Event Summary
MIPIM GALLERY | Morgan Sindall and Place North welcome drinks
Leaders from Manchester, Liverpool, and Newcastle joined delegates at the Cannes property expo to underline their commitment to growing their own economies and powering up the North.
Morgan Sindall Construction and Place North’s Tuesday MIPIM reception is an annual event that brings together the property community for high-level networking and good conversation.
This year, the event marked the first anniversary of Place Yorkshire and Place North East, which were launched on the Tuesday at MIPIM in 2023.
After a welcome from Morgan Sindall Construction North West managing director Simon Arnott, there was an informative panel session that saw the leaders of some of the North’s largest cities wax lyrical about their potential.
The panel included Cllr Liam Robinson, Leader of Liverpool City Council, Pam Smith, chief executive at Newcastle City Council, and Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council.
The leaders agreed that collaboration and the sharing of best practices between regional cities is key to ensuring growth across the North. While each city is unique, together they present a powerful proposition for driving growth.
“Collectively we know our own strengths and we are proud of them and play to them,” Smith said.
“We are well-placed to contribute to UK plc, we are not going to government with begging bowls.”
Craig said Manchester’s MIPIM mission is to “show the world our ambition” and pitch the city as a place with stability and a track record of delivery.
She, like Smith, recognises the potential of collaborative working across the North.
“It is not about competing, it is about having cities that complement [each other] because that benefits the country as a whole,” she said.
She added that the key to unlocking growth is solving the east-to-west connectivity conundrum.
“The potential of our cities is unlimited if we sort transport.”
Robinson, who has overseen a significant improvement in Liverpool’s reputation over the last 12 months, said the city is “open for business”.
He used the event as a platform to call for greater autonomy that would allow cities to take their destinies into their own hands.
“As a city and city region, if we had some of the devolution powers of Wales and fiscal responsibility, that would allow us to contribute more to UK plc,” he said.
Stay up to date on MIPIM news. Visit Place North West’s MIPIM Hub.
Place events during MIPIM include:
- Panel session: Greater Manchester’s £5bn borough on the Manchester stand | 4.45pm, Wednesday 13 March
- Panel session: The future of devolution for Greater Manchester on the Manchester stand | 2.30pm, Thursday 14 March
MIPIM is being held in Cannes until 17 March.
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