SOUTH Lakeland has been pushed as a place for inward investment to businesses on the look-out for land.

Officers and members of South Lakeland District Council attended a four-day event in London along with 3,000 other delegates.

The event at London's Olympia called MPIM, is described by organisers as 'the world’s leading property market'.

It is said to bring together 'the most influential players from all international property sectors - office, residential, retail, healthcare, sport, logistics and industrial'.

The council was promoting up to 20 new business employment sites across the area which have been earmarked for industrial and commercial use as part of its controversial Land Allocations plan.

It was also highlighting the roll-out of high speed broadband; the increasing proliferation of 3G and 4G connectivity; its excellent rail and road transport links and the proximity to the North’s major urban hubs.

In addition, the council's economic development arm, Invest in South Lakeland, was showcasing the highly-successful manufacturing and hi-tech businesses already thriving in the district – including GlaxoSmithKline, Mardix and James Cropper PLC – as well as the area's quality of life.

Manchester-based PR company SKV Communications, which won a £35,000 SLDC contract to promote South Lakeland as a good place for business, said in a statement: "Through both a presence in the main exhibition hall, and via a series of pre-arranged briefings with potential investors, the Invest in South Lakeland team promoted an upbeat and bullish message about South Lakeland being a prime destination ripe for substantial economic investment."

Speakers included London Mayor Boris Johnson, shadow minister for housing Emma Reynolds MP, as well as senior executives from the property and investment sectors.

Peter Thornton, leader of the Lib Dem-run council, said: “This is South Lakeland’s first ever MIPIM and we took a very positive and confident message to London on behalf of the whole district. It gives us an unrivalled opportunity to meet big companies and investors face-to-face and make a powerful case for why they should consider investing in our region."

Attending MIPIM, was Councillor Giles Archibald, who is responsible for town centres and small businesses, and Councillor Jonathan Brook, who handles the strategic growth portfolio.

Cllr Brook said: “One potential barrier to growth we have identified are some misconceptions outside of the North West about what in South Lakeland has to offer in terms of land, transport links and digital infrastructure."