Increasing investment in Europe’s cities is essential if we are to meet the twin 21st century challenges of being globally competitive in a knowledge led economy and reducing our carbon emissions decisively.

The Urban Investment Network brings together city government leaders, institutional investors and developers in a dynamic new partnership that is designed to drive up the rate of investment in Europe’s cities through public / private collaboration and innovation.

This Network is steered by Founding Partners from leading cities, investors, banks, developers and advisors.



LATEST NEWS:

"The Urban Investment Opportunities of Global Events"

The Urban Investment Network is pleased to announce the publication of a new report: "The Urban Investment Opportunities of Global Events." The report showcases a collection of case studies from cities that have successfully used or plan to use Global Events – such as Expos, Olympics Games, or World Cups – to attract urban investment. These case studies include the Barcelona Olympic Games in 1992, the Lisbon EXPO in 1998, and the City of Amsterdam’s bid for the 2028 Olympics, among others.

Because Global Events are massive gatherings of people, these ceremonies are, in the strict sense of the word, global. That means enormous investment opportunities but also entail the added responsibility of being capable to organize on a large scale and exceed the high expectations that these events usually generate. Moreover, when the event is over, cities are tasked with re-imagining how to reuse the facilities built for the occasion. Written by Greg Clark, ULI Senior Fellow, Joe Huxley, Head of Research for Cities and Regions, and Sarah Nemecek, Manager of the ULI Urban Investment Network, this report explores the challenges and opportunities of using Global Events to attract urban investment by highlighting the experience of some European cities.

A full copy of this report can be downloaded via the link to the right under "Related Documents.”



The Network Releases Two Reports: "Leveraging Public Land to Attract Urban Investment" and "Exploring the Future of Housing Investment in the United Kingdom"



Following successful workshops in Cannes and Birmingham, the Urban Investment Network is pleased to announce the publication of two new reports. "Leveraging Public Land to Attract Urban Investment" draws from city case studies and private sector remarks presented at the Network's workshop in Cannes on 16 March. Public land in cities can be a great asset for urban investment but it could also be a deterrent to investment if it is not used optimally. Written by Greg Clark, ULI Senior Fellow, Gareth Evans, Researcher, and Alexandra Notay, ULI's Vice President of Strategic Programmes, the reports outlines 10 principles for using public land to effectively increase investment in Europe's cities.

The second report, "Exploring the Future of Housing Investment in the United Kingdom", presents the key suggestions which emerged from a Housing Finance Forum hosted by the Urban Investment Network and the UK Government's Homes and Communities Agency on 3 June in Birmingham. The Forum and the report highlight a number of specific challenges which currently face the UK housing market, and concludes with ten recommendations for ensuring a better functioning residential market in the future. The report was written by Gareth Evans, Joe Huxley, and Alexandra Notay.

Full copies of both of these reports can be downloaded via the links to the right under "Related Documents".

PAST EVENTS:

Using Global Events to Attract Urban Investment

On 9 June, The Urban Investment Network and PropertyEU hosted a Masterclass event entitled "The Role of Hosting the Olympic Games in Attracting Public and Private Investment: An Opportunity for Amsterdam?" at the Provada conference in Amsterdam. Featuring speakers from OECD, the European Investment Bank, and the London, Turino, Amsterdam, and Barcelona Olympics, the event examined how and why an Olympic Games can attract public and private investment, and how the experiences of London, Turino and Barcelona may affect Amsterdam's decision to bid for the 2028 Olympics.

Following the masterclass, ULI continued the discussion during an invitation-only workshop on the topic of Global Events as a catalyst for urban investment. Case studies from Glasgow, Paris, and Lisbon were presented to highlight the transformative effects of a Global Event on local economies.

A report summarizing the event's conclusions will be published at the end of June.

Speaker presentations:

Debra Mountford's "Local Development Benefits from Staging Global Events"

Scott Taylor's presentation on "Global Events in Glasgow"

Exploring the Future of Housing Investment in the UK

ULI worked with the UK Government's Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) to organise a Forum on 3 June in Birmingham, UK. The event gathered experts and practitioners to identify the policy solutions required to raise the level of investment in the UK housing sector over the next decade. Nearly 70 attendees from public, institutional and financial organisations debated topics such as maximizing opportunities for public/private partnerships, encouraging institutional investment in the rental sector, funding social housing in a lower grant regime, effectively using existing housing stock and retrofitting homes, and how to attract new entrants and capital in the residential development market.

Speaker presentations:

Sir Bob Kerslake's "The State of Play in the UK"

Pam Patenaude's "Reflections from Overseas"

Nick Salisbury's "View from a Banker"

Chris Brown "New Public Private Financing Models to Achieve Housing in Urban Areas"

Andrew Pratt's"Private-Rented and Privately-Owned Housing"

Nick Jopling's "Developing the Teenies"

Mark Weedon's "Residential Investment across the UK"

Chris Langdon's "The Delivery Gap"

Stephen Sellers' "Long Term Private Sector Investment in the Housing Market"