David Penn (Bromwich Hardy), President of the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce
Coventry and Warwickshire is set for a strong showing at MIPIM this year thanks to the major developments taking place in the region and a clear decision on Brexit freeing investors’ hands.
There’s a lot going on in our region in terms of new developments across many sectors, and Parliament’s decision to accept the EU Withdrawal Agreement means the uncertainty businesses have had to deal with is now gone.
Investors who were holding back to see how Brexit would pan out will now be able to go ahead with their deals, and we’re pretty optimistic we’ll see a ‘domino effect’ of investment in Coventry and Warwickshire.
One of the most exciting developments in Coventry & Warwickshire that will have piqued the interest of the development community is the UK Battery Industrialisation Centre, located just to the south of Coventry next to the airport.
It is one of the most important research and development centres in the electric car revolution – a sector which is currently growing at a rapid pace – and will have applications far beyond the automotive industry in the future.
West Midlands Mayor Andy Street is also pushing hard for our region or the West Midlands to be the home of the UK’s first ‘Gigafactory’ – a major battery production plant.
With UKBIC already based here, having the Gigafactory near to, or in, Coventry & Warwickshire would make perfect sense for the industry and would drive huge investment into the area.
Another brilliant initiative in our region is ‘Transforming Nuneaton’, which is a fantastic example of local authorities putting their money where their mouth is.
It’s a partnership between Warwickshire County Council, Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council and the Coventry and Warwickshire Local Enterprise Partnership, and aims to turn Nuneaton into a vibrant town centre featuring accommodation, office space and a community hub.
Nuneaton is the largest town in Warwickshire, and it’s about time we show investors just how much potential it has.
Coventry was one of the first UK cities to be represented at MIPIM, we’re still going now and we’ll continue to attend in the future.
It puts together all the key movers and shakers in property. That doesn’t just mean developers – it means key stakeholders such as local authorities, land associations, and universities – and the Coventry and Warwickshire Chamber of Commerce.
We can’t wait to promote Coventry and Warwickshire at MIPIM this year, and we’re very excited to see what investment we can attract to our region while we’re there.
The Coventry and Warwickshire MIPIM Partnership is made up of companies and organisations who represent the area and is also part of the UK Midlands presence at the event which attracts 30,000 delegates.