Insights

In the last 20 years, the Cottonopolis has been weaving a story of reinvention; now the numbers tell it best. Once trailing the UK average on productivity, Greater Manchester has spent two decades quietly gaining ground. Manchester hasn't only close the gap with London, it's outpaced the capital in productivity growth.

Greater Manchester's economy is popping off, productivity is rising faster than London, investment is flowing and cranes scatter the skyline. But in all this progress, there are tough questions to ask, like who gets to live in these new neighbourhoods, and at what cost?

Manchester's city centre has been on the up for a decade - population, cranes and rent. But are we seeing the height of the boom, or is this just the middle act of a much longer story. Our question is whether delivery still matches demand. Maybe lettings and occupancy trends hold the answers to what's in store for the next cycle, are we building enough for the city-centre core, and who's actually in the city's spaces?