Manchester is the largest and fastest growing economy outside London and is the economic powerhouse of North West England.

It is the regional centre for finance, commerce, retail, culture and leisure, home to an excellent, major international airport and to world-class conference facilities and universities with one of the largest student populations in Europe.

Manchester City Council has ambitious plans and is planning, by 2015, to be seen as a truly world-class city. Achieving this will have demonstrated that productivity from businesses operating in the Manchester area will have been greater than the UK average for the same time, and as a result will have placed the city in the top 10 of European business cities.