Looking forward to the future

Oct 31 2007 by Iain Laing, The Journal

‘It’s grim up North’ is hardly a phrase I’d expect to hear these days amongst a region thriving with award-winning businesses, great universities, a buzzing social scene and exciting regeneration developments. So it came as a huge shock to turn on the TV the other week, only to hear one of our region’s main towns – Middlesbrough – being condemned as the worst place to live in the UK.

Over the years, the region has actively sought to reinvent itself – growing and adapting to change – making it a highly desirable place to live and work. The region has taken major steps to further improve the appeal and prosperity of its towns, creating a real vibrancy amongst the people who live and work here.

We have seen significant investment in the region over recent years, which has laid the foundations of our success. We can now proudly boast of our many award- winning businesses – both of our major ports, Teesport and the Port of Tyne, have won industry-wide awards in 2007 – and of our universities, which are at the cutting edge of digital technologies and fashion, not to mention a major software company, Sage, and a world-class chemicals and processing industry on our doorstep.

With its beautiful countryside and equally stunning coastline, North-East England has a lot to offer visitors and residents, and the local people are, rightfully, very proud of their heritage.

As part of a regional business community, with my own office being based in Middlesbrough, we too, are very passionate about the region and seek world class status in all we do to remain one of the key economic drivers in North-East England. And the future looks bright, as more exciting developments are planned for the region. My own business team has award- winning plans to build a £300m deep sea container terminal at Teesport, known as The Northern Gateway, which will further contribute to the economic prosperity of North- East England. The project will create up to 5,500 jobs and will open opportunities to trade with the Far East and elsewhere. There are other exciting projects at North Shore, Stockton and Central Park, Darlington, acting as major catalysts in regenerating the economy of the region.

All in all, North-East England is a region of great achievements with exciting prospects, and I look forward to the future with immense enthusiasm.

Maggie Pavlou is chairman of the North-East Chamber of Commerce.