Partners from across Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent will today begin a campaign promoting the region at the UK’s largest property development event.
Business leaders and senior council figures are in attendance at the UK’s Real Estate Investment and Infrastructure Forum (UKREiiF) 2025, being held in Leeds.
The three-day event is expected to bring together more than 16,000 professionals from national and local government, investors, developers, end-users and the wider built environment industry.
The Staffordshire delegation – including Stoke-on-Trent under the We Are Staffordshire banner alongside all eight district and borough councils for the first time – aims to showcase the county’s investment opportunities and priorities on a national stage under the ‘Place to Prosper’ campaign.
The event begins as affordable housing specialist Keon Homes has this morning announced that it will start work on its 1,200th unit today.
Keon’s Managing Director Richard Williams will provide an insight into the firm’s journey on Day 1 of UKREiiF by taking part in a West Midlands’ Housing Delivery panel session.
He said: “UKREiiF is such an important event for our sector, and I’m delighted we can give an insight into the Keon Homes story and how we are going about delivering affordable housing.”
The Burntwood-based company was only formed six years ago and has delivered 16 completed sites across the Midlands with a further nine projects currently underway.
This year’s We Are Staffordshire stand will provide more information about investment opportunities while showcasing the county’s finest produce including Titanic Brewery ales and Halfpenny Wines.
Staffordshire County Council has sponsored a private roundtable event taking place today to highlight Fifty500, the A50/A500 growth corridor and its £1.5 billion of investment opportunities, promoting its primary location for sustainable manufacturing, investment and employment in the UK.
As well as local council chief executives, speakers include representatives from companies such as JCB and Michelin as well as other organisations including Staffordshire Chambers of Commerce and sub-regional transport body Midlands Connect.
Also today, Lichfield District Council Leader Doug Pullen and South Staffordshire District Council’s Corporate Director of Place and Communities Annette Roberts will be speaking at a private roundtable event exploring how SME housebuilders can work with investors and housing associations to help meet national housebuilding targets.
Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire will also be represented at a West Midlands investor and developer brunch tomorrow, while another event – attended by the county council, Keele University, Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group, Seddon and Winvic – will highlight public and private sector case studies.
Other projects being put in the spotlights include the i54 in South Staffordshire and Wolverhampton and major regeneration plans for town centres such as Tamworth, Burton upon Trent and Lichfield.
