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Economic Development

U+I confident for recovery as developer calls Manchester 'most economically important city outside London'

That's despite disappointing financial results to the year ending March 31 - due to Brexit and 2019's political uncertainty

An office block and art space planned for the Mayfield district in Manchester(Image: Morris+Company )

Manchester developer U+I has said it is confident for its future and its recovery from the Covid-19 crisis despite a "challenging" 12 months that produced disappointing financial results.

U+I, one of the firms behind £1.5bn plans for the Mayfield development, said the city will be a "major beneficiary" of post-Covid regeneration - and that will present "opportunities to continue to strengthen" its portfolio.

The North West firm has a development pipeline of over £10.8bn.

In annual results released on Wednesday, the firm reported development gains of £11m - below the target for between £35m and £45m, and a pre-tax loss of over £58m.

Matthew Weiner, chief executive, said: "The last twelve months have been challenging, to say the least, and this is reflected in our results.

"Confidence briefly returned to the market in early 2020 with strong interest in commercial and residential space following the General Election. However, the onset of Covid-19 caused most decision-making and development progress to grind to a halt.

"The socio-economic impact of Covid-19 will continue, at least for the short-term, driving new trends and behaviours.

"However, the challenges of Covid-19 bring about real opportunities for companies like ours as they accelerate the structural need for inspiring, affordable, convenient mixed-use spaces where communities can thrive.