Liverpool has continued to build its reputation as a property hotspot over the past few years, and this is set to be cemented even further with the news that the UK’s largest real estate and infrastructure event will be moving to Liverpool from 2028.
UKREiiF (The UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum) has spent the past five years being held in Leeds, attracting more than 17,000 delegates from government, development, investment, and local authorities.
Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, Steve Rotheram, has stated that the decision to move the country’s biggest property festival is a ‘huge vote of confidence’ in Liverpool, highlighting how ‘this is a massive win’ as ‘thousands of investors, developers, and decision-makers [will be] coming here and seeing first-hand the ambition, talent, and opportunities right across our city region.’
Rotheram also caveated ‘I want to put on record my genuine thanks to Leeds and West Yorkshire. They’ve done a brilliant job hosting UKREiiF and building it into the major event it is today. Taking the baton from them is a privilege – and we’ll work hard to build on the foundations laid and take it to the next level.’
As highlighted by Rotheram, having such a high-profile property event in the city can only mean good things, especially for property jobs in Liverpool and architecture jobs in Liverpool. It will assist with further putting Liverpool on the property map from a national perspective and even from an international point of view.
Chief Executive of Liverpool Chamber, Paul Cherpeau, has stated that ‘UKREiiF has established itself as a must-attend event for professionals across real estate, investment, and local government in recent years’ meaning the most prominent figures in the industry will flock to the city upon the event’s launch.
The decision to move the prestigious event to Liverpool has been cited as ‘aligning with UKREiiF’s strategic direction and continued growth’, with Liverpool allowing for this expansion.
Co-Founding Director and Director of External Affairs at UKREiiF, Matt Christie, has stated that when the event is moved to the new city the plan is to keep ‘founding principles such as the festivalisation of the summit at the forefront’, confirming that they ‘won’t be retreating into formulaic conferencing’ and that they ‘have a few tricks up our sleeve’, working closely with Liverpool City Council.
In regard to working with the UKREiiF team, Rotherham states that ‘ its decision to relocate to Liverpool reflects our city region’s prominence as a destination for live events, exhibitions, and conventions, underpinned by the excellence delivered by Liverpool Experience Campus and the thriving hospitality and cultural sector which welcomes millions of visitors every year.’
He also added how ‘we know that UKREiiF will receive the full support of Liverpool’s business community as it transitions to its new home.’
Having such a landmark event in the property industry being relocated to Liverpool means exciting things for the local economy and of course Liverpool’s property scene, opening the door for further interest and investment. We look forward to seeing updates over the next few years in the lead up to the event.