The sun was shining down in Leeds for day 2 of UKREiiF 2023 – but the spotlight was very much on the West Midlands Combined Authority and Stockport MDC.
Hot on the heels of April’s Deeper Devolution Deal Announcement, the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) this week announced a £2bn strategic partnership with SEGRO plc – a deal poised to deliver 3.5m sq ft of sustainable warehouse space across the region and 14,000 new jobs to boot.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands Combined Authority, said: “SEGRO’s investment programme will help regenerate long-neglected areas right across our region – building just the sort of modern premises that companies need to grow – creating high-quality jobs for local people in the process. “
Taking to the Bury Stage, Coverdale Barclay Director Ros Barclay chaired a panel featuring the Mayor, Stuart Penn of Lovell Partnerships and Renos Booth, Head of Real Estate Long Income at Aviva Investors.
The overwhelming conclusion of the discussion? “The private sector will be mission-critical” to the region’s success, said Andy, unveiling the West Midlands Investment Prospectus 2023.
UKREiiF was also the launch pad for Stockport Mayoral Development Corporation’s (MDC) £250m joint venture with The English Cities Fund (ECF) to deliver Stockport 8 – the next phase in their ambitious £1bn town centre regeneration.
The news was announced by Lord Bob Kerslake, Chair of Stockport MDC, Paul Richards, Chief Executive of Stockport MDC and Sir Michael Lyons, Chair of ECF. This was followed by a panel moderated by Dan Whelan senior reporter at Place North West, also featuring Stockport Council Chief Executive Caroline Simpson and Phil Mayall, Regional Director at ECF.
Sir Michael Lyons, Chair of ECF, said “It is a privilege to be a part of one of the UK’s most prolific town centre regenerations, and to have the opportunity to play an important role in the long-term growth of Stockport”.
The announcement comes less than a year since the opportunity launched to market at UKREiiF in 2022 and is the latest milestone in Stockport MDC’s Town Centre West masterplan.
