THE huge ‘Central South’ region stretching from Dorset to parts of Surrey is to be promoted on a world stage for the first time.

Businesses and other organisations have joined forces to back a new identity for the region.

A business-led consortium will be promoting the region as the UK’s “global gateway” at the world’s largest property and investment show, MPIM, taking place in Cannes next month.

It will be the first time the Central South has been represented at the event, which attracts 26,800 representatives from the property industry, as well more than 5,000 investors and 560 political leaders from more than 100 countries.

The initiative is being championed by Business South, the independent group for firms across the region.

Business South chief executive Leigh-Sara Timberlake said: “We worked with our partners to develop a vision for the Central South as a way of promoting all that is good in our region to a global audience. We firmly believe this will position the region as a strong proposition in the minds of potential investors.”

The Central South contributes more than £119billion to the UK economy and has a workforce of more than a million people.

Tim Hancock, chair of the Business South action group Regen South and managing director of Bournemouth-based planning and design company Terence O’Rourke, said: “This is the most important event in the property calendar and it provides a real opportunity to engage with decision makers at the highest level.

“Many UK cities and regions have been attending for several years and now this is our opportunity to proudly promote our ‘future-ready’ credentials to major investors.”

Gavin Hall, director at property specialist Savills, said: “In previous years, it has been a real shame to be in Cannes flying the flag for the region but without representation from the region and its constituent local authorities. The presence in 2020 of Central South, among all the other local authorities from across the UK attending, will ensure our region does not miss out on the opportunity provided by the event in the past and will raise the profile of our region on the global property stage.”

Among the area’s assets being promoted at the event will be:

The region’s connectivity

World-leading universities

Major development and investment opportunities

A world class lifestyle offer including two national parks

Southampton’s Mayflower Quarter city centre regeneration programme

Portsmouth’s multi billion pound regeneration programme.