Manufacturers eye 3m sq ft in North West
Proposed investment in land and property from manufacturing companies in the region increased by 45% in 2014 and is continuing to rise according to the latest report from Barbour ABI.
Across the North West in 2014, total proposed floorspace for factory construction increased to 3m sq ft based on a 12 month rolling average, with 2015 on track for similar growth.
According to Barbour ABI, despite recent signs of a slowdown in manufacturing through both GDP and Market PMI surveys, investment intentions from manufacturers in property appear to remain strong.
Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: "With planning applications continuing to rise, businesses and investors appear to be preparing and planning long term financial commitments within the industry.
"Despite the signs of a recent slowdown, the capacity of the UK manufacturing sector is set to increase, particularly in the North West. Whether this fully transfers into increased output remains to be seen but it certainly shows that an appetite for investment remains strong across the region."
Barbour ABI delivers construction intelligence services. Barbour ABI provides construction new orders data to the Office for National Statistics and the Government's construction and infrastructure pipeline.