Central Lancashire showcased at major property event

By Lancashire Business View

14 Feb 2017

More than 120 developers, investors and property professionals drawn from across the North West gathered together for an inward investment event focusing on the commercial opportunities and investment potential offered by Preston, South Ribble and the Central Lancashire region.

Entitled “We Are Lancashire – The Place For Growth”, the event was organised by the City Deal Partnership (which includes Lancashire County Council, Preston City Council, South Ribble Council and the Homes & Communities Agency) as well as Marketing Lancashire and the Lancashire LEP,  and was hosted at the Preston headquarters of accountants RSM.

Senior representatives of these organisations were joined at the event by private sector partners and prominent local business leaders who took part in a series of Q&A panels and discussions about what the City Deal programme means for Preston, South Ribble and the wider Lancashire economy.

The half-day conference covered a broad range of topics from the strengths of the local economy and what it is like doing business in the area, to the proactive planning and development support property companies and investors can benefit from when they invest in Central Lancashire.

At the heart of the discussions was the impact and opportunities offered by the £434m City Deal programme. The City Deal is a key initiative of the Lancashire Enterprise Partnership’s strategic plan to create 50,000 new jobs over the next 10 years across the county.

Key themes which emerged throughout the sessions included how all of the Lancashire local authorities, both county and district, involved in City Deal were working closely together to ensure private investment can flourish. This included their pragmatic, joined-up approach to the planning process, and the substantial public sector support on offer to help private sector schemes get started, and completed, with a minimum of barriers.

Another important debate centred around the need to create a diverse mix of housing, and have different types of tenure, throughout Central Lancashire. This was to ensure families, young people, the elderly, students and recent graduates could all get access to affordable and desirable accommodation which suited their needs.

Jim Carter, chairman of the City Deal and LEP board director said: “This event was a great example of how Lancashire is directly engaging with investors and taking our story to the marketplace. We know many of the developers and agents present won’t have heard such a level of detail about what’s happening in and around Central Lancashire, and this conference gave us a platform to showcase how through initiatives like the City Deal, Preston and South Ribble offers an unrivalled investment opportunity.

[caption id="attachment_86671" align="f-align-medium-left f-align-center" width="300"] Mike Horner, Muse Developments[/caption]

“The fact we had the LEP, local business leaders and senior representatives from both district and county councils all talking in positive terms about how Lancashire is pro-development, pro-growth and is united in its ambition to unlock more private sector investment to drive the economy is a testament to how far the county has come. This is also why central government is so supportive of our aspirations to be at the heart of the Northern Powerhouse.

“We now need to capitalise on the buzz created by this conference, and other events like it, and we will be following up with all the delegates to see how we can convert their interest and enthusiasm about Central Lancashire as an investment destination into potential deals.” Panellist Mike Horner, regional director of specialist urban property developers Muse Developments who are involved with the cinema element of the Harris Quarter project, said: “Events like this conference, where major private sector players were on the same page as council leaders and local authority chief executives, demonstrates how initiatives like the City Deal and Growth Deal have helped galvanise a new era of collaboration, commercially and politically, in the county and we are greatly looking forward to working with Lancashire partners to help drive its resurgence as a major regional economy.”

Latest news

1

Lancashire’s tech and innovation ecosystem goes online with open access Dealroom microsite Lancashire Innovation Board Members Jane Dalton and Russell McGrath, Dealroom's Aoife Morrin, and Lancashire County Council’s Head of Business Growth, Andy Walker

Lancashire’s tech and innovation ecosystem goes online with open access Dealroom microsite

24 Jun 2025

2

New £40m veterinary school champions diversity to support a resilient veterinary workforce Will Greenwood as a Lanx ambassador

New £40m veterinary school champions diversity to support a resilient veterinary workforce

23 Jun 2025

3

Technology, skills and infrastructure should be key priorities in Government Industrial Strategy, finds MHA manufacturing report Andrew Matthews

Technology, skills and infrastructure should be key priorities in Government Industrial Strategy, finds MHA manufacturing report

23 Jun 2025

4

Businesses should look at Net Zero as an 'opportunity, not a challenge' Lancashire Net Zero Conference 2025

Businesses should look at Net Zero as an 'opportunity, not a challenge'

20 Jun 2025

5

£4m investment across East Lancashire power network EV electric vehicle Electricity NW

£4m investment across East Lancashire power network

20 Jun 2025

Background image for hub sign up block

LBV Hub

Leverage Lancashire Business View platforms

Post your news
Post your events
Post your offers
Build your network
Improve your SEO
Gain coverage in the magazine
Sign-up
Events
LBV123 July/August Launch Event
Lancashire Business View magazine launch
Networking
16 Jul 2025

LBV123 July/August Launch Event

Burnley

08:30 - 10:30

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025
BEC 315 X 315 Px
Networking
25 Sep 2025

Lancashire Built Environment Conference 2025

Blackpool Football Club, Blackpool, FY1 6HX

08:30 - 13:00

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Management and Leadership Course

Preston Campus, Preston , PR1 2HE

09:00 - 17:00

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course
UCLanAerialCampus.jpg.jpg
LBV Hub Seminars
21 Feb 2025 - 21 Feb 2026

CMI Level 5 Project Management Course

Preston Campus, Preston, PR1 2HE

08:00 - 17:00

Business Bike Club – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
01 Jul 2025 - 01 Jul 2025

Business Bike Club – July

Various, Lancaster, LA

08:00 - 09:30

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July
Chamber Logo1.png.png
LBV Hub Networking
02 Jul 2025 - 02 Jul 2025

Chamber Breakfast Networking – July

St John's Hospice, Slyne Road, Lancaster, LA2 6ST

08:00 - 10:00

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4
LBV Hub Seminars
04 Jul 2025 - 04 Jul 2025

The Marketing Metrics that Matter – July 4

Door4 Office, Burnley Wharf, Burnley, BB11 1JG

08:30 - 11:00

Chamber Summer BBQ
LBV Hub Social
17 Jul 2025 - 17 Jul 2025

Chamber Summer BBQ

The Borough, Dalton Square, Lancaster, LA1 1PP

17:30 - 20:00

Cumbria Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880461633-4862066883-1-original.20241022-110415.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
19 Sep 2025 - 19 Sep 2025

Cumbria Business Expo 2025

Carlisle Racecourse, Carlisle, CA2 4TS

09:00 - 15:00

North West Business Expo 2025
https---cdn.evbuc.com-images-880456273-4862066883-1-original.20241022-105445.jpeg.jpg
LBV Hub Exhibitions
24 Oct 2025 - 24 Oct 2025

North West Business Expo 2025

Bolton Stadium Hotel, Bolton, BL6 6SF

09:00 - 15:00

Lancashire Business Day 2025
241122lbvlancashiredaylhp0647web
Networking
27 Nov 2025

Lancashire Business Day 2025

Burnley FC , Burnley, BB10 4BX

12:00 - 17:00

Advertise with us

Reaching 50,000 members, our print, digital and event platforms offer a fantastic way to raise your business profile and help you grow.

Find out more LBV122 Online Graphic
Subscribe now

Weekly news bulletin