MAPIC IN FOCUS: CITIES & REGIONS
European cities and regions show strategies for the future Europe’s cities and regions will be active during MAPIC, showcasing the opportunities and regeneration projects that are helping to reshape communities
M
APIC will see an increasing focus on the involvement of cities and regions looking to attract investment and occupiers to their locations, with a wide range of initiatives and projects under way. The administrative, legal and academic centre Mons, Belgium is among the many cities represented in Cannes this year. Located at the heart of a region with a population of over 500,000 inhabitants, the city is situated on the corridor where the Paris-Lille-Amsterdam and London-Brussels-Cologne axes meet. In recent years, the city has been a major draw for business, entrepreneurs, culture and tourism, as well as technological innovation. IKEA, Primark, Decathlon and H&M are among those brands to have relocated to Mons and an incentive fund has been created, while the city is also acquiring empty commercial buildings to renovate as incubators.
Charleroi, Belgium is the largest city in Wallonia and an ambitious overhaul includes upgrading green spaces and a long-term vision for mobility, developing all the essential functions of a metropolitan centre and encouraging the human interactions that make up the soul of a city. In order to support future investors, the city has devised initiatives such as the Bouwmeester cell, while a Bureau du Commerce has been created, to implement the commercial development strategy and promote the city to developers and investors. The metropolis of Greater Nancy, France has a catchment area of 650,000 inhabitants, serviced by 450,000 sq m of retail sales area. The Saint Sebastien shopping centre offers 107 commercial units and a food market consisting of 80 shops. The city offers outstanding heritage buildings, including the Vaxelaire stores and the Belle Jardiniere.
Mons in Belgium lies at the heart of a region comprising more than 500,000 inhabitants
MAPIC ONE BOOK
27
NOVEMBER 2021
