The East Midlands sits at the heart of the nation – the fastest-growing region outside London. How can it use its position to grow further, and grow faster? How can the region make the most of East Midlands Airport, East Midlands Gateway and the HS2 station in Toton to become a global superhub?
On Tuesday 26th June Emily Speak, Asset Manager, MAG Property, attended the Growing East Midlands Roundtable at PwC, East Midlands Airport to discuss these themes.
The group discussed that the region’s three main cities need to work more closely together, transport links to the airport and East Midlands Gateway must be be improved and there should be more focus on providing the hi-tech skills needed for the modern logistics sector.
Emily Speak, Asset Manager, MAG Property, said: “East Midlands Airport is currently carrying 600,000 tonnes of cargo per year and we’re aiming to get to one million tonnes. We’re talking to some manufacturing, e-commerce and logistics companies at the moment.
“We’ve just agreed a 28-acre expansion of the UPS hub and seen the DHL hub double in size. This area can be a major hub for logistics and manufacturing which could incorporate the nearby 700-acre Ratcliffe Power Station site when it’s decommissioned.
“We’re not going to be just a commuter airport. We’re going to have hubs in places like Frankfurt or Paris-Charles de Gaulle, which will then fly passengers out to long-haul destinations, like the Far East.”
Attendees included:
Emily Speak, asset manager, MAG Property
Rav Attwal, head of procurement, Microlise
Kate Bedson, senior development director, Roxhill Developments
Steve de Looze, ex-haulier and Leicestershire branch chair, Institute of Directors
John Burbage, director, Burbage Realty
Ian Chapman, commercial director, Palletways
Bob Dart, management consultant in logistics and transport
Steve Garside, area sales manager, DHL
Chris Kehoe, transport manager – north, PHS Group
Paul Pearson, director, PwC
Andrew Pritchard, director of policy & infrastructure, East Midlands Council
Ioan Reed-Aspley, external relations manager, East Midlands Airport
Guy Winfield, head of real estate – Nottingham, Freeths
Sue Wright, director, Exporter Services
Read more about the roundtable at: https://www.insidermedia.com/digital-events/growing-the-east-midlands-roundtable