MIPIM | The ‘how’ of Greater Manchester’s 75,000-homes target

Over the last few years Bolton Council has taken a more proactive approach to regeneration as it builds up to the town’s most transformational project – Crompton Place.

From data centres in Blackpool to space centres in Newcastle, a panel of Northern leaders set out their investment propositions on the global stage and discussed how the North can work together to make them a reality.

WSP’s head of digital innovation, Dale Sinclair, sat down with Place North’s Sally Gibson at MIPIM to discuss how the company’s kit-of-parts approach is improving construction productivity and efficiency.

Positive steps taken towards reinvigorating housebuilding by the government nine months into its term are not to be sniffed at – but does the ambition match the reality on the ground? Place North’s MIPIM breakfast conference focused on this topic with a panel of private and public sector experts.

Stronger partnerships, being willing to take more risks, and adopting off-site manufacturing at scale were all posited as ways the North can deliver better schemes at pace at a Place North panel session on the UK Stage at MIPIM.

The international brand appeal of Manchester United FC and the emergence of development potential in the surrounding area make Old Trafford an extremely attractive regeneration prospect, according to Savills director Jeremy Hinds and Trafford Council Leader Tom Ross.

Wigan Council has laid the foundations for large-scale development in its borough and now is the time to deliver, according to the council’s director of place Aidan Thatcher.

The need for society to be connected and the rapid adoption of AI are driving the requirement for more and better digital infrastructure, including data centres, according to Thomas Pearson, partner at JMW.

Like many local authorities across the country, Bury Council is on a mission to breathe new life into its town centres. Chief executive Lynne Ridsdale spoke to Place North West about how her organisation is funding that vision.

The regeneration of Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium and the land around it presents arguably the biggest opportunity for transformation the borough has ever seen. The council and its partners discussed how to maximise the potential of that project and others in the pipeline.

“Blackpool has already made great waves in regeneration, so why not invest here?” said Emma Ratcliffe, head of business development for the North West at Morgan Sindall Construction as the firm heads to MIPIM as one of the council’s trusted delivery partners.

Small and medium sized housebuilders are uniquely placed to play a starring role in addressing the UK’s housing crisis and contribute to the government’s ambitious homes target, according to Andrew Evans and John Wybar of VM Finance.

The construction firm’s managing director Paul Dodsworth chatted to Place North West about its expansion plans, thriving in a volatile market, and why the company is going to MIPIM 2025.

One of the largest social housing developments in the country is currently under construction in Liverpool. Place North West went along to find out more about the project.

Moving away from old systems and processes and finding a way to attract fresh blood to the sector were among the solutions discussed at this roundtable discussion hosted by Caddick Construction.

It can take weeks for a council or registered provider to get a vacated property ready for its next tenants. Limiting lengthy void periods is one lever the industry can pull to increase the availability of homes, according to Alistair Carruthers, enterprise business development manager at Helpthemove. 

With a focus on developing around railway stations, representatives from local authorities, Network Rail, and the private sector delved into the ins and outs of not only creating a great masterplan, but also ensuring it gets delivered at a roundtable discussion hosted by WW+P Architects and RJP Town Planners.

The property industry in the North has been decidedly busy this past year, with numerous high-profile projects completing. But there were three in particular that dominated headlines.

There is a lot of work to be done if there is any hope of achieving the government’s goal to build 1.5m homes over the next five years. Property professionals from the public and private sector gathered in Liverpool to debate the best way forward in this roundtable discussion hosted by Onward Homes.