Source: Combined Authorities (England)
Author: David Booth
Date published: 2026-03-05
[original article can be accessed via hyperlink at the end]
James is marketing director at UKREiiF
As the UK works to rebalance its economic geography, unlocking investment in Northern towns and cities has become more critical than ever, writes James Bywood of UKREiiF.
UKREiiF, The UK’s Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum, has quickly established itself as a national catalyst for sustainable, inclusive regeneration. The event brings together local authorities, developers, institutions and investors to form the partnerships that shape long-term regional growth.
Clear focus: Expanding access to investment
This year’s programme highlights a strategic shift towards widening meaningful access to investment opportunities. Beyond major cities, smaller councils and regional bodies are being positioned on an equal footing with national players. The result is a more levelled platform where place-based ambitions from across the North can be seen, understood and backed.
Platform built for local authorities
One of UKREiiF’s defining strengths is its support for councils of every size.
- Private facilitation meetings create direct lines of communication between localauthorities and major investors, access that can be difficult to secure in day-to-day operations.
- Regional hubs allow areas to showcase long-term plans, highlight shovel-ready sitesand articulate key regeneration priorities.
For councils operating under tight budgets and competing demands, these structures are far more than networking. They provide practical pathways that turn strategy into opportunity.
The North steps forward with confidence
Greater Manchester: A cohesive regional vision
Greater Manchester returns to UKREiiF with a strong, unified offer. Representation from the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, the 10 metropolitan boroughs, Greater Manchester Pension
Fund and the Future of Greater Manchester initiative highlights a region committed to innovation, brownfield regeneration, advanced manufacturing and green technology.
North East: A region in motion
The North East arrives this year with renewed momentum. Newcastle City Council, NewcastleGateshead Initiative and the North East Combined Authority are jointly presenting an Investment Prospectus featuring a £4.4bn portfolio, part of a wider £14bn pipeline across life sciences, creative industries, clean energy and advanced manufacturing. This unified story positions the region more strongly than ever on the global investment stage.
Building on this, UKREiiF has also supported regeneration ambitions in Redcar – hosting investor meetings and dedicated sessions that have helped accelerate the town’s redevelopment journey and renewed investor interest in Teesworks and the wider coastal economy. This activity demonstrates how UKREiiF’s platform extends beyond city regions, enabling towns like Redcar to spotlight major transformation opportunities and attract the partners needed to deliver them.
York & North Yorkshire: A first standalone showcase
For the first time, York and North Yorkshire will host their own dedicated space. As a newly formed mayoral region, they bring a diverse pipeline of regeneration schemes, spanning housing renewal, economic transformation and the emerging bio- and circular-economy sectors. Their debut reflects growing confidence and an active approach to investment engagement.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority: The host region’s leadership
As this year’s destination partner, West Yorkshire Combined Authority commands a major presence. With Leeds as the backdrop, WYCA is showcasing how collaboration across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees, Leeds and Wakefield is driving one of the UK’s most ambitious portfolios.
This includes:
- Mass transit planning and sustainable mobility
- The Mayor’s Green Future Fund
- Transformational schemes such as Leeds Innovation Arc, Bradford City Village andWakefield’s waterfront renaissance
- High-growth opportunities in health innovation, digital technology and green energy
WYCA’s presence reinforces the region’s commitment to ensuring that devolution delivers long-term, place-led investment.
A broad and connected Northern coalition
UKREiiF 2026 will also bring together a diverse network of Northern organisations, including:
- Northern Housing Consortium
- Cheshire and Warrington Combined Authority
- City of Bradford Council
- East Riding of Yorkshire Council
- Leeds institutions including University of Leeds, Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHSTrust, Leeds Community Homes and Leeds College of Building
- Liverpool City Region Combined Authority and Liverpool City Council
- Councils from Middlesbrough, Rotherham, Preston, Hartlepool and Stockton-on-Tees
- West Yorkshire Pension Fund
Collectively, they demonstrate that the North is not one market, but a constellation of distinctive, ambitious places, each with compelling, investment-ready propositions.
Strengthening the path to long-term prosperity
The increasing presence of Northern authorities reflects a wider shift among investors towards regions aligned with sustainability, innovation, and inclusive growth. UKREiiF’s role in convening these conversations is becoming indispensable in turning regional visions into real, deliverable regeneration.
By showcasing the full breadth of Northern potential, from globally recognised cities to smaller, fast-rising towns, UKREiiF continues to fuel the partnerships that underpin the UK’s long-term economic future.
- James Bywood is marketing director at UKREiiF
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Connecting the North: How UKREiiF is accelerating regional investment and long-term regeneration