Guest blog from Adam Price, CEO
It’s easy for us on the ground to say that Manchester is performing well economically and is a great place to invest. But it carries more weight when independent experts evaluate the city compared to international peers and conclude the same thing.
Broadly, that’s the story in the latest edition of the EY UK Attractiveness Survey, the long-running report that looks at how successful global cities are at attracting foreign direct investment (FDI), a measure seen as a key indicator for locations that will prosper in the long-term.
A city competing globally
This year’s EY UK Attractiveness Survey reflects a buoyant Manchester. True, London is as ever in a league of its own, with EY counting 279 FDI projects in the capital in 2025 and Manchester second, but way behind, on 31.
Yet the positive take on this is not just about how Manchester has maintained its position as the UK’s second city for FDI, just ahead of Edinburgh and then Birmingham in third. It’s also about how international investors, when asked by EY, say Manchester is one of the 15 most attractive European cities for future investment, on a par with national capitals Rome, Athens and Budapest, and only slightly behind Milan and Brussels.
The secrets of Manchester’s success
What, then, is Manchester getting right? The EY UK Attractiveness Survey highlights two areas. First, the city has developed strengths in the sectors that drive successful economies in 2026, such as technology and financial and professional services. And Manchester, far more than any other UK city, has capitalised on the opportunity afforded by devolution to make more of its own decisions.
But I would add a third area too: brand. Over many years, Manchester has drawn on its history as the world’s first industrial city, along with its rich culture and sporting heritage, to build a powerful narrative about where it’s going. It’s a tale that is captivating international investors, including those seeking property opportunities, and one we hear first-hand every day in our conversations with individuals and institutions looking to deploy their capital.
Investors’ decisions rest on strong fundamentals
A final key take-out is that international investors, when evaluating where to locate their strategic projects, now go beyond just financial incentives. As the EY UK Attractiveness Survey report says, they are “increasingly emphasising transport connectivity and workforce skills” too. No wonder, then, that Manchester performs well when it consistently invests in its transport network, while Centre for Economic Performance research shows Manchester trails only London for retaining its graduates.
Property investors are investing not just in physical assets but in the strength of the fundamentals that underpin how a city will fare in the future: economy, infrastructure, workforce and a leading leisure and cultural offer. On all these measures, Manchester is performing well, though there’s no room for complacency.
Strategic development opportunities in Manchester
Here at Select Property, our developments are carefully designed to provide investment opportunities that align with Manchester’s strong fundamentals.
Our One Port St development in the heart of the Northern Quarter district welcomed its first residents early in 2026. It features a swimming pool, a seventh-floor club lounge and a grand lobby with a 360° fireplace. One Port St is strategically located in one of Manchester’s most vibrant neighbourhoods. It sits beside the city’s thriving creative industries cluster and opposite the location that will reportedly house Andy Burnham’s ‘No 10 North’.
Across the city, Select Property’s Vita Living Circle Square North offers 35 storeys of luxury, with apartments that can be secured with just a 10% deposit. Vita Living Circle Square North is strategically located close to leading city employers, including Autotrader, PUMA and Hewlett Packard Enterprise, as well as the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, also making it the perfect development for students and graduates.
Meanwhile, we remain focused on developing future residential schemes that provide outstanding developments in the UK’s fastest-growing regional city.
Get in touch today to discuss development opportunities with our team.