The Northwest of England, UK, has launched a new scheme offering overseas investors free office space in serviced accommodation across the region.
The initiative, “Hello Northwest”, has been developed in partnership between the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), investment and development agencies for Manchester and the Liverpool City Region, MIDAS and The Mersey Partnership, and leading serviced office providers – Avanta, Bruntwood, Orega, Manchester Science Park, Liverpool Science Park and Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus.
The Northwest is already the UK’s leading region for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) outside of London and the South East.
FDI plays a very important role in the Northwest economy. A study by DTZ for the NWDA in 2008 found that over 17% of regional gross value added (GVA) is accounted for by foreign owned companies and that economic output (GVA) per worker is almost 50% higher in foreign owned companies compared to the regional average.
In addition, in 2009, figures released nationally by UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) showed that the number of inward investment projects secured in the Northwest over the last financial year had risen to the highest recorded number for the region, despite the difficult economic conditions.
Hello Northwest, which is designed to promote and maintain its status as a fast-growing region, offers new overseas investors to Manchester (Hello Manchester), Liverpool (Hello Liverpool) and the Northwest (Hello Northwest), free desk space for the first 12 months of their relocation to the area as part of the region’s continued drive to attract investment and jobs.
The scheme is aimed to allow investors to test out ideas before a major investment.
In particular, any company will have a 12 month rent free desk in fully serviced accommodation in key locations throughout the Northwest and will receive a full spectrum of business development services provided by the NWDA, MIDAS and TMP.
The locations offering free space under the project include the following:
– 3 Piccadilly Place, Manchester City Centre next to station (Orega)
– 111 Piccadilly Place, Manchester City Centre (Bruntwood)
– Atria, Bolton (Bruntwood)
– Booths Park, Knutsford (Bruntwood)
– Centurion House, Spinningfields, Manchester (Bruntwood)
– City Tower, Manchester City Centre (Bruntwood)
– Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Halton
– Landmark House, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport (Bruntwood)
– Liverpool Science Park
– Lowry House, Financial District, Manchester (Bruntwood)
– Manchester Science Park
– The Plaza, Liverpool (Bruntwood)
– Royal Mills, Ancoats, Manchester (Avanta)
– Station House, Altrincham, Trafford (Bruntwood)
-Wilderspool Business Park, Warrington (Bruntwood)
– 111 Piccadilly Place, Manchester City Centre (Bruntwood)
– Atria, Bolton (Bruntwood)
– Booths Park, Knutsford (Bruntwood)
– Centurion House, Spinningfields, Manchester (Bruntwood)
– City Tower, Manchester City Centre (Bruntwood)
– Daresbury Science and Innovation Campus, Halton
– Landmark House, Cheadle Hulme, Stockport (Bruntwood)
– Liverpool Science Park
– Lowry House, Financial District, Manchester (Bruntwood)
– Manchester Science Park
– The Plaza, Liverpool (Bruntwood)
– Royal Mills, Ancoats, Manchester (Avanta)
– Station House, Altrincham, Trafford (Bruntwood)
-Wilderspool Business Park, Warrington (Bruntwood)
FinSMEs
27/01/2010