Region in the spotlight at international property show
The 30th edition of the MIPIM Property show took place in France last week, bringing together developers, investors and intermediaries from across the globe to promote and discuss the global property market place.
The nine Local Enterprise Partnership areas of the Midlands exhibited for the third year as Midlands UK, with a record 100 private and public partners, including the West Midlands Combined Authority and the Coventry & Warwickshire MIPIM 2019 Partnership.
The Midlands Pavilion hosted a week of presentations and panel discussions, which included the unveiling of the WMCA Investment Prospectus, £10bn worth of housing, regeneration, commercial and infrastructure development opportunities to international investors at MIPIM. This included the 5.6ha Transforming Nuneaton Programme, promoted by Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and Warwickshire County Council, and the 90-acre MIRA Southern Manufacturing Site, allocated by North Warwickshire Borough Council to expand the offer available at MIRA Technology Park.
Warwickshire County Council has been working with Nuneaton & Bedworth Borough Council and other partners on Transforming Nuneaton, a project aimed at regenerating the largest town in Warwickshire.
The programme received a major boost last year with the awarding of £7.5m Local Growth Fund money via Coventry & Warwickshire LEP. At MIPIM this year a round table of nationally-based developers, agents and consultants was brought together to promote the excellent opportunities presented by the Transforming Nuneaton Programme, and to get input and feedback on the approach taken to bring the programme forward.
The potential of PropTech was explored at the ‘How Tech is Shaping Commercial Property’ event. This included presentations by local online commercial property portal company Proplist, Ian Harrabin of CDP talking about commercial space for tech and creative companies, such as Creative Quarter Leamington, and Paris based property app company Workwell.
The event also featured a video talking head from CWLEP board member Sarah Windrum, talking about ‘Innovation through Collaboration’, with footage from CAB Studios/ Long Barn (Alcester), Arch 4 Creative Arches and Engaging Spaces (Leamington) and Ludic Rooms/ Canal Basin (Coventry).
Coventry European City of Sport 2020, Commonwealth Games 2022 and Coventry City of Culture 2021 were in the Spotlight on Wednesday and Thursday in the Midlands UK Pavilion, which featured regeneration through sport and through culture and creative on the Wednesday and Thursday afternoons. The Thursday session included ‘Royal Leamington Spa World Class Games Cluster – Regeneration through Games Development,’ in which Creative Quarter Leamington was discussed by developer CDP, and was accompanied by a short video showcasing the town and its games development cluster.
New Coventry & Warwickshire MIPIM commercial partners this year included MCS Group, who are building a new HQ centre on the outskirts of Warwick.
For more information on the Coventry & Warwickshire presence at MIPIM 2019, visit the Coventry & Warwickshire Champions website.