Devolution, HS2, the Northern Powerhouse, attracting inward investment and even the importance of brand were debated at Estates Gazette’s first Sheffield CityTalks last night.
The debate at Sheffield United FC’s ground, heard how the city and the region had to “just get on and do it” now that its devolution deal had come through and had to stop hiding in the shadows of its Northern neighbours and instead work together to bridge the gap between London and the South East and the regions.
And for most on the panel, which included Scarborough Group chief executive Simon McCabe, Commercial Property Partners’ Rob Darrington and Sheffield City Region LEP board members Chris Scholey and Martin McKervey, Sheffield having some sort of brand or identity was key to that.
McKervey said that the region’s devolution deal had given it the opportunity to make its own decisions and that now was the time for it to take action. However, he said this would require greater private sector involvement, especially if it wanted to attract inward investment and compete on an international stage.
Infrastructure, the Northern Powerhouse and HS2 and HS3 were all also singled out as vital elements in helping not just Sheffield but the region as a whole attract outside investment and occupier interest.
Harrington said that while Sheffield was rising up the table in terms of demand from occupiers, it was still in the shadow of Manchester.
However, the panel agreed that the Northern Powerhouse and HS2 should enable Sheffield to be more confident in its offering, especially, added McCabe, with occupiers now being more footloose and choosing regions rather than cities for their requirements.
Harrington said the region could become one of the biggest transport hubs in the North when HS2 and HS3 come online and that it should maximise the benefits that could come with that.
“We have got to get on the front foot,” warned McKervey. “This is about more than just transport, we have to present the investment opportunities for Sheffield that come with it.”
And that is where the need for a brand to attract investors for those opportunities came in.
One member of the audience thought making Sheffield and the region attractive to investors was less about what it called itself and more about what it had to offer.
Scholey agreed. “We need a sense of place,” he said. “When it is about how easy you are to do business with, that’s when you get inward investment.”
Read the debate in full in Estates Gazette’s new weekly regional pages and listen to an interview from Sheffield City Talks below.
