Shropshire – an important cog in the Midlands Engine
Many know Shropshire for its vibrant market towns and beautiful countryside. It’s a truly special place to live, work and visit and this week Shropshire Council, alongside others, has showcased what a great place it is to invest at the biggest global property and real estate show in Europe, MIPIM.
Like many rural counties, Shropshire also has an important part to play in driving up productivity and growth, and shouldn’t be underestimated.
As well as providing an outstanding quality of life, Shropshire has a diverse business base and is recognised for its sector strength in advanced manufacturing and engineering; agri-food and drink; automotive and defence and security. And, it’s already home to a number of high-profile businesses.
Members of the team representing Shropshire at MIPIM. Left to right:
Ian Morrison, National Planning Director of Historic England;
Nic Laurens, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth;
Steve Charmley, Shropshire Council Deputy Leader; Robin Morris, Chair of Morris Property; Gemma Davies, Shropshire Council’s head of economic growth.
As part of the council’s work to showcase investment opportunities at MIPIM, it has launched a great new film (on www.investinshropshire.co.uk homepage) featuring companies going about their innovative, interesting business in the amazing backdrop that is Shropshire.
But, although the county is doing well, the council knows that it can’t rest on its laurels – it knows that it needs to be part of something bigger.
Nic Laurens delivering the Shropshire Hotspot presentation at MIPIM
The Shropshire Hotspot presentation at MIPIM
Shropshire is an important part of the Midlands Engine, a partnership which covers the whole of the Midlands region. It works with many different and influential organisations, including us, to help it to deliver its ambition to create thousands of new jobs and attract significant new investment.
It’s through the Midlands Engine, and the Marches Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), that the council has been given the opportunity to showcase all the county has to offer at MIPIM.
On Wednesday 14 March 2018 the council met with the Midlands Engine Chair, Sir John Peace to talk about our county’s contribution to date to the evolving Midlands industrial strategy, and the exciting things it has planned for the future.
It believes that it can offer something different – it has a vision to creatively reuse its fantastic heritage buildings and estates for modern 21st century uses, creating a unique, inspiring place to live, work and invest.
An example of this is the Shrewsbury Flaxmill Maltings – the world first iron-framed building – which will be available to the market by 2021, providing four floors and 28,000 sq ft of luxury office space. It’s a key project which Ian Morrison, Historic England’s National Planning Director, launched during the presentation today (Thursday 15 March 2018).
Other development opportunities showcased include land in Oswestry, Whitchurch, the former Ironbridge Power Station, and Clive Barracks at Tern Hill.
Nic Laurens, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for economic growth, who led the Shropshire presentation, said:
“I’m excited that we’ve finally shown the world that we have fantastic investment opportunities in our county, which also happens to be one of the most attractive locations in the UK to live, work and invest.
“Our presentation was incredibly well received, and alongside the many meetings we have had with developers over the week, we are confident we have done our job and truly put Shropshire on the map, and on the world stage.”
