Event Summary
MIPIM GALLERY | Morgan Sindall and Place reception
Leaders from Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, and Liverpool joined property professionals to celebrate the opening day of the international property conference.
Watch the video from the event above. Scroll down to see photos
Morgan Sindall Construction and Place North West’s Tuesday MIPIM reception is an annual event that brings together the North West property community for high-level networking and good conversation. This year’s event saw the usual reception’s focus broadened, as those working across the entirety of the North were invited to celebrate the launch of Place North.
Place North is a new media group whose umbrella includes Place North West, Place Yorkshire, and Place North East.
After a welcome from Morgan Sindall Construction North West managing director Barry Roberts, there was an informative panel session focused on how the North can work together to truly ‘level up’.
From left: Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram, Manchester City Council’s Joanne Roney, Leeds City Council’s Angela Barnicle, Newcastle City Council’s Michelle Percy, and Place North West’s Julia Hatmaker. Credit: PNW
The panel included Newcastle City Council director of place Michelle Percy, Leeds City Council chief officer of asset management and regeneration Angela Barnicle, Manchester City Council chief executive Joanne Roney, and Liverpool City Region Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram.
The biggest issue facing the North?
“For me, it’s absolutely investment in transport,” Percy said.
Roney agreed.
“What we need is a different approach to understanding the benefits that would be realised by long-term infrastructure investment in the North,” she said.
While Rotheram agreed about the transport point, he went further and said the biggest problem facing the region was actually the Tory government. He said he was optimistic that a change of leadership at a national level could see the North reclaim the investment he felt that it deserves.
Regardless of whether national funding comes or not, Barnicle said that the North needs to believe in its own mission and focus on what it can control, rather than waiting for national government investment.
“It’s about what we’re going to do right here, right now,” Barnicle said.
- Stay up to date on MIPIM news. Visit Place North West‘s MIPIM Hub
Percy said the future was bright for Newcastle.
“I think it’s a city of potential,” she said. “We have the ability. We can match any scale and we can do that scale. We have the available assets, skills, and talent in which to do it.”
Barnicle was similarly optimistic about Leeds.
“I would say we are a city that is rich in content, global in ambition, and likes being competitive and collaborative,” she said. “What a brilliant foundation to build on!”
Roney said Manchester has broadened its focus for the future.
“Greater Manchester’s ambition has changed over the years,” she said. “Our ambition is to be a global city and a global powerhouse. Within that global ambition is making sure we create a fairer society…
“Manchester is absolutely still global. Still competitive. But let’s translate that into real outcomes for people to level up locally as well as nationally.”
Rotheram spoke about what he hopes will become Liverpool City Region’s new identity.
“Britain’s renewable energy coast is what we’re going to position ourselves as,” he said. He referenced the plans for the renewable energy scheme Mersey Tidal Power Project as well as the hydrogen work at Hynet.
MIPIM is being held in Cannes until 17 March.
Click any photo to launch gallery
Are these UK councils merely presenting to UK conference attendees. How much of an international profile is there?
By Anonymous