Scottish Cities Alliance

For immediate publication

Scottish cities alliance presents at expo real your largest investment portfolio before

Investment prospectus offers investment opportunities in Scottish cities in the amount of several billion euros

At Expo Real 2018, the Scottish Cities Alliance – a unique joint venture between seven Scottish cities and the Scottish government – will present its largest investment portfolio to date, offering multi-billion euro development opportunities for prime properties.

The investment prospectus presents a wide range of investment and cooperation opportunities in the real estate sector – from commercial, privately rented, retail and leisure properties to commercial and life science parks. This includes one of the largest active regeneration projects in the UK – the £ 1 billion Dundee Waterfront development project, which opened the only V&A museum outside of London last month. The project spans 5 key zones along a five-mile stretch of waterfront in the city of Dundee.

The combination of Scotland’s low corporate tax rate, which will drop to 17% in 2020, and its highly skilled workforce continue to make the country extremely attractive to foreign investors. This is supported by increasing investments by the Scottish Government in a world-class education system and high-profile technological development, the Smart Cities program, as well as in a determined promotion of renewable energy and a low-carbon economy.

In the study on European attractiveness as a business location in 2018, carried out by Ernst & Young, Scotland was named the most attractive investment location in the United Kingdom after London, with it taking the top position in the areas of investment in research and development. Scotland has one of Europe’s largest life sciences clusters, with over 600 life science organizations employing more than 30,000 people.

In the spring of 2017, Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland, signed a joint economic declaration to further promote business relations between Scotland and Bavaria. In spring 2018, the Berlin Chamber of Commerce signed a letter of intent with the Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, followed by a visit by a Scottish trade delegation led by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon to the German capital Berlin, where a round table was held with a group of German investors.

The Scottish government opened its government agency in Berlin in April 2018, with the aim of strengthening economic ties between Germany and Scotland as Germany is the third largest source of direct foreign investment in Scotland.

Scottish cities have close relationships with German investors, with the German real estate fund Leading Cities Invest acquiring the Edinburgh Greenside office building in the summer of this year and the Munich-based Motel One recently opening its first hotel in Glasgow – the ones featured in our new investment prospectus Development proposals offer German investors further excellent opportunities.

Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland said: “Scotland is an extremely attractive location for companies from Germany and other EU countries to do business and invest. 155 German companies currently employ 18,000 people in Scotland – and many Germans also live, work and study here.

The ongoing risks that Brexit poses strengthens our determination to advance Scotland’s place in Europe and around the world. We must not allow Scotland’s attractiveness for foreign companies to be jeopardized by an unregulated exit from the EU or a Brexit that is unclear in detail. Remaining in the EU would be the best solution, but if this is not possible, we will continue to campaign for further membership in the internal market and the customs union, which are eight times the size of the British market alone. “

Councilor John Alexander, chairman of the Scottish Cities Alliance, said: “I am delighted to present the largest and best investment prospectus yet, offering billions of euros in investment potential in our seven cities.

The proposals contained in our new investment prospectus offer investors numerous opportunities to collaborate with our modern, dynamic cities in a wide variety of sectors.

As part of this collaboration, Scotland’s cities present themselves on the international stage and underline that we have first-class resources, such as B. A highly qualified workforce, among the best in Europe, that we enjoy a competitive tax system, an excellent reputation for innovation and a strong international brand name.

As chairman of the Alliance, I look forward to building on the successful projects that the Alliance has already been involved in in Scotland. Through our cooperation with all partners, we can secure further large investments from all over the world in order to continue to strengthen Scotland’s economy in the future and to contribute to increasing prosperity in Scotland. “

The investment prospectus will be presented on Monday, October 8, 2018, at the PropertyEU booth at Expo Real in Munich. Please contact us if you would like to attend this event.

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NOTES TO THE EDITOR – News from Scotland’s Cities 2018

Commercial / office space

Barclays is developing a new location in Glasgow for its teams supporting the company’s operations in various business functions, technology and business operations, doubling its current workforce in Scotland.

Renewable energy

Scotland plans to phase out new gasoline and diesel vehicles by 2032, several years ahead of the UK government’s 2040 deadline.

Life sciences and biotechnology

Scotland is becoming one of Europe’s largest life sciences clusters, with over 600 life sciences organizations employing more than 30,000 people.

Retail and leisure

The V&A Dundee opened its doors last month and drew the attention of the international public to the £ 1 billion development on the Dundee Waterfront.

Tourism and hospitality

Hotel investments in the first half of 2018 reached double the value of all investments made in this area in 2017.

Aerospace

The vertical launch site in Sutherland operated by Space UK will be the first central European launch site.

Further information for the editor

The Scottish Cities Alliance is a unique collaborative effort between seven Scottish cities and the Scottish Government, who have come together to drive economic growth by investing in infrastructure. With the help of its new investment prospectus, which presents an investment potential of several billion euros in the regions of the seven member cities, the Alliance is trying to attract foreign investors, stimulate the economy and create new employment and business opportunities.

By leveraging the combined strength of the seven Scottish cities involved, the Alliance engages in dialogue with investors at events in the seven cities and beyond. By working together, Scottish cities can explore big projects and help strengthen Scotland’s economic future.

Your contact for media information at Expo Real
Ms. Dominique Staindl | ING MEDIA | (+44) 7860 858 963 | dominique.staindl@ing-media.com