Ahead of leading real estate conference, UKREiiF, North East England has launched its three-day event programme, profiling key sector strengths and an extensive pipeline of new development opportunities.
From 19-21 May 2026, a delegation of public and private sector organisations will showcase the strengths of the region and ambitions for the future to an audience of property investors, developers, occupiers, and decision makers at conference, with the aim of accelerating investment and growth.
Led by North East Mayor Kim McGuinness, the collective effort will reflect a shared determination to drive long-term growth and will profile an investment portfolio of more than £14 billion new development opportunities, including three ambitious Mayoral Development Zones where investment in culture is accelerating the delivery of new homes, creating thriving businesses, building world-class attractions, and creating vibrant city centres.
From supercharging the region’s creative industries, doubling the number of green energy jobs in the region to 50,000, unlocking multi-billion-pound clean energy investments, creating an affordable world-class public transport network, and establishing a pioneering AI Growth Zone set to create over 5,000 jobs and attract a further £30 billion in investment — North East England is becoming the real home of opportunity.
The programme of events will showcase how public and private businesses work effectively to break down barriers and unlock new development, making North East England a region where it is easy to invest and develop new opportunities – and where investment makes a real difference.
Highlights including, The Green Energy Revolution: Scale of investment opportunity; In conversation with Kim McGuinness. Mayor of the North East and Oliver Coppard, Mayor of South Yorkshire; an interactive session on Innovation Districts: What actually matters, what gets measured and what we’ve all been missing; A Place to Call Home: Building communities, not just houses.
The programme will provide a platform to connect with global decision-makers and industry leaders. Speakers on the programme from Lloyds Banking Group, BBC, British Property Federation, Office for Investment, QTS, Homes England, British Esports Federation and more will provide key insights and fresh perspectives.
New this year, the North East will host an AI in Placemaking interactive workshop session in collaboration with FaulknerBrowns highlighting how tech is transforming the industry and to boost engagement with development projects from across the region.
Since its launch in 2022, UKREiiF has grown into one of the UK’s largest investment gatherings, attracting more than 16,000 attendees each year. It provides a platform for cities and regions to showcase and unveil new development schemes and attract investment.
North East Mayor, Kim McGuinness, said:
“North East England is a region where we make it easy to invest and develop new opportunities – and where investment makes a real difference.
“The banks of the Rivers Tyne and Wear are the sites of the most ambitious programme of urban regeneration in the UK, in the cities of Newcastle, Sunderland and Durham.
“Meanwhile our unique location facing the North Sea and strengths in advanced manufacturing are attracting billions of new investment in green energy and AI.
“For us, investment today is not just about the buildings, it’s about the people that make our region special: their talent, their ambition, creativity and skills. That’s how we are creating the home of real opportunity. We make things happen fast through public and private businesses working as a team to unlock new development.
“We’ve got a brand-new energy, and we don’t do things quietly, so I invite everyone to come and see what’s going on in the North East at UKREiiF.”
The delegation to date includes Arup, FaulknerBrowns, Legends Global, Universities North East England, Atkins Realis, Avison Young, British Esport, Kada Research, Knight Frank, Muse, Newcastle International Airport, North East Housing Partnership, Pegasus Group, Robertson Group, Square One Law, The Glasshouse, Urban Foresight, Ward Hadaway, Port of Tyne and WSP.
Explore the North East England UKREiiF event programme here: https://ukreiif.investnortheastengland.co.uk/