Investors 'flock to north-west office space'

Office design news from Morgan Lovell

Published on 04-06-2009

The north-west region has been found to be a hotbed of attraction for overseas firms looking to carry out office relocations and to set up new premises, new research has shown.

Figures compiled by accountancy firm Ernst & Young have revealed that the region secured 51 new foreign direct investment projects during 2008 - up from 37 in 2007.

In addition, Crain's Manchester Business reported that the UK remained the top choice for European firms looking to set up overseas offices.

"International investors - particularly in the finance and business services industry - that already have operations in London are increasingly considering secondary locations outside the capital, which is good news for the region," Simon Allport, senior partner of Ernst & Young's Manchester office, told the newspaper.

Meanwhile, the newspaper recently reported that research carried out by office lettings agent DTZ showed that office lettings in Manchester are some of the most affordable in Europe.