The East Midlands built on the momentum of its opening day at UKREiiF 2026 with a second day that demonstrated the depth, diversity and long-term ambition of the region’s growth offer.
Day Two opened with Trent Sports District, which framed elite sport as a powerful economic driver. The session set out the vision for the district as the UK’s largest new sport-led regeneration project, highlighting how world-class sporting infrastructure can attract investment and deliver long-term improvements for communities. The discussion positioned sport as a catalyst for regeneration, innovation, and investment at scale.
Attention then turned to the future of one of the region’s core cities as Nottingham moves to its next chapter. This session, led by Nottingham City Council, highlighted Nottingham’s strong pipeline of regeneration sites, its thriving innovation ecosystem, and the partnerships underpinning delivery. By setting current opportunities within the context of the city’s 2050 Vision, the session reinforced Nottingham’s transition towards a competitive, knowledge-led urban economy with a clear focus on sustainability, skills, and inclusive growth.
At a flagship Newsroom session, Mayor Claire Ward revealed publicly for the first time that Homes England, the government’s housing and regeneration agency, has officially launched its hunt for a development partner for the Broad Marsh project in Nottingham. The landmark city centre site will see a complete transformation with around 1,000 high-quality homes, 20,000 sqm of retail, office, and community space, and the creation of up to 2,000 jobs. The Broad Marsh project is being delivered in a partnership including the East Midlands Combined County Authority, Homes England, and Nottingham City Council.
Off the back of her recent visit to Derby, we were honoured to welcome Chancellor Rachel Reeves to the East Midlands pavillion at UKREiiF.
The Chancellor’s continued support and belief in Team East Midlands is paramount to the inclusive growth of our region.
The Chancellor recently joined Derby leaders, major employers and community partners last month at the launch of Team Derby: a new partnership backed by £10 million of government investment to support the city’s growth.
A countywide perspective followed with Derbyshire’s model for regeneration and investment. This session explored how a collaborative approach across Derbyshire is reshaping the future of its market towns, showcasing investable projects, innovative approaches to high streets and mobility, and the strength of public-private collaboration. South Derbyshire District Council and Chesterfield Borough Council, alongside partners BDP and Capital and Centric, demonstrated how towns across the county are being positioned as viable, market-ready places for growth.
The afternoon programme continued with a spotlight on innovation and clean growth. Senior leaders and partners, including Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority, outlined how the Trent Supercluster is emerging as a nationally significant opportunity, placing the East Midlands at the forefront of clean energy, advanced technology, and future industries.
Unlocking Homes at Pace examined how the public and private sectors must work together to deliver 52,000 new homes in our region as part of our East Midlands Vision for Growth, ensuring growth delivers quality, not just quantity.
Futureproofing
The day concluded with Futureproofing Nottingham, an interactive session led by Invest in Nottingham exploring how sustainability-led regeneration is strengthening the city’s resilience, competitiveness, and inclusivity.
Together, Day Two reinforced a clear message: the East Midlands offers clarity, certainty, and real commercial outcomes for partners and investors alike.
Published on: 20 May 2026
Categories: Economic Development, News