Thames Valley: Inward investment delegation heads to MIPIM UK

A delegation of representatives from the Thames Valley is set to promote the region at the UK’s largest property event, MIPIMUK, next month.

Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) partners representing Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Enterprise M3, Oxfordshire, Solent, and Swindon & Wiltshire will highlight the region’s investment proposition and showcase its key property assets alongside industry partners Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, Heathrow Airport and property planning consultants Development Communications.

The delegation, which is being led by UK Property Forums, will promote the economic importance of the region and highlight upcoming regeneration and development schemes to domestic and international investors. This follows the highly successful GTV delegation to MIPIMUK 2016, which was also led by the UK Property Forums.

The greater Thames Valley has a number of shared attributes that it mark out as a key economic growth hub. The wider region benefits from outstanding international and local connectivity, a highly-skilled population, outstanding education and research assets, quality housing stock, high-growth economic hubs, a situation at the heart of the SEUK creative cluster and a highly productive workforce.

The region is an economic powerhouse that provides a significant boost to the UK economy. It is home to over 250,815 businesses, a figure that dwarfs that of regions with similarly sized populations – Greater Birmingham and Greater Manchester, for example, are home to only 157,710 businesses. The GTV also boasts a highly skilled workforce - over 50 per cent of its population holding professional, managerial, or technical roles.

It is also highly productive.  The Greater Thames Valley’s GVA (a measure of productivity which assesses the contribution to the economy of each individual producer, industry or sector in the UK) hit £167 billion in 2016/2017 compared to the combined GVA figure for Greater Birmingham and Solihull and Greater Manchester of £104b – making it the most productive region outside London.

Tim Smith MBE, chief executive, Thames Valley Berkshire LEP, said: “The Greater Thames Valley is an economic region of enormous importance to the UK – the most productive region outside London and the number one location for inclusive growth; it’s an area where business thrives. A key component of the Greater Thames Valley’s success is its connected, forward-looking approach and its ability to work in strategic partnership.

“Located immediately to the west of London, Thames Valley Berkshire sits at the core of the Greater Thames Valley. With the highest concentration of digi-tech businesses in the UK and the highest concentration of foreign-owned companies in the UK, the unique strength of the area is global connectivity. It is home to over 870,000 people and 43,000 businesses, and generates an economic output of over £35b per annum. 

“We recognise the potential that MIPIMUK offers as a platform for our partners to showcase an extensive range of regeneration and growth projects, and present some exciting investment opportunities and we’re looking forward to promoting all the Greater Thames Valley has to offer.”

Nick Elphick, Enterprise M3 board member and chair of the Enterprise Zone Steering Group, said: “Enterprise M3 is delighted to be participating in MIPIMUK 2017, as part of the Greater Thames Valley region. We look forward to presenting the fantastic opportunities at our enterprise zone - EZ³, which offers 100% business rates, worth up to £275,000, in addition to the unique advantage of being the closest enterprise zone to London Heathrow.

“We have recently invested a further £10 million to accelerate the pace of development at EZ³ and this will, no doubt, attract more businesses to the Enterprise M3 area, which aside from London, is already home to the largest concentration of foreign owned companies in the UK.”