THE rich and the powerful have always loved Cannes. And in one month's time Manchester's rich and powerful will head to the Riviera resort to play a part in the world's most influential business fair.

They will join 21,000 other property professionals and regeneration bosses from 74 countries, all of them anxious to see and be seen at MIPIM - Le Marché International des Professionnels de L'immobilier.

MIPIM is the place where most of Europe's biggest property deals get done. For five days in March each year its beaches and bars are the place where property's big fish - and its tiny minnows - get to wheel, deal, see and be seen.

Most of the business is done away from the official centre of action, the Palais des Festivals. Jaw-droppingly large yachts, glamorous cocktail parties and discrete rooms in luxury hotels are where most of the important conversations take place.

Manchester City Council has long been a regular at MIPIM. City council insiders say it helps to cement their relations with the property business and opens the way to new jobs and investment.

City council leader Sir Richard Leese and chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein are familiar faces on the Cannes waterfront - and the Manchester yacht is one of the landmarks of Cannes.

Ambitious

This year sees the return to Cannes of some of the best known names in Manchester property - and the arrival of some ambitious newcomers eager to make their mark.

Managing to be in two places at once, the Manchester office of Dunlop Haywards will have an increased presence at MIPIM this year. While part of the Marketing Manchester stand in the Palais, the firm will also be supporting its parent company Erinaceous.

The whole group will also be based in a specially constructed marquee on the lawn of the Grand Hotel for the duration of the event. They will be co-hosting a number of events and parties for clients, including a cocktail party on the beach directly facing the Grand Hotel on the fabulously chic Boulevard La Croisette.

Dunlops will not be the only Manchester surveyors making an appearance in Cannes. Almost anyone who is anyone in Manchester property will be there including Knight Frank who have created their own pavement café for the sake of the five-day event. Others will be following the example of King Street-based Cushman & Wakefield, who host one of the most lavish parties on the MIPIM social calendar.

Manchester's developers will also be there in force. Akeler - part of the joint venture behind the creation of the Central Park business scheme at Monsall - regularly preside over one of the hottest tickets of the week, invariably involving an appearance by a star name from the world of rock and pop.

Local lawyers will also be in evidence. A team lead by Guy Wallis will host a cocktail party on behalf of solicitors DWF on the Manchester yacht, whilst big names from Addleshaws, Eversheds and Hammonds will also be visible on the cocktail-party circuit.

But there will also be plenty of MIPIM novices. Kuit Steinart Levy are making their MIPIM debut as is Aneel Mussarat's MCR Property and family-owned property business Bluemantle.

Contact

Andy Philip of MCR Property commented: "We are going to establish contact with agents and like-minded investors from the rest of the UK, Europe and worldwide markets. Having them all in one place at one time is a great attraction."

Bolton Council will be making its MIPIM debut too as part of the Manchester team. They will be taking the opportunity to unveil their plans for a new é300m Innovation Zone in the town.

The core of the plan is the expansion of Bolton University as well as a new cultural quarter and new leisure and retail development.

Developers will be able to find out more information about the 13-acre Church Wharf area, which is in line for a multi-million pound makeover as part of a huge regeneration project. The Council is looking to appoint a developer for this site by the end of April 2007, and has already received more than 100 expressions of interest from regional and national developers.

Peel Holdings - the owners of the Trafford Centre and the Manchester Ship Canal Company - are no strangers to MIPIM. On Wednesday March 14 they are showing their northern routes by hosting a pie-and-a-pint happy hour to help publicise their plans for the 200-acre Media City development at Salford Quays. The BBC will be the anchor tenants at Media City.

Sustainability is becoming increasingly high on the agenda at MIPIM. The property and construction industries are addressing the wave of legislation and the need to be corporately responsible, and MIPIM is a key event for thoughts to be shared.

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