Sheffield City Region prepares for MIPIM

Sir Nigel Knowles

The Sheffield City Region delegation will be running events across four days at MIPIM 2018, focusing on three main themes of our super-connected economy, excellence in innovation and the SCR as a great place to live.

Sir Nigel Knowles, chairman of the Sheffield City Region (SCR) Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), said: “By working together locally on international promotion, on skills, business support and major infrastructure planning, we can secure more investment from huge international names – as we’ve already done with companies such as Boeing and McLaren.

“At MIPIM, public and private sector representatives from across the region will be coming together to promote our super-connected economy, our world-leading expertise in innovation and the fantastic quality of life we have to offer to residents, businesses and investors.

“Sheffield City Region has a unique role to help create new businesses, support the growth of existing ones, and inspire and attract foreign ones to come to the region. By taking a delegation of private and public sector experts to MIPIM, we can make more contacts, follow up leads and bring in investment.”

Events over the course of the week will include a session focusing upon promoting the £2bn of urban regeneration investment opportunities in the city region; and an Estates Gazette Panel session supported by David Cross, founding director of the Coda Group of Companies, and British artist and designer Alex Chinneck, with the theme of how great architects and artists are leading our regeneration journey.

Chinneck, who is behind the ambitious Onwards & Upwards art project planned as a Gateway to the North, will be joining the delegation. He’s set to speak to potential investors and delegates about how Onwards & Upwards will transform the waterways at Tinsley, linking Sheffield and Rotherham, into a prime cultural destination on a par with the Angel of the North.

Chinneck said: “Onwards & Upwards is inspired by the industrial heritage of Tinsley and the wider City Region, but the real discovery for me has been the area’s continued strength in terms of manufacturing and innovation. The world-class companies and facilities right on the project’s doorstep make its ambitious realisation possible.”

Property consultancy Trebbi will also lead a breakfast panel discussion, and residential and housing growth opportunities will be demonstrated. An event will also focus specifically on the region’s excellence in logistics, enabled by its super-connected economy.

Public sector partners at Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield councils will be part of the delegation, as will Sheffield Hallam University and representatives from private sector organisations including CMS, Trebbi, JF Finnegan, Whittam Cox Architects, HLM Architects, Coda Planning, Turner and Townsend, Engie and Bond Bryan Architects.

Professor Chris Husbands, vice-chancellor of Sheffield Hallam University, said: “We recognise the important role the University plays as one of the major employers and capital investors in the region, as well as being one of the largest higher education institutions in the country.

“We are delighted to be at MIPIM 2018 to showcase our ambitious future plans for our estate and the wider Sheffield City Region which aims to boost economic growth and tackle societal issues through our world leading research centres.”

Iain Thomson, associate director for partnerships and communications at Harworth Group , said: “We’re delighted to be sponsoring Sheffield City Region at MIPIM for the fifth year running.

“The city region’s profile with an international audience has increased immeasurably since 2014 and we look forward to promoting our key residential and commercial developments with them, including Waverley as the company’s flagship scheme.

“Land and property-related businesses in the region should not underestimate just how important MIPIM is in establishing and refining potential deals and cultivating new relationships.  Being part of a wider delegation helps this process and we recommend others join us in sponsoring the region to promote its assets and expertise.”

Dawa Singh, head of pre-construction at JF Finnegan, said: “It’s exciting to be a part of the MIPIM delegation for 2018.

“As a prominent Design and Build Contractor with over 70 years of experience, we are looking forward to having the opportunity to showcase, alongside colleagues from the city region, the expertise that we have to offer, with the aim of driving growth and investment in our region.”

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