Greater Birmingham unveils biggest MIPIM events programme to date
THE Greater Birmingham team at the property development and inward investment show MIPIM next month will be staging more events than ever before.
Under the ‘Today, Tomorrow and Beyond’ banner, key schemes and investment opportunities will be outlined to an audience of key decision makers.
These include Birmingham Smithfield and the Black Country’s High Value Manufacturing City, both worth £1bn.
Comprising 20 events and 32 speakers, the three-day programme is designed to highlight the investment, development and occupier opportunities available across Greater Birmingham.
It will explore current projects taking place, as well as long-term strategies for the region, ranging from skills development to the future of the West Midlands Combined Authority.
The MIPIM show takes place in Cannes from March 15-18.
This year’s events includes the launch of Birmingham’s Smithfield Masterplan. One of the country’s largest city centre development opportunities covering 14 hectares, the £1bn scheme is to be located within the city centre Enterprise Zone on the current Wholesale Markets site.
Cllr John Clancy, leader of Birmingham City Council, said: “Our biggest events programme to date at this year’s MIPIM will ensure Greater Birmingham once again catches the attention of the global investment community.
“With development sites across the region to showcase, ranging from landmark high-speed rail stations at Birmingham Curzon and UK Central to the Black Country’s successful Enterprise Zone, Greater Birmingham will promote capital investment opportunities for the property market’s most important decision makers.”
Greater Birmingham’s MIPIM 2016 programme also includes the launch of the Black Country’s High Value Manufacturing City (HVM City) digital asset.
The programme is designed to support the advancement of design, manufacturing and engineering opportunities available in the Black Country.
HVM City will add more than £1bn to the economy, bring forward over 150 hectares of land for advanced manufacturing and create over 25,000 jobs, it is suggested.
The launch event will be led by Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership board member Tom Westley and will form one of many key investment opportunities showcasing the Black Country area.
The Greater Birmingham stand will also host The Future of Retail. The event will investigate how the region’s evolving retail sector will impact its economic and property landscape over the coming years. It will feature a panel debate with national industry experts including Andy Street, managing director of John Lewis and chair of the Greater Birmingham & Solihull LEP, Steve Yewman, development director at Westfield, and Robin Dobson, director of retail development at Hammerson.
Street said “With over £1bn of investment in the region in the last year, Greater Birmingham is experiencing record levels of growth. Globally significant companies like HSBC and Jaguar Land Rover are locating or expanding in the area, demonstrating their confidence in the future of the local economy.
“MIPIM is the ideal platform to showcase everything the region has to offer and promote the potential for further growth; reinforcing Greater Birmingham’s place on the world stage for investment.”
Speakers taking part in Greater Birmingham’s event programme include Mark Lee, chief executive at Calthorpe Estates, Glenn Howells of Glenn Howells Architects and Jonathan Wallis, development director at Arena Central.
