Bradley Weiss

By Author: North Lincolnshire History: Invaders Knew a Good T
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Foreign elements of the past sailed up the Humber to find wealth. But the economics in this region today serves residents, investors and trading partners alike.


Due to its location, several rivers and North Sea access, the northeast area of England known as the Humber - which includes North Lincolnshire and North East Lincolnshire and East Riding of Yorkshire - has a history of invaders from all sides. Conquest and pillage were the goals of those foreign parties, however today those people from those same countries are more likely to be trading partners in this economically vibrant area.


The Humber, one should note, appears to be a river but is in fact an estuary, the point at which fresh water drains into salty seawater. Flowing into the Humber are the rivers Ancholme, Hull, Ouse and Trent. Today, environmentalists value the area for its wetlands habitat. But the conquerors came for other resources, beginning with the Romans and followed later by Danish armies, William the Conqueror (the first Norman King of England) and his successors.


Contemporary investors ...
... of land take note: Ancient conquests may have been about property, but what kept that land valuable was the produce thereof. Specifically, sheep farming and wool filled the ships that sailed to points north, east and south. The great, elaborate churches of the area (St. Botolph’s Church in Boston, St. Wulfarm’s church in Grantham and Lincoln Cathedral among them) were built upon the fortunes generated by the wool trade. Agribusiness and food remain important industries in the 21st century, as do manufacturing, engineering and tourism. But a low-carbon economy (wind farms in the North Sea), healthcare and the ports and logistics industries are what UK land investing focuses on now.


Lincolnshire has many castles - Tatter shall, Burghley and the thatch-roofed Alford Manor House (now a museum) - evidence of the wealth of the region then and a draw to tourists today. But investing in UK in contemporary times is about building homes for working residents of the region.


Indeed, the Greater Lincolnshire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) strategic plan calls for the construction of 100,000 houses in the near future. While that means fewer sheep farms in the region than 1,000 years ago, this is because room is made for local residents (and those who are expected to migrate here for work) to engage in technology, shipping and other contemporary industries. Investment from the central Government of £3 billion in the South Humber Gateway project will build the largest deep-water port in the UK. Another major project, a 219 MW wind farm under development by Humber Wind, involves a £1.17 billion investment of private funds. The same winds that blew invaders to the area a long time ago brings clean, renewable energy to a vibrant, growing north England district.


Whether from UK property funds, institutional funds or private investors, areas such as Lincolnshire, North Lincolnshire and other areas enjoying their strategic location on the Humber are growing because of the foresight of public and private entities. Castles and cathedrals might have given way to commercial enterprise and homes, but the end result is just as grand: economic stability and growth, spread a bit more evenly among the populace.


Investors need to consider all matters of risk relative to every investment, including those made in land and building. Speak first with an independent financial advisor to identify the best risks and opportunities in the Lincolnshire and Humber lands.