Development sites focus of investors at third showcase

The third Regenerate South Showcase event took place on March 31 at the Hilton at the Ageas Bowl.

The event attracted huge interest in the south’s leading development sites with visitors hearing from exhibitors highlighting sites from across the region.

Delegates then had the opportunity to view the developments first hand, with tours visiting: Portsmouth city centre; Solent Airport and business parks; Whitehill and Bordon; Southampton city centre and Bournemouth town centre.

Mike Taylor, managing director of Chilmark Consulting, attended the day.

He said: ‘It was an excellent day of networking, business opportunities and discussions focused on the huge wealth of regeneration opportunities available.’

Regenerate South, set up by Business South, is an initiative combining expertise from the private and public sectors to deliver market-ready sites in the region.

The group also promotes those sites at the national and international level to drive inward investment.

Member of Regenerate South and Blake Morgan partner Oliver Sowton said: ‘As a firm with a strong and long-standing regional presence in the Solent region, we want to support initiatives that promote investment and regeneration in the area.

‘As an advisor for large commercial developments, the event was an excellent opportunity for investors to find out about the exciting new infrastructure projects in the south.’

Andrew Hodgkinson, associate director at Lambert Smith Hampton, said: ‘The ethos of Business South to provide a platform for business in our region to collaborate for the greater good is easily undervalued.

‘But if events such as Regenerate South did not take place, there is no doubt fewer opportunities would present themselves and less good stuff would get done.

‘Businesses must continue to get involved; to share ideas and drive our regional economy forward.’