Guest column: Jonathan Daly of Influential on MIPIM 2017 – Blue sky thinking from the UK’s smart cities

Received wisdom suggests you can judge the health of the property sector by the number of yachts moored in Cannes harbour during MIPIM.

There are doubtless more accurate barometers, but as one North West delegate remarked over lunch, the gold leaf on her dessert was a sure sign that the market was topping out.

While it may have been tongue in cheek – and disappointingly we frequented no yachts – Manchester, Liverpool and Cheshire’s collective tails were well and truly up at MIPIM. And with the raft of transformative development and construction projects on show over the week, it’s not hard to see why.
Manchester singer Ian Brown once famously remarked that city had everything but a beach. Marketing Manchester obviously took that feedback to heart, opting to break out of the concrete Palais des Festivals, and set up a sleek, understated and thoroughly impressive 5,000 sq ft pavilion on the sand.

It was unexpectedly cool, with the logos of its many supporters elegantly confined to one area, and without the clutter of building models that dominated the London pavilion. It had the space for making connections, debate and discussion.

It was also decked out in sky blue and white, an obvious nod to Manchester’s most revered public servant, a Manchester City fan, Sir Howard Bernstein. Yes, MIPIM 2017 was a sun-soaked swansong; befitting a council chief executive who has presided over, and led, so much regeneration and development in the city.

In the spirit of the Northern Powerhouse, the Liverpool contingent took more than one opportunity to honour Sir Howard. Liverpool Vision boss Max Steinberg spoke about him at the opening of the Manchester pavilion and Liverpool chief executive, Ged Fitzgerald, welcomed SHB to the Liverpool stand for a debate about the two cities, complete with Scouse wit and football banter.

Championed by its chief executive, Colin Sinclair, Liverpool’s Knowledge Quarter drew international interest. The new £35m proton beam cancer centre to be built on Paddington Central was a key announcement and followed news that the Royal College of Physicians has chosen the city for its 70,000 sq ft northern headquarters. Hard evidence of Liverpool’s growing ambition and credentials in biotech and life science.

Barry Roberts, north west area director of contractor Morgan Sindall – which is building the new HQ – enthused a rapt Liverpool delegation with his passionate, and thoroughly convincing, belief that the Knowledge Quarter has the potential to be a ‘game-changer’ for the city region.

Friendly rivalry about the beautiful game aside, sci-tech is one of the sectors that links Manchester, Liverpool and Cheshire – a trinity described at one Cheshire Science Corridor event as a new ‘Golden Triangle’ to challenge Oxford, Cambridge and London.

The Cheshire & Warrington LEP had a stand for the first time and, led by chief executive Philip Cox, made its presence felt.

There wasn’t much talk of the Northern Powerhouse in Cannes, and absolutely no indication that we are ever likely to see a Powerhouse pavilion at MIPIM. Instead, the ‘Midlands Engine’ led the way in terms of presenting a united front for a super-region, sharing a Midlands UK pavilion.

It was also sky blue and featured heavyweight discussions around HS2, but was, alas, slightly let down by a noisy environment where chatter from networking was a distraction for anyone in the presentation area.

One of the most fascinating, and suitably international, presentations during the week saw Manchester Science Partnerships (MSP) chairman and Bruntwood CEO, Chris Oglesby, speak for Manchester, alongside representatives from Barcelona, Stockholm and Antwerp, on a panel debating the requisite elements for cities to succeed globally in science.

He talked of ‘proximity, density and collaboration’ being key, and that it was no longer just about science parks, but rather ‘science cities’.

His thoughts were echoed by his European peers, with one remarking – to the delight of the audience – that ‘promiscuity’ was the secret to success. Admittedly he meant between ‘business, research and aspiration’.

On a day that also saw MSP unveil the new brand for its flagship ‘Bright Building’ no one was left in any doubt of the importance of science, research and technology to the North.

Not to be outdone in the rebranding stakes, Cheshire and Warrington’s delegation, announced the Constellation Partnership – the new name for the Northern Gateway Development Zone – with the aim of delivering 120,000 new jobs and 100,000 new homes by 2040. Chaired by regeneration supremo, Jackie Sadek, it was the only event that could claim to have the support of a pop music mogul – with Pete Waterman OBE drawing the crowds. And, much to delegates’ delight, signing CDs.

Back in the Manchester pavilion, Gary Neville made no attempt to avoid football analogies when discussing the furore surrounding his much maligned St Michaels scheme, quipping that its currently ‘like playing Liverpool away every week’.

But while Neville’s appearance on the stand added an air of celebrity to a destination renowned for its Hollywood film festival, the limelight was stolen by another.

Authentically Mancunian, U+I premiered a film and poem about Mayfield called Manchester’s Sprawling. It was lauded by SHB as ‘remarkable’ and his highlight of the festival. High praise indeed from a son of the city who has seen his fair share of development projects during his tenure.

Returning from the continent and reflecting on a packed, occasionally frenetic, but ultimately successful few days, left me feeling jaded in body, but optimistic in mind.

Rather than beating an insular retreat in the spectre of Brexit, the UK was collectively outward facing. A mood and outlook evidenced by the Department for International Trade taking a pavilion – the first time it has had an official presence at the festival. Its ‘Invest in Great’ campaign was emblazoned on giant billboards and pop-up online ads for anyone in Cannes.

The message was clear enough – the UK is still a strong candidate for investment. No doubt that’s about to be tested as the post-Brexit era manifests itself.