2014 looks bright for the Greater Manchester Economy

Cheadle MP, Mark Hunter, has welcomed the increased confidence of local business leaders that 2014 will be a strong one for the Greater Manchester economy.

Time Newns, chief executive of the Manchester Investment Development Agency Service said:

'2013 has been a strong year for inward investment with a number of headline grabbing stories thrusting Manchester into the spotlight.'

Manchester Airport Group's joint venture announcement for Airport City, involving a significant Chinese investment from Beijing Construction and Engineering Group, was one of the standout investments that is set to have a big impact in the coming years as the UK forges closer economic ties with China.

Christian Spence, head of business intelligence at the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said:

'Infrastructure, too, will play its part, with larger schemes such as Northern Hub continuing further and Metrolink's second city crossing due to start.

'The new A6 to Manchester Airport link road is also due to get underway. We're also expecting a good start with commercial and industrial premises over the coming year, though with the sector still hesitant from the recession, getting pre-lets on new builds is going to prove important to guarantee new sites coming through.'

Mark Hunter, local MP for Cheadle, welcomed the analysis by commenting:

'It is great that we can start 2014 with such positive news for our area's economic outlook. There is no room for complacency and my parliamentary colleagues John Leech and Sir Andrew Stunell and I will continue to work hard to increase both private and public sector investment in Greater Manchester. New infrastructure, additional tax breaks, and incentives for training our young people are just some of the policies that we are pursuing to make Greater Manchester a prime area for investment.'