Remember: It’s a place not a property development

Cities are living organisms. They evolve through layers of history, culture, memory and human interaction. A great neighbourhood is not defined by bricks and mortar, glass and steel but by the people who occupy it, the ideas sparked in its cafés and its schools, and the sense of belonging that arrives long before any marketing website is launched.

When a developer steps into the centre of a major city to build a significant new place, as my company has in Manchester with a 24-acre public-private partnership regeneration project at Mayfield, there is an instinct to treat the land as a product and the process as a commercial exercise – square foot values; price per unit; amenities that tick boxes. Yet framing such a site as a property development risks stripping away the essence of what makes it a compelling place.

The most successful urban destinations have brands that are not imposed – they emerge from the stories people tell

Great places where people build successful lives are not bought, they are experienced, discovered, argued over, shaped by those people and reinvented by each future generation that uses them.

The science and art of property branding and marketing have matured to understand this. The most successful urban destinations have brands that are not imposed – they emerge from the stories people tell. A developer can influence, curate and accelerate those stories through thoughtful design and communication, but it cannot manufacture them through a slick launch campaign focused solely on sales.

Promoting a place like Mayfield as an authentic part of Manchester rather than a commodity acknowledges that emotional value dwarfs transactional value. People choose neighbourhoods where they feel they can build a life, and businesses choose places with character because character attracts custom and talent.

Visitors gravitate toward areas that feel rooted in something real. If the first impression they get is that the project exists purely to maximise return for a property developer, trust will erode before a single foundation is laid.

This is not a sentimental argument, it is a hard, commercial one. City populations have become increasingly discerning. Consumers can detect a superficial brand in seconds.

They are not fooled by bland slogans about vibrancy and lifestyle that could apply to any regeneration project from Leeds to Lisbon. Manchester itself offers case studies in what works.

Ancoats has transformed over two decades into one of the most desirable districts in the UK, yet its success did not hinge on polished promotional material. It grew through the arrival of independent entrepreneurs and residents who felt they had discovered a hidden edge of the city. The Northern Quarter built its cultural capital through creativity first and investment second. In both cases, the stories came from the ground up.

This does not mean there is never a role for a brand. What is important is that a brand rooted in place must begin with substance.

Before deciding on a campaign, developers should ask: what will this district contribute to its host city that does not already exist? What are the social ingredients that will feed identity? What does the community need from our place, and how can our plans inspire connection within and beyond its boundaries?

These questions elevate the work from commercial property promotion to genuine placemaking and create the sweet spot where proper, authentic places deliver value for everyone, including the shareholders of the investing developer.

A scheme which behaves like it is already a real place is more likely to be treated as one by the people who will use it

There is a psychological foundation underpinning this. You only have to read Yuval Noah Harari’s Sapiens to understand that people are drawn to narratives that feel shared. They connect more deeply with brands that reflect their values and aspirations.

If a new neighbourhood communicates itself as an integrated part of a city, respectful of that city’s grit, humour and progressive spirit, it positions itself as a continuation of the story its citizens already love. If it communicates as a glossy sales pitch, it separates itself as a commercial island. A scheme which behaves like it is already a real place is more likely to be treated as one by the people who will use it.

The language we use has to be right too. A place brand must speak Human. Our industry is awash with clichés. Words such as “luxury” lose their meaning through overuse. “Residential units” are not homes and “greenspace” is not a public park where children and dogs are happy.

The way we communicate should prioritise curiosity over bragging and should celebrate our place’s evolving and growing role in its city’s future rather than selling a lifestyle that has not yet been lived. We should not simply advertise units, we should document progress, tell human stories, highlight collaborations, and champion early adopters.

Our campaigns should act like local newspapers or social media accounts for emerging neighbourhoods. They should feel like a celebration of a city’s next chapter rather than a launch for a speculative asset.

I am certain that values rise fastest in places where demand is driven by affection and where cultural and community resilience is baked in

Crucially, this strategy requires humility. We developers and investors must recognise that the future identity of our projects belongs as much to their eventual residents and tenants as to our original masterplan visions. This means creating platforms for co-creation, public consultation that is genuine listening and designing our places so that they feel open rather than gated. It means giving the community a loud voice in the narrative.

There is a very clear commercial reward for this approach. As developers and property investors, leasing and sales are our business and this has to be our focus.

I am certain, though, that values rise fastest in places where demand is driven by affection and where cultural and community resilience is baked in. Our commercial tenants pay a premium for places that attract talent in our increasingly competitive economy and our retail business thrives when neighbourhoods already feel like attractive destinations. By treating our projects as living parts of their host cities, value becomes embedded physically and emotionally.

Every step away from a sterile language of property development towards a rich vocabulary of place is a step towards long-term success and value creation. Treat it as a place with soul first – and the rest will follow.