Manchester’s star shines at MIPIM UK

MANCHESTER has been named City of the Year in the inaugural Estates Gazette/MIPIM UK Awards for its success in delivering major regeneration projects and attracting international investment.

The award was presented at the UK version of the international property convention MIPIM in London yesterday

Manchester is now Britain’s fastest-growing city and the amount of ongoing and forthcoming construction work is back to levels not seen since the aftermath of the IRA bomb in the late 1990s.

Key projects include the £800m Airport City, a major housing partnership with the owners of Manchester City, Abu Dhabi United Group, and a major extension to the tram network.

Damian Wild, editor of Estates Gazette, said: “Manchester was recognised for its success in attracting international investors, its pragmatism in delivering capital projects and its vibrant occupier market. Under the leadership of Sir Howard Bernstein and Sir Richard Leese it sets the standards by which all UK cities are judged.”

Council leader Sir Richard Leese said: “Manchester has always been an ambitious, can-do city, and we are grateful that this approach has been recognised by experts within the commercial property industry. While many investors are beginning to find themselves being priced out of London they are looking elsewhere and Manchester has established itself as an attractive option.

“This success is all about Manchester’s established track record of the private and public sector working together constructively and wouldn’t be possible without this pragmatic approach and partners who make things happen. We believe we are a city which understands its own strengths and has a strategy to build on assets such as our cutting edge research and creative and digital sectors as well as continuing to attract investment in more traditional sectors such as housing and commercial development.”