Bradford stepped into the spotlight at this year’s UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum (UKREIIF), ready to show why it’s the UK’s most ambitious city.
UKREiiF, which was held in Leeds this week, is the UK’s biggest real estate exhibition and a key networking event annually connecting more than 10,000 investors, funders and developers from across the UK and around the world.
As the UK’s City of Culture 2025, Bradford is taking centre stage nationally and internationally. This landmark year will bring huge investment, boost tourism, showcase the district’s rich cultural heritage, creative industries, and diverse communities. It’s not just a year-long celebration, it’s about long-term economic and social impact, creating a lasting legacy for generations to come.
With major investment, a £multi-million regeneration pipeline of transformational projects and a young dynamic, entrepreneurial population, Bradford is transforming at pace as a place of opportunity, growth, and innovation.
Bradford Council and its partners will be running a three-day showcase alongside UKREiiF at the nearby Mumtaz Leeds restaurant, to highlight the unprecedented investment potential and opportunities in the city and across the district. The showcase is being primarily supported by anchor sponsors, Schofield Sweeney and Incommunities, Arup and Montagu Evans.
Mumtaz Leeds restaurant
Bradford Council Leader Susan Hinchcliffe said: “We are currently delivering multiple once-in-a-generation regeneration initiatives across the district, and we are working on delivering further significant, transformative projects. We’ll be profiling all the ambitious development to the key players, influencers and decision makers within the investment and real-estate markets.
“This is a key time for Bradford and a unique opportunity to maximise a programme of public and private regeneration investment, to shape the future of our city and district. The private sector partnerships we’ve already successfully secured show the ongoing investor interest in Bradford, and we’re looking forward to building on the momentum.”
Other highlighted schemes for discussion at the showcase this year include:
- Successful re-shaping of the city centre with public spaces and enhanced public transport services. Delivered in partnership with Balfour Beatty, SRC Rail, Systra, Mott, Sweco and more.
- Bradford City Village – billed as Bradford’s most ambitious regeneration initiative since the 1970s, plans are progressing for up to 1,000 high-quality, environmentally-friendly new city-centre homes, alongside new public spaces, revitalised independent shopping and high-grade office space. In partnership with ECF – MUSE, Homes England, Legal and General.
- Bradford Live – restoration of an Art Deco building creating a world-class 4,000 capacity music/entertainment venue and conference facility.
- Darley Street Market – £30m new state-of-the-art indoor market with outdoor market square and entertainment space.
- Heritage-led regeneration – with a new Heritage Action Zone supported by Historic England and ongoing investment through National Lottery Heritage Fund centred on Ivegate – Bradford’s oldest street. Little Germany one of the most significant conservation areas in the North.
- Keighley regeneration (£19m Plan for Neighbourhoods funding as well as funding of £33.6M through the Keighley Towns Fund, to deliver key projects such as the recently-completed Providence Park industrial hub)
- Shipley regeneration (Funding of £25M through the Shipley Towns Fund, including key projects such as the rejuvenation of the market square)
- Bradford Rail and infrastructure investment – including a new platform at Forster Square with enhanced rail services to London, plans for the new Southern Gateway station and regeneration around the area, the electrification of the Leeds-Bradford route alongside the imminent consultation on the route for the Bradford Line – linking Leeds and Bradford via the Mass Transit tram system.
Strategic Director of Place at Bradford Council David Shepherd explained: “Our showcase event is crucial to capitalise on the increased interest in Bradford, representing the impressive work that is happening here and to make meaningful connections with skilled delivery partners. Last year, more than 1,500 key players visited the showcase over the three days and given the momentum Bradford has generated in the past 12 months, we expect to replicate that success again this year.
“Since last UKREiiF Bradford has made massive progress on its ambitions to unlock its economic potential and become a major growth engine for the North and UK overall. Bradford is now recognised as one of the UK’s biggest economic opportunities and private sector curiosity is much higher than ever before. Our showcase event at UKREiiF is an opportunity to speak to investors about our ambitions and the opportunities that exist here.”
Rachael Dennis, Chief Executive at Incommunities, said, “As a leading social housing provider, we are committed to helping drive regeneration efforts that go beyond housing – fostering the wider prosperity of communities through job opportunities, culture, and a renewed sense of place.
“We are proud to be a part of the Bradford showcase and are looking forward to discussing the future of Bradford and understanding more about the great work that is happening to improve the lives of people living in our district.”
Associate Director at Arup Niall Bourke said: “Bradford’s future continues to be bright, thanks to its young, diverse, and creative population, dynamic business base, farsighted civic leadership, and the rapid regeneration progress we’re witnessing, coupled with ambitious plans for growth. Our role as proud headline sponsors for the Bradford Showcase once more is one of several ways we are looking forward to bringing our local knowledge and global experience to help shape a better city and more sustainable North.”
Graham Sweeney, Managing Partner at Schofield Sweeney added: “Schofield Sweeney has been advising some of the district’s most exciting businesses for over 25 years. Bradford is an exciting location for anyone looking to start, invest in, or grow a business. The Showcase event celebrates the opportunities the district can offer. It was a huge success in 2024, and we’re delighted to be a partner again this year.”
A spokesperson for Montagu Evans said: “As a longstanding partner on the Bradford City Village project, and advising on a wide range of projects across the UK for many years, we understand the transformative power of public and private sectors working together with a shared vision for place.
“We are proud to be supporting the Bradford Showcase at UKREiiF this year. Events like this are vital for bringing together the right people to unlock opportunities and focus on delivery, and we’re pleased to be playing our part.”
Bradford and Leeds are the two largest centres of employment in West Yorkshire and at present, 45,000 commuters travel between them each day, the largest flow between any two cities in the UK – with 74 per cent of them currently choosing to travel by car.
Game-changing infrastructure projects like West Yorkshire’s Mass Transit and ‘Southern Gateway’ (one of the UK’s biggest regeneration opportunities), will be discussed, as they unlock new opportunities and strengthen connections with Leeds, bringing together two major cities in the north to become a European economic powerhouse.
Frequent, high-capacity, city centre to city centre connections will bring massive agglomeration benefits to the region. Proposals have been agreed by the West Yorkshire Combined Authority for the Mass Transit tram system running between the two cities. It is hoped the early construction stage of the project will begin in 2028. Phase one would include two lines serving Leeds and Bradford and the Bradford Line would run from Leeds city centre to Bradford city centre, also linking Bradford Forster Square with the planned new Bradford rail station.
This new ‘through’ rail station in the ‘Southern Gateway’ is critical to cement the numerous social and economic benefits from faster travel between regional economic hubs and also to London. A ‘Southern Gateway’ board has been formed and there has been progress on key issues around land assembly, and track alignment. The ambition is for six trains an hour to run to Leeds, with a journey time as short as 14 minutes.
The regeneration scheme centred around the new rail station would offer a transformational opportunity for growth and prosperity. It would deliver new homes, offices, innovation, healthcare, retail, leisure and cultural facilities making Bradford an even more attractive and accessible destination. The scheme would generate substantial value not just for the investors and businesses in the city but in improving access to jobs and opportunities.
As a centre of innovation, Bradford and the district is home to fast-growing engineering, manufacturing, digital, and technology sectors, as well as important academic institutions.
Bradford Council’s Portfolio Holder for Regeneration, Transport and Planning Alex Ross-Shaw explained: “Bradford is a city with the youngest population – 40 per cent is under 30, and 25 per cent is under 18, so it’s an exceptional place in terms of up-and-coming talent.
“Given this, there is a strong focus on education and skills and last year more than 6,700 school leavers were supported into education, training or employment. This focus spreads throughout Bradford and across the district.
“Keighley has a strong heritage in manufacture and is now positioning itself as a digital leader, for the future. The recently completed new manufacturing and skills hub at Providence Park in Keighley, in partnership with Keighley College, will feature a state-of-the-art IT classroom, with digital courses from the basics through to advanced, as well as a focus on paperless manufacturing techniques, through the use of mobile devices and tablet-based apps.”
In Saltaire, ‘once in a generation’ plans have been unanimously approved for a new £6m Community, Arts, Heritage and Future Technology Centre. The new centre, which is being funded through the Shipley Towns Fund, will benefit local people and visitors alike, and is being delivered by Shipley College and the Saltaire Collection.
The building, which will be located at the corner of Victoria Road and Caroline Street, on land provided by Bradford Council, will provide additional classroom and administration space to support Shipley College, for technology-based teaching and learning.
Start-ups and businesses in the Bradford district are continuing to be well supported by the Council’s Invest in Bradford team. David Shepherd explained: “The Invest in Bradford Team has experienced Business Advisors to support any business looking to start up, relocate or expand in the district. And with Bradford offering such competitive living and lifestyle, and business set up costs it’s no surprise there’s such strong confidence in Bradford’s growing economy.
“The city of Bradford and the district is diverse in every way – geographically, demographically, culturally and economically. And this diversity is our strength. Bradford is full of opportunity and there has never been a better time to invest.”
For more information follow @InvestinBradford on LinkedIn,
visit www.InvestInBradford.com/ShowcasingBradford QR code or visit www.ukreiif.com
