Editor’s Pick: Top stories of 2016
THIS is our last daily bulletin email of 2016, and here we take a look at some of the biggest stories in terms of regional impact this year.
Wishing you a very Merry Christmas from the staff here at TheBusinessDesk.com Yorkshire.
1.New rail stations as part of £270m transport masterplan
This has to be one of the top stories of the year, the announcement that Leeds is set for three new stations, at Thorpe Park, a parkway near Leeds Bradford Airport and a third at the White Rose Shopping Centre.
The impact of these new stations will be felt for decades and the focus on transport has been a key factor in the Northern Powerhouse this year, making this one of the standout stories for the year.
2. £220m Chinese investment in city centre projects
The Sheffield City Region signed the biggest Chinese investment deal outside London this year, which will amount to £1bn at least over the next 60 years. The Sichuan Guodong Construction Group has agreed a 60-year partnership with the council, which will see £220m spent on five projects initially, including the conversion of the Central Library into a five-star hotel.
3.”Game-changer” Victoria Gate opens to the public
The launch of the hotly-anticipated Victoria Gate development had to be one of the stories that made the biggest impact this year. Costing £165m, the development cost Hammerson £165m and brought a whole range of new retailers to Leeds.
4. £120bn wiped off UK shares in 10 minutes
Of course no list on the big events of 2016 could exist without mention of the Brexit decision, made via a referendum in June. The fallout thus far has been weak but all clues point towards a unfathomable change and an uncertain future, and those are about the only two things we do know for certain. Either way it will affect UK and Yorkshire businesses in ways we can only begin to guess at now.
Though it was announced that Hull had won the City of Culture 2017 bid back in 2013, the city has been full swing in planning this year. The countdown is on and during the year Hull’s Fruit Market development has been developing, major hotels have been announced and investments from big players such as Siemens have come in – a big year indeed for Hull and the Humber. The city has veen got its own Monopoly board – that’s when you know you’ve made it.
