds City Region has announced its packed programme of activity, which will showcase the city region as the premier investment ready location in the UK and a cornerstone (/the engine room) of the Northern Powerhouse.

The three day programme which will be interspersed with one on one meetings with key decision makers and influencers, will begin on Wednesday 21st October with a panel discussion exploring the new investment opportunities that exist within the Northern Powerhouse. The morning event will see Roger Marsh OBE, Chair of Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (The LEP) joined by colleagues from across the Northern Powerhouse including Ben Still, Executive Director of Sheffield City Region, Sir Howard Bernstein, Chief Executive of Manchester City Council, Ged Fitzgerald, Chief Executive of Liverpool City Council and Pat Ritchie, Chief Executive of Newcastle City Council. This panel is expected to be the big draw ahead of the Chancellor publishing the results of the 2015 spending review in November and following his recent announcements regarding further devolution deals last month.

The programme will be led by the City Region�s largest MIPIM delegation to date, comprised of 60 representatives from both the public and private sectors, and showcase the investment, development and occupier opportunities available, with a particular focus around logistics, residential and transport developments. This will include a breakfast briefing entitled �The Inside Track: Maximising transport regeneration hubs in Leeds and Sheffield City Regions�, which will look at the major regeneration schemes in Leeds and Sheffield City Regions which are leading the way in creating new communities for end users and paving the way for further projects to be unlocked. The panel will feature representatives from national organisations including HS2, National Rail and UKTI Regeneration Investment Organisation (RIO) alongside Roger Marsh OBE and Ben Still and be chaired by Ben Harrison, Director of External Affairs, Centre for Cities.

One of the most anticipated parts of the programme will be a project profile slot with UKTI RIO. The 45 minute slot will feature an introduction to Leeds City Region delivered by Roger Marsh OBE alongside a case study from the region�s headline sponsors Thorpe Park Leeds, a joint venture by Scarborough Group International and Legal & General Capital, the first project to be delivered since the start of L&G�s Regeneration Investment Organisation (RIO) partnership in January.

Other activity during the week highlights how the City Region is looking to increase its residential house building programme to meet the need of its rapidly growing working age population and deliver the LEP�s ambition of exceptional economic growth. This business seminar will feature a number of private sector representatives including, Lee Savage, development director, Scarborough Group, Jon Kenny, development director Commercial Estates Group, the firm currently developing a new community at Kirkstall Forge along with Melanie Leech, chief executive, British Property Federation and Naz Parkar, executive director, Homes & Communities Association.

Roger Marsh OBE, Chair of the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (LEP) commented: �As the UK�s largest city region economy outside of London and the South East, with a pipeline of investment opportunities valued at over �5 billion, investor and business confidence in the region is extremely high.

�With this in mind it is important that we don�t rest on our laurels but seek to continue to push ahead with the LEP�s vision of delivering growth that will not only rebalance the national economy but also see us as a City Region achieve our potential. Part of this will be through the Northern Powerhouse, a subject we�ve heard lots of people talking about over the last 12 months, myself included, and it�s important to remember that the hard work is still to come, we have the concept, now we must deliver the results, not just for ourselves but for our children and grandchildren.

�Therefore I�m delighted that our programme for MIPIM UK 2015 doesn�t look backwards but sets out our destination and showcases our plan for getting there, whether this is for residential house building or the developing of a future proof, metro style transport infrastructure. It is also fantastic to see the spirit of collaboration between the Northern cities continuing, as together our economy would approach the 20 largest globally and when we speak together we will be heard and when we work together we will achieve�

Paul Marsh, Head of Projects and Finance at UKTI added, �I�ve been working with Leeds City Region for a number of years and it is a testament to the LEP�s focus that the city region has built up its momentum and reputation. This year�s MIPIM UK activity shows the confidence and interest that exists in the City Region on both a national and international level. In this present period it is significant to see schemes such as Thorpe Park Leeds which is now entering the next phase of its construction following the recent investment by Legal & General Capital and I�m delighted that this scheme is being highlighted by UKTI RIO as an example of excellence.�

The programme, which has been described as the most ambitious ever put together by the Leeds City Region, is supported by private sector investment in partnership with The LEP, and demonstrates the connected ambition of the public and private sector in the region. Thorpe Park Leeds has been announced as the headline partner and is joined by partners Commercial Estates Group, Shulmans LLP, The HD One and Hammerson. Gent Visick, GVA, Turner and Townsend, Arcadis, Savills and Deloitte Real Estate are also signed up as supporters.

To find out more information about Leeds City Region�s attendance at MIPIM UK 2015 and its delegation, please click here.