Why M-RES matters for the Midlands’ story

Stories matter. They are as important as planning, finance, architecture or construction when it comes to delivering complex regeneration, writes Maggie Grogan of Midlands, Muse.

The stories we tell help us engage communities, attract investors, influence Government, and shape places – as much as bricks and mortar.

In the Midlands, we are writing the next chapter.

Big things are happening across the region. Whether it’s HS2, the Sports Quarter in East Birmingham, Trent Arc in Nottingham, or Arden Cross in Solihull – public and private sector partners are backing the Midlands story.

At Muse, we are playing our part.

We are delivering new homes, creating jobs, supporting innovation, and re-imagining places in Wolverhampton, Solihull, and Northampton.

At Smithgate, Holbeche Place, Arden Cross, and Greyfriars we are delivering thousands of new homes, alongside shops, cafes, and restaurants, workspaces, innovation space, and stunning new civic spaces.

Muse’s Smithgate project. Credit: via Muse

But we cannot do this alone.

Yes, we work with exceptional teams who help us deliver. Yes, we work with bold local and combined authorities willing to take risks alongside us, and invest in long-term regeneration.

But the Midlands needs something else as well.

It needs an ecosystem that consistently champions the region – to Government, occupiers, investors, and the global marketplace.

Anyone who attended UKREiiF or MIPIM this year will have felt the momentum building. The Midlands has a compelling story to tell.

Now we need to project confidence. We need to prove we are more than big ideas. We are a region where spades are in the ground and cranes are in the sky.

M-RES, the inaugural conference from Place Midlands, is fundamental to building that confidence. By helping to shape and project a consistent narrative, it will help us all speak with one voice.

The launch of Place Midlands has demonstrated what is possible when a spotlight is shone on the region. It has quickly become a place for our story to be told.

Muse is proud to be a Place Midlands partner, supporting its growth and continued expansion. We are equally pleased to support M-RES as it builds on that momentum.

The conference will be an opportunity to recognise what has been achieved and reflect on how much more there is still to do.

It is also about shaping an ambitious narrative and empowering the entire sector to take that message to those wondering what the Midlands is all about – and why it deserves their attention.

The foundation of any long-term strategy for growth and investment is a compelling story, told well and repeated consistently. M-RES will help the Midlands do exactly that.

• Maggie Grogan is the managing director of Midlands, Muse.