Cumbria will be hoping to catch the eye of developers at a national event which showcases opportunities on offer to businesses, investors and developers this week.
The UK Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum takes place over three days at the Royal Armouries in Leeds with 16,000 visitor expected to attend the high profile event drawn from all over the UK and beyond.
On the opening morning both chief executives of Cumbria’s councils will join representatives from Enterprising Cumbria at an invite-only event called Going for Growth, which will highlight opportunities in Cumbria.
Among the sites which will be highlighted to potential developers is the Port of Workington.
As highlighted by Business Crack recently, the vision is for the port to be transformed into a hub for energy production, manufacturing and logistics industries.
Cumberland Council, which owns and manages the port, has produced a new prospectus aimed at attracting new investment to the site.
Building the future: A catalyst for growth on the Energy Coast outlines the various opportunities at the port and highlights the multi-million-pound investment already taking place there and in surrounding areas.
The port currently handles around 300,000 tonnes of cargo each year as well as housing several prominent businesses in sectors such as construction and renewable energy.
The prospectus will be one of the key items showcased by the council at UKREiiF.
“We want to partner with other organisations and the private sector to help unlock the potential for this site and we are actively talking to parties at the moment to bring in that crucial investment,” Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer, said:
“A huge amount of work has already been done, or is underway, to improve vital infrastructure at the port and we believe it is ideally placed for the right businesses to come on board. If you are a business who is interested, come and talk to us.”
Also prominently promoted will be Barrow where the Team Barrow initiative involving Westmorland and Furness Council, central Government and BAE Systems will be exhibited.
Writing on LinkedIn, Phil Drane, project director said: “We’ll be launching The Plan for Barrow – our collective story of ambition, transformation, and renewal.
“And we’re keen to speak with people about opportunities to invest in Barrow and help deliver growth.”
