Bristol’s new mayor can play a crucial role in breathing new life into its property and construction market, according to one of the city’s leading sector experts.
CBRE Bristol head of agency Philip Morton believes George Ferguson’s election could be a turning point for Bristol and give it a major advantage over rival cities.
Mr Ferguson, pictured, a respected architect who has worked on major international projects, made his support for business clear during his election campaign and since taking office last November has vowed to develop the city’s long-awaited arena within three years and is also talking to major firms about relocating to Bristol.
He has also pledged to work closely with the Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) which is developing Bristol’s newly-created Temple Quarter Enterprise Zone.
Mr Morton said: “The comments coming out of City Hall have been very encouraging and George Ferguson has made it clear he wants to send out the right message to the business community.
“This is not just about supporting businesses that are already based in Bristol but also about attracting new inward investment into the city.
“We need to highlight that this is a place that wants to work alongside the private sector and make it a city where businesses are welcomed with open arms.
“It is also very encouraging that he has publicly stated his willingness to work closely with the LEP. That is where the ability to change things will come from.”
The mayor has strategic responsibility for planning issues and transport and has spoken of the need for a joined-up approach to both issues.
“I think it really helps that the new man in charge comes from a business background and has a long track record when it comes to making things happen in the city,” said Mr Morton, referring to Mr Ferguson’s transformational property development schemes such as the Tobacco Factory in Bedminster.
“He is associated with a number of successful and popular projects and as a successful architect he has an in-depth working knowledge on how the construction and property industry works.
“Bristol was one of the only cities in the country to vote to have its own elected mayor. The Government has made it clear that it is happy to deal with directly with elected mayors, which gives us an advantage over most other regional cities.”
