Over 90 countries may have attended the world's leading real estate event, MIPIM this year, but it was Manchester which proved once more, why it has become one of the most investable destinations across the globe.

Hosting 19 events throughout the week-long event - held annually in Cannes - Manchester’s growing international reputation was recognised when delegates from 40 countries visited the Manchester stand; many keen to get their hands on a copy of its brand-new investible propositions brochure to learn more about opportunities across the region.

Through panels, networking, and activations Manchester’s Inward Investment Agency, MIDAS, made its debut to provide insight and support to businesses interested in discovering why Manchester does investment differently. Speaking on behalf of MIDAS were Joe Manning, Managing Director and Audrey Peers, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, who both shared their professional and personal views on why Greater Manchester has its sights firmly focused on the future.

“Greater Manchester is a demonstrator of technologies and an adapter as well; that’s really attractive to businesses looking to come to the region.”

– Joe Manning, Managing Director, MIDAS

On the Tuesday, Joe joined fellow speakers Tom Stannard, Chief Executive, Salford City Council

and Phil Marsden, Managing Director, North West, Muse as part of a panel on ‘Salford Signature Schemes – Doubling in Size, Opportunity and Ambition.’ They discussed the city’s internationally renowned signature scheme, MediaCity and how across its 23 hectares, MediaCity 2.0 has the potential to deliver over 3000 new homes, new media, tech, and digital business opportunities as well as unparalleled access to employment, retail, and recreation.

Speaking alongside Sam Darby, Development Director, Bruntwood SciTech, in a discussion entitled ‘Accommodating the Next Wave of Innovation’ Joe shared his thoughts on the speed at which cities are developing. He also provided insight into navigating the complexities of partnerships, funding, and risk management in the post-pandemic boom of the Life Sciences sector at ‘The Future of Life Sciences Real Estate: Navigating New Frontiers.’

In a mid-week discussion on the Wednesday, Audrey provided insight to the panel ‘Why We Do Business In Manchester’ where she was joined by Daren Whitaker, Founder and Chair of one of the city-region’s leading property developers Renaker, responsible for developing some of its most aspirational new neighbourhoods.

“Talent is key, and Manchester is very well placed for that. So, a very strong established skilled workforce across our key sectors... Manchester and the city region are putting a lot of initiative around that so there is a lot of government funded initiatives to try and set up that pipeline.” 

 – Audrey Peers, Head of Business Development and Strategic Partnerships, MIDAS

Throughout the week, invest in Manchester was the key message; as one of the fastest growing cities in Europe (EY) outperforming other cities (Deloitte Crane Survey) and home to nearly 3 million people, the city-region utilised the MIPIM platform to showcase its strengths as a diverse economy, a leading destination for FDI, a hub for culture and demonstrated why it has appeared countless times as a ‘must-visit’ global tourist hot-spot from The Economist to New York Times.

Along the way, the Manchester stand also delved into how it is tackling sustainability and how frameworks such as the Places for Everyone and Devolution will help the city-region thrive.

Shining a spotlight on Manchester’s most exciting investment propositions across the city centre and beyond, here are just a few which had people talking:

• Victoria North (Northeast of Manchester City Centre)

Victoria North has been described as ‘a town within a city’ due to its size and is a flagship and nationally significant regeneration project for Greater Manchester. It will provide the single largest brownfield residential development opportunity in England. The anticipated 15,000 homes planned will account for 27% of the City of Manchester's future housing supply by 2037.

• Salford Quays and Media City (Salford)

Salford Quays is located south-west of the City Centre, in Salford and Trafford, within the Manchester Ship Canal and a series of bays and basins. Since the 1980s, Salford Quays has been transformed to an exciting vibrant waterside setting. It has established an internationally significant cluster of digital and media uses, and is home to the BBC and ITV, as well as a growing education cluster nurturing tomorrow's talent on site.

• Wigan Town Centre (Wigan)

With great access to the motorway network and rail, Wigan provides easy to access the Greater Manchester and Liverpool city regions, and beyond. The redevelopment of the former Galleries Shopping Centre will see a vibrant new 3.2ha destination of retail, leisure, commercial and residential space in the heart of the town centre.

• Ashton Moss (Tameside)

Ashton Moss is the largest employment opportunity site within Tameside and one of the largest across the city-region. It provides the opportunity for higher paid and skilled jobs for the borough’s residents with the potential for up to 300,000 sqm commercial floorspace. The site is also well located on the road, tram, and bus networks (including dedicated Metrolink stops at Ashton Moss and Ashton West) and adjacent to the Ashton Moss retail, leisure, commercial and industrial area.

·New Carrington (Trafford)

New Carrington lies South of the River Mersey in West Trafford. Its vision is to develop a sustainable and attractive, multi-use residential and employment neighbourhood through a holistic revitalisation strategy. The site is also a strategic allocation in Places for Everyone consisting of 1,153 hectares of brownfield and greenfield land. This has capacity to deliver approximately 5,000 housing units, including a minimum of 15% affordable housing and 350,000 sqm of employment space.

• Northern Gateway (Bury and Rochdale)

Northern Gateway is located northeast of Greater Manchester within the Atom Valley Mayoral Development Zone (MDZ), which has been formally approved and has gained political support from the Mayor and local authorities. The MDZ has strong governance and partnership, the foundations of which supports Investment and delivery of agreed outcomes.

• Oldham Town Centre (Oldham)

Oldham is a vibrant and diverse town, looking confidently to realising its potential as a great place to live, work and visit. Through focusing on creating a community founded on social value, wellbeing, and inclusivity, it will unlock investment of more than £150 million and create more than 2,000 new homes in Oldham town centre, along with 1,000 new jobs and 100 apprenticeship opportunities.

• Rochdale Rail Corridor (Rochdale)

Passenger growth has rocketed by more than a third in the last decade, with 2.8m rail journeys made from Rochdale in 2022. The Rochdale Rail Strategy sets out a vision to improve the existing transport network and infrastructure alongside the delivery of housing around these core locations to boost economic growth. The development of a sixth rail station called Slattocks and planned tram-train connection to Heywood, will improve connectivity into Rochdale.

• Stockport 8 (Stockport)

Stockport 8 can be found in the very heart of Stockport, Greater Manchester. Benefitting from the town centre location and its unrivalled transport links, it is well connected. Just 8 minutes from Manchester, it is easily accessible via public transport at Stockport Interchange bus station and Stockport train station on the West Coast mainline to London.

• Eckersley Mill (Wigan and Bolton)

The Eckersley Mills scheme forms part of a wider area earmarked from strategic intervention called Wigan Pier. The project which is estimated at £200m, will breathe new life into the area, centred around the refurbishment of two iconic Victorian Mills.

A significant moment in the calendar for investment, business, and collaboration, MIPIM may have provided Manchester with a platform to highlight how the city-region continues to enrich the lives of its residents through fostering innovation, enhancing skills, and improving infrastructure. But even from the south coast of France, it is where Manchester will have turned some of the world’s curious glances into a hard gaze upon a UK city fearlessly re-imagining what a global city-region should be in the future.

To learn more about these investment opportunities, and many others across Greater Manchester, read the full brochure here >> Investable Propositions | Manchester Invest Partnership (marketingmanchester.com) or get in touch.  Invest In Manchester | Get In Touch