M-RES: opportunity alone is no longer enough

Place Midlands hosts inaugural M-RES.

Last week, the inaugural M-RES conference, hosted by Place Midlands, brought together more than 250 leaders from across the public and private sectors to reflect on one of the UK’s most important regional growth stories.

As a founding partner of Place Midlands, we have long recognised the value of bringing partners together to champion opportunity, share ideas and tackle challenges no single organisation can solve.

Opening the conference, Maggie Grogan, Managing Director for the Midlands, outlined the extraordinary pipeline of opportunities taking shape across the region.

From Arden Cross – the £3.2bn regeneration facilitated by the HS2 Interchange Station – to Holbeche Place in Solihull, Smithgate in Wolverhampton, and Greyfriars in Northampton, we are already delivering thousands of new homes, tens of thousands of jobs, innovation space, vibrant civic spaces, and thriving town centres.

These opportunities are built on genuine competitive advantages.

The Midlands boasts world-leading universities, global leadership in advanced manufacturing and life sciences, major sporting institutions, outstanding connectivity, and one of the youngest and most talented populations anywhere in Europe.

Spotlight sessions from Wolverhampton and Coventry councils reinforced both the depth and breadth of opportunity across the region.

M-RES also marked the first major industry event for Birmingham City Council’s new Leader, Cllr Roger Harmer. His message focused on stability, continuity and unlocking record levels of investment to create jobs and deliver lasting benefits for communities.

Yet while the conference recognised the scale of the opportunity, the dominant theme was delivery. How do we turn opportunity into reality?

Strong public-private partnerships, long-term planning, and new delivery models – including the emerging Birmingham East Mayoral Development Corporation – are all part of the toolkit turning ambition into delivery.

But it also means delivering with purpose.

Successful regeneration is about far more than housing numbers or investment values. It is about creating places where people choose to live, work, and build their futures. It means delivering homes, jobs, public spaces, community infrastructure, and the mix of uses that allow places to thrive.

Every successful place builds confidence for the next. As we deliver, investment follows, partnerships mature, and momentum builds. Success creates the conditions for more success.

M-RES was a moment to bring the industry together, strengthen partnerships, and help shape a shared narrative for the region. The Midlands has never lacked opportunity, but opportunity alone is not enough. What matters now is turning ambition into delivery – and delivery into real places that improve people’s lives.