Pictured above: Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby on the Birmingham stand at MIPIM

You are pushing on an open door if you want to put your money into Birmingham in the next ten years, council leader Mike Whitby will tell the world's leading investors at MIPIM 2010, the global property conference in Cannes.

But he is warning locally-based investors not to miss out on the "acres of opportunity" he is announcing at this year's shop window where the world's leading cities present their plans to the top financiers and banks across the globe.

He will urge the many Midland-based developers and investors to take a closer look at the opportunities closer to home, rather than sit on their cash or chase the end of the rainbow on other continents.

"If you come and talk to us, you will find that there are opportunities in Birmingham to suit every pocket in the next ten years, whether you want to build a mini-town on one of our aggregated major development areas, or simply take advantage of the momentum in the city to launch smaller schemes that can leverage off the big ticket projects across the city," he will tell MIPIM delegates.

"Birmingham is a successful, confident and growing city. As the regional capital at the heart of the City Region we are an economic engine for the UK growth agenda.

"We offer a quality of life which is commensurate with the very best cities in Europe, at a price which puts us head and shoulders above the UK capital - from which we will be only 49 minutes away by train when HS2 is operating.

"Birmingham has redefined what it means to be a modern global city. We cherish the historic links we have with our old, European partners, but we forge new friendships directly with the countries and cities that will be the growth nodules of tomorrow - Shanghai, Abu Dhabi, New Delhi, Beijing and Kuwait.

"While are proud of our own past, we have a confidence in our future on a scale which makes other cities envious.

"We are investing in that confidence, with £6 billion of public sector finance currently committed to literally transforming Birmingham and evolving it to the next level.

"We are investing almost £200 million in our new Library of Birmingham, building the largest public library in Europe at a time when no other city can invest at these levels in cultural infrastructure.

"As a strategic move to underpin our successful relationship with the private sector, this alone will act as a catalyst for over £600 million of new private sector development.

"Captured within our award-winning Big City Plan we will lever in £14 billion of committed private sector investment as part of one of the largest city centre

masterplans ever to be created."

And he will stress that while other cities make their plans and seek investment, Birmingham's development momentum is carrying it relentlessly forward.

"This year, we will see the next phase of on-the-ground delivery in Birmingham; as we put flesh on the bones of our strategic masterplan - with innovative approaches to transport and street scene; as we start work on a £600 million station and the new Library; and as we open some of the most significant developments in Europe like the new £550 million Super Hospital.

"All of our efforts are focused on raising the quality of living in Birmingham - and making us one of the top 25 cities in the world. We are already making incredible progress - ranked as safest of all core cities, the best educated of all core cities, and considered the cleanest city and cleanest place by the UK Cleansing Council.

"However, our commitment towards excellence, and our belief that we will continue to build a better tomorrow, gives investors the confidence they need in coming to Birmingham.

"These are tough economic times, and we are under no illusions about the

challenges which public and private sector budgets will face. However, it is precisely these times when the truly great cities can show their mettle.

There are opportunities galore at the moment, for the right investor, and the right development - to become the successes of the future that help define a city, and a generation, at the heart of one of Europe's most exciting places to live, work and visit."