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Sadiq Khan has said that London’s “weather has changed” when he flew the flag for the capital at a major real estate conference in France.
The mayor of London participated in Europe’s largest real estate exhibition – Le Marché International des Professionnels de l’imobilier, or Mipim – in Cannes for the first time, just two weeks after London Growth Plan was launched in an attempt to revive the city’s economy.
Khan, together with a team from the City Hall and London’s council leaders, tries to attract large investors to spend their money in the UK’s capital and strives for a total of £ 22 billion to be invested in 20 important projects from some of the 6,500 investors participating from 90 counties.
Systems promoted for investments include the rebuilding of Liverpool Street, Victoria and Waterloo Station Terminals, and the wider Euston area linked to HS2 – as well as Camden Film Quarter, Barking Riverside, Royal Albert Dock and Barking Riverside.
Spoken to City isKhan said the event had been “fantastic” and led: “For the past 24 hours, I probably met more investors – from America, Canada, Japan, the Far East, the Middle East, France, Continental Europe – than I have done in six months, because they are all here”.
The mayor said: “We have the greatest turnout from London in Mipim’s history.
“We all say the same thing, as is now the perfect time to invest in London.”
When asked why he had not participated during his previous nine years as mayor, Khan said: “It is really important for me to come here with an offer and this year I have a real offer to do.
“But the real gaming exchange is the national government that works with us on investments in London, housing, student accommodation, retail, logistics, leisure … (IT) means that I can come here and make an offer for developers and investors about why they should invest in London.”
He emphasized: “We talk to people about why things have changed in London, why the weather has changed … (and) acts as a concierge service for people who want to come to London.”
While he admitted that he “can’t give you examples of things we have signed here,” Khan insisted that the event had led to “calls and introductions” that he hoped would continue.
The City Hall said that the mayor participated in the drum for London, especially at affordable homes, new infrastructure and jobs in the capital, and said that Khan worked with London councils, City of London Corporation, the government and the private sector.
The projects, they said, are detailed in the opportunity London Investment Prospectus, which has the opportunity to build new housing and build rental development, as well as student accommodation, office buildings, logistics, city science and leisure projects.
The opportunity London Partnership aims to unlock London’s next capital investments of £ 100 billion by matching capital to partners, projects and places, says officials.
Jace Tyrrell, CEO of Opportunity London, said: “London is a billon-dollar economy and remains the world’s capital investment magnet.
“We have a supportive public sector at all government levels and the next wave of great development opportunities over transport, energy and real estate, in favor of all Londoners.”
