Showcasing Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire at global event

Midlands UK, the Midlands-wide delegation attending MIPIM 2017, has revealed the comprehensive events programme it is hosting at the global real estate show (Cannes, France, on March 14-17). Major investment projects will be unveiled to a global audience, while discussion panels and presentations will cover topics including connectivity, housing and regeneration.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Local Enterprise Partnership is among 10 Midlands LEPs joining forces at the show, and will be promoting its portfolio of investment sites from Ceramic Valley to i54, and holding events to showcase the strengths of the area.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP chairman David Frost CBE said: “MIPIM is a key global platform for attracting inward investment and new jobs for our area and we are looking forward to achieving even greater impact this year by joining forces with our Midlands partners in the Midlands UK pavilion.

“Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire occupies a pivotal location, connected to the whole of the UK by our road, rail and air networks. We are also connected by the partnerships we are building across the Midlands Engine, uniting 10 LEPs to champion and coordinate economic growth. And we are looking outwards with our ground-breaking Northern Gateway partnership, opening up the economic opportunities created by our strategic location at the junction with the North.

“MIPIM gives us a great opportunity to showcase our area’s strengths in design-led innovation and advanced manufacturing, and the LEP’s successes in working with public and private partners to promote business growth and open up new sites for development.

“This includes our flagship Ceramic Valley Enterprise Zone, comprising six strategic sites along the A500 in the north of our area, with Branston Locks in the east, and Four Ashes and i54 in the south also featuring in our MIPIM portfolio.”

Staffordshire County Council’s economic growth leader Cllr Mark Winnington said: “We have seen notable successes in terms of attracting major business investment to Staffordshire which the county council has played an integral part in with its partners. From i54 South Staffordshire to Redhill where GE has recently opened its new facility, we are seeing growing confidence in our area as a leading site for business where multinational leaders want to be.

“At MIPIM I will be looking forward to explaining how our effective cross sector partnerships have worked in Staffordshire, how we are continuing that work on a range of sites and how we will be ensuring we take advantage of our HS2 links to attract future investors.”

Cllr Abi Brown, Deputy Leader of Stoke-on-Trent City Council said:  “MIPIM is a fantastic opportunity to talk about developments in the city like the success of Smithfield and the newly announced Unity Walk retail and leisure initiative.

“Coupled with our ambitious £500m capital programme and our bid to be UK City of Culture for 2021, Stoke-on-Trent is proving to be a very exciting place to be for both developers and investors alike.”

More than 50 events – featuring nearly 100 presenters and panellists – are taking place at the Midlands UK Pavilion, more than any other delegation from the UK. Combined, these events are expected to attract thousands of delegates.

Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire events promoting the area include a session on culture-led regeneration, led by Cllr Abi Brown and Professor Ieuan Ellis, pro vice chancellor of Staffordshire University, and a panel debate on industrial strategy featuring LEP chairman David Frost, Northern Gateway chair Jackie Sadek and Cllr Abi Brown. Meanwhile development opportunities in Staffordshire will be showcased at an event led by Staffordshire County Council cabinet member for economic growth Cllr Mark Winnington and Stafford Borough Council leader Cllr Patrick Farrington.

Other Midlands Pavilion events will focus on housing, and the role of transport networks in improving connectivity, and there will be a special event showcasing the Northern Gateway, which links the Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire LEP with its Cheshire and Warrington counterpart, plus seven local authorities across the area.

The launch of the Midlands Engine Investment Portfolio on Tuesday March 14 will feature Sir John Peace, chair of the Midlands Engine. Capitalising on the region’s strong record of attracting foreign investment, the event will present the international community with billions of pounds’ worth of the region’s most exciting range of development opportunities.

Sir John Peace commented: “The scope and range of events taking place at the Midlands Pavilion demonstrates how many significant investment opportunities are available across the region. It also highlights the considerable number of partners that are working together to make MIPIM a success.

“It is critical for the economic growth of the region to truly showcase our strengths at MIPIM, which attracts delegates from across the world. The Midlands boasts highly innovative industries such as advanced manufacturing and life sciences, plus major development schemes that are already attracting billions of pounds in investment. Our inaugural presence at the show will prove that the Midlands is one of the most competitive and exciting destinations in the world.”

To see the full Midlands UK event schedule and for more details on the region’s presence at MIPIM 2017, please visit www.midlandsukmipim.com. The Midlands UK delegation will tweet major announcements, event images and interviews from its new Twitter handle @UKMidlands.

And find out more from Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire from @MakeItSoTStaffs – the twitter handle of the inward investment team funded by Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Staffordshire County Council.