Go Downtown for leading business lights (From Preston and Leyland Citizen)

Go Downtown for leading business lights

1:30pm Tuesday 16th October 2007

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Lancashire has much to offer - the county has beautiful countryside, fantastic infrastructure including a mainline railway link and several motorways.

But how often do we think about the other resources we have - our knowledge-base?

Recently Downtown Preston In Business hosted its first Property Forum.

These events are designed to bring the area's regeneration and property professionals under one roof, in a bid to promote the exchange of ideas, and ultimately, enact change.

The guest of honour at our inaugural event was David Taylor, who can undoubtedly be labelled as one of the country's foremost experts in regeneration.

Taylor now sits at the head of East Lancashire housing market renewal pathfinder' Elevate, charged with breathing new life into thousands of run-down properties.

What arose from the meeting is the sheer knowledge, experience, and importantly energy and the drive which Lancashire has at its fingertips.

True, there are several organisations working hard to produce a similar result.

The East Lancashire Partnership, the NWDA, the local authorities and of course Taylor's Elevate.

But to truly compete with the vibrant, world-beating likes of Liverpool and Merseyside the consensus was we need to do a little more, and improve the way we work together.

The late Tony Wilson had the right idea for East Lancashire - or rather, Pennine Lancashire - and I am delighted to see his partner Yvette is taking up the baton and continuing their work.

We need to be able to compete with the likes of attractions being thrown up by investors like Peel holdings which obviously has an almost unlimited amount of capital to tap into.

Take the new dry ski slope at the Trafford Centre - I worry it could draw visitors from Rossendale's fantastic facility which is in a far nicer location!

At the Property Forum I came face-to-face with professionals who undoubtedly have much to offer but who feel they have been missed out.

It is my hope that Downtown Preston can become one of the leading lights in bringing these professionals together on a regular basis.

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