Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council continues to lead the way for Northern Ireland in attracting investor interest at MIPIM UK

Global investors have heard how the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough offers one of the world’s best commercial real estate investment opportunities at a landmark conference in London.

The Council told attendees at MIPIM UK 2018 – the UK’s largest property and investment conference, held at London Olympia – that the region has a vibrant economy, is positioned in an ideal location and has an attractively-priced real estate proposition.

Coupled with the recent announcement that US television giant HBO has decided to base the upcoming Game of Thrones formal studio tour in the Banbridge area, the borough has been highlighted as an area prime for investment. 

Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council Councillor Julie Flaherty has said the project “has the potential to attract hundreds of thousands of tourists to the area each year.”

She continued: “MIPIM UK presents a great opportunity for us to actively promote the borough’s strong investment proposition, one which has proven hugely successful over the last two years and has led to substantial interest and attention from a number of significant investors.

“The borough is ideally positioned, has a thriving economy, is home to some of the biggest global companies, has a vibrant start-up community and a rich cultural heritage. We are proud to be known as a council which works in partnership with the private sector. It is this close and mutually beneficial co-operation that has placed our economy in such good health.”

Roger Wilson, Chief Executive of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, said: “The Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough is an attractive base for potential investors – that is the message we have taken to MIPIM UK and one which has been well received. We have been enhancing the region’s reputation with the international investment world using hard facts, not just anecdotal evidence.

“The numbers, the location and the economy speak for themselves and are stimulated by an energetic and proactive council. We are focused on drawing investment and development to the borough and we are determined to do all we can to support that aim.”

“We are proactively developing a high-quality business infrastructure, boosting skills in the region, supporting economic development and promoting the borough as being very much open for business.”

As well as the potential for industrial development in some of the brownfield sites throughout the borough, the council said it is also focused on regenerating town centres and exploring office development opportunities, with demand for grade A accommodation strong. Given the growing tourism and business sectors in the borough, there is considerable scope for hotel development.

Meanwhile, the £6.3m investment by Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council in conjunction with the Heritage Lottery Fund will be transformational for the city’s economy and physical environment.

Led by the Armagh City Townscape Heritage Partnership, the five-year regeneration project will see up to 30 iconic and underused buildings within the city’s protected conservation area brought back into full productive use, creating jobs and boosting the local economy.

Location, a strong economy and competitively-priced land and property are obvious strengths for the borough, but it is the additional support which the council provides that is helping to make investing within the area an attractive proposition.

Council leaders pointed out the region has the second-largest economy in Northern Ireland outside Belfast, is just 30 minutes from Belfast and one hour from Dublin and commands some of the most attractive commercial real estate yields in western Europe.