Currently there are four locations in the city centre that are being proposed as offices and studios for the BBC to relocate to by 2010!

The four locatiobs are. 1. Oxford Road.(redevelope) 2. Spinningfields. 3. Piccadilly Place.. 4. Granada Studios.(land around)

Which of these four locations do you think the BBC should choose!

For a brief overview of the four sites, click below!

http://www.skyscrapercity.com/showthread.php?t=205341&page=3&pp=20

I was listening to the radio news today where they were reporting on a House of Commons Select Commitee meeting at which the major heads of all broadcasters were present. They were there (in part) to discuss the furture of regional TV in the UK. The head of ITV (can't remember his name) was suggesting that ITV and the BBC co-operate more closely on joint iniatives inorder to save money. Manchester was mentioned inparticular as being a strong case for a joint broadcasting centre to boost local output and/or make it a regional centre for a particular field of TV, for example Bristol is the head of wildlife programmes for the BBC and ITV is moving its wildlife program making centre to the same city. So it could be on the cards for either the Granada TV site or even the 2 organisations moving in together elsewhere. Unlikely bedfellows, but if it saves money and improves regional output then imo its got to be a good thing!

I say the Oxford Road area. We know what ever happens in Spinningfields it will turn out good and the Oxford Road area could do with bit of magic. I recon Granada will be knocked down very soon anyway as it is prime for developement, its got the Metrolink not far away so it would good for offices.

Other

Both Oxford Road and Granada Studios

I say other too, they should build them something bespoke at the Quays.

Colgate are shipping out aren't they? That site should provide enough space once cleared. Pier 5 of Clippers Quay could also be used for offices before they go and build apartments on it.

Pomona could be used also.

What's the rubbish you're talking about on the liverpool forum about salford hundred, as far as i know salford was in SE lancashire. Yer talking through your browneye mate.

Ahh, like a phoenix from the flames, Golden Vision pipes up another truffle of shit.

Or the evil London could come and swoop BBC Manchesters operations and move them into one huge central site that would be so powerful it could take over the world mwah ha ha.

Ha, ha, i take it your a manc, the word manc was coined by football supporters in Liverpool in 70's. It was intended to be derogatory, a bit like the word Paki, in literal terms just an abbreviation but meant offend, manky mank. But you seemed to have embraced it. That's nice,were you just happy somebody knew who you were?

What's the rubbish you're talking about on the liverpool forum about salford hundred, as far as i know salford was in SE lancashire. Yer talking through your browneye mate.


It was indeed the Salford Hundred. Check your facts first, you fucking gimp.

So by this logic Mr Vision, does this mean you call people of an Asian origin "pakis"? What a magic character you really are. It's nice to see that whilst the Manc forums are synonymous for hosting dickheads (yours truly accepted), the other forums seem to bringing in their own mix of wankers.

another idiot talking through his browneye. Read the posts

And coined by scouse supporters? Think what you like mate, I, like I imagine many others, abbreviate Manc due to being a Mancunian.

Difficult? No.

Spazzers. That's what they are.

It's like Manc forum is a magnet for the Scouse (and other) gimps.

difficult no, but you lot couldn't think of it. And by the way don't be putting a racist spin on it.

difficult no, but you lot couldn't think of it. And by the way don't be putting a racist spin on it.



Do you have a problem with other ethnic groups?

Sounds like it.

Anyhow, I am off for a minutes silence. . .

EVERTON.

Hehehe hang on, you were the one who came in here talking about Manc and Paki both being derogatory phrases, then you went on to call us "manky mancs". So seeing as you brought up the word "paki" when there was absolutely no need to (and it didn't even fit in with the context of your post, unless you're 5), I think it's pretty fair game to draw you up on being a racist. You've already fucked over to our forums and called Mancs shit and all this. Much like you could call anybody of an Eastern origin a "paki", if you're bigoted so. Can't you see the connection? Can't you also fuck off before you get yourself banned?

Coward. I'M NO RACIST,LIVERPOOL IRISH. Seen your mouthing off on the Liverpool forum the other day. Now just fucking pipe down.

I'm not racist, I have black friends!

Coward. I'M NO RACIST,LIVERPOOL IRISH. Seen your mouthing off on the Liverpool forum the other day. Now just fucking pipe down.



Frankly, I hate racists.

We don't need your sort polluting our forums with your bigotted views.

BNP scum.

To be quite frank Mr Wonderful, I find him quite precious.

its not racist to want to put limits on immigration.

And aye, I voted Oxford Road but in hindsight, if they buggered off from there it could give us an amazing opportunity to turn Oxford Road into a real cultural "boulevard", if you will. Couple of theatres on the Oxford road site and the back bits going to Princess street could be replaced by music/comedy/lecture venues.

Precious? I can see that.

Personally, his type strenghten my belief in compulsary sterilisation.

You know it makes sense!

I am in favour of IQ tests for voting.

I'm going to call MIW "Mr Wonderful" all the time now. If I ever get myself to a forum beerup, I shall bow down to the powerful aura that surrounds Mr Wonderful and lick the little bits between his toes.

What's the rubbish you're talking about on the liverpool forum about salford hundred, as far as i know salford was in SE lancashire. Yer talking through your browneye mate.

:lol:

What's brought this on? :weirdo:

Just ignore vision - he's come on here to be a dickhead and try and get any response he can by spouting shit.

Vision - fuck off back to the SCOUSE forums.

What's Liverpool Irish ?

They do your driveway all nice but return in the night to steal it.

I'm going to call MIW "Mr Wonderful" all the time now. If I ever get myself to a forum beerup, I shall bow down to the powerful aura that surrounds Mr Wonderful and lick the little bits between his toes.


You've just scared the living daylights out of me.

But go ahead and lick away.

Please people, trolls thrive on your responses, just ignore the fool. Send him an abusive PM by all means but don't give him more bait to ruin these threads with.

guess which poster who has participated prolifically in this thread is going to get brigged unless he learns to the shut the fuck up now?

God shout Gothic!

Lets get back to the topic of this thread please!

Seems its a 50/50 between Oxford Road and Granada studios!

My choice was Granada!

There have always been rumours that the city council wanted to build a media cluster around that area. Now they might have that chance?

It would also free up the BBC's current Oxford Road site for re-development! What about another nice skyscraper to replace the soon to be departing maths tower!? :)

What's Liverpool Irish ?

The plastic Irish, predominantly catholic, community on Merseyside. Sounds as daft as saying you're Manchester Chinese or Birmingham Tongan.

The plastic Irish, predominantly catholic, community on Merseyside. Sounds as daft as saying you're Manchester Chinese or Birmingham Tongan.
Kebab, just a quick pointer... I see you've corrected your signature (again...) but you've got the figure wrong again. GM metropolitan county has a population of 2.6 million, not 2.4 million. :)

I voted for PP, but thinking about it a bit more, the Granada option looks a lot better,that whole area could be redeveloped, shit loads of space for expansion, links up next to the Spinnigfields district.

I don't think Piccadilly Place is possible. IMO its the best location, closest to the station, but it only has 350,000sqft of offices, 55,000sqft is already let to GMPTE. So unless they want to spread it around, which they don't, it won't be PP.

2.482.000 I got
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/pyramids/pages/2a.asp

Not strictly related but started a little job at the Web studios in Little Hulton today, bit of expansion going on here. While talking to the boss he said the expansion was not based on the BBC plans, but he would expect to benefit from them

The existing studios

http://www.freake.demon.co.uk/image/a021.jpg

The new one

http://www.freake.demon.co.uk/image/a022.jpg

2.482.000 I got
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/census2001/pyramids/pages/2a.asp
Firstly, that's rounded to 2.5 million, not 2.4.

Second, the Manchester population was undercounted by 30,000 in the 2001 census (revised in 2002 from 392,000 to 422,000).

Thirdly, Manchester has grown since then, faster than any other. June 2003 estimate from ONS was 2,531,000 (per this (http://neighbourhood.statistics.gov.uk/dissemination/viewFullDataset.do?instanceSelection=01935&$ph=60_61_62&datasetInstanceId=1935&startColumn=1&numberOfColumns=8&containerAreaId=554910)). For some reason, despite the fact I saw the June 2004 statistics on their old style site, I can't seem to find them on this new style site. They showed that GM's population has now passed the 2,550,000 mark, which is the point at which you round up to 2.6 million, but I can't back it up as it was only a press release type thing.

How about a few TV jobs in Liverpool while you're at it.
There are TWO big cities in the NW you know.

pj, we dont make the decision's the BBC do.

The whole talk about them setting up a "Media cluster" down on Quay street has been going on for a while. I work for Granada and I have to say that the Quay St building has had its time. Its a massively outdated building, and for the past 2 years has been akin to working on a building site what with the building works going on around there. However one of the very serioius proposals they're close to deciding on is converting the bonded warehouse which is the huge listed building just behind the main Granada building, into a cutting edge media centre. Apparently this is being costed at the moment, and it becomes a lot more viable if the BBC come on board as well. As the Granada studios are larger and more advanced, it does seem sensible that the beeb move away from oxford road as there isnt much room for expansion there, whereas Granada has quite a lot of space and land down on Quay Street.

As a Granada employee and tax paying citizen, i very much hope the government and council give some funding to this project of a media village, it would be a massive boost for manchester.

Indeed it would be a massive boost for the city. Getting such a huge media relocation was a major coup for the city and we really need to make the most of it. This and the Knowledge Capital initiative are the city's major chances to become a true "world city".

just heard on Five live that the BBC have scrapped plans to move sport etc to Manchester because of the Olympics. Apparently, it'll be cheaper for them to not be sending their staff down to London for the games. Damn shame I say.

just heard on Five live that the BBC have scrapped plans to move sport etc to Manchester because of the Olympics. Apparently, it'll be cheaper for them to not be sending their staff down to London for the games. Damn shame I say.

Big article in the Mail on Sunday too
:deadthrea ?????

just heard on Five live that the BBC have scrapped plans to move sport etc
What's the etc bit?

Hmm... Not sure this thread is dead yet. From what I hear you should brace yourselves for a big announcement in October.

please tell.

Yeah, Tates... You can't say something like that and then expect to keep schtum.

The Olympics seems like a rank excuse to cut off the oxygen supply for this grand relocation.
2 weeks of sending their departments to London as opposed to Paris, Madrid etc?
Doesn't add up at all.
Mail I could accept telling porkies but 5 live themselves?

Do we still get Dick and Dom?

I read it in the Mail on Sunday too.

Par for the bleeding course. There was always going to be some excuse why the BBC wouldn't move a chunk up to Manchester. I tell you, those guys sneer at places like Manchester, and are a big part of the historic North v South problem. And you have to pay for it.

Seems a shame. It is undestandable though. Couldn't the BBC when hq'd in Manchester just send a team up to London - they have HUGE offices in White City. I'm sure a 2-3 month relocation wouldn't be impossible.

Anyway... its the taxpayer who has to pay for these London-inflated salaries. Moving chunks of the civil service outside of London is a eminently sensible idea for several reasons...

a) The workers up north won't need London weighting
b) This will help narrow the unsustainable North-South divide in the UK. Its not good for the SE (overcrowding, Prescotts bland identikit houses, traffic, losing our green spaces) and not good for the North (losing most talented people to SE, underpopulation, destruction of priceless terraced houses, fuels resentment within the country etc etc)
c) It will save the gov't and the BBC money
d) The money saved can either be 'invested' in lower taxes or reinvested in programming or other areas of government spending.

I mean, apart from the Foreign Office, Treasury and Bank of England why oh why is the rest of the Civil Service located in London? Why not shift half the civil servants to Manchester and build a maglev or next generation TGV2 high speed rail line (225mph) with the savings?

Don't think the BBC give a stuff, dom. We are talking about people who removed "terrorist" from their reporting of what Tony Blair actually said. It'll never happen for the same sort of reason the BBC weathermap shows a tilted Britain which exaggerates the South and diminishes the North. What makes me spit is that people in Manchester (and elsewhere) are taxed to pay for these chattering-class anti-technology London-centric bureacracies whilst being subject to gerrymandered divide and rule local government. Mugs. That's what they think. With a superior PC sneer.

Where's this report about BBC Sport not moving to Manchester!

Link please!

BBC rethinks Sport move to Manchester after 2012 games win
by Sam Matthews Brand Republic 18 Jul 2005

Olypics 2012: impact on BBC move

LONDON – The BBC may abandon its £500m plan to move its sport department to Manchester in the wake of London's successful bid for the 2012 Olympic games.

The proposal to move the sport department and its 1,800 staff to Manchester may be blocked by BBC board members after it was announced earlier this month that London would be hosting the 2012 games.

BBC chairman Michael Grade poured cold water on the proposed £500m move, indicating it may not go ahead.

"This is a massive investment -- if it happens -- and we need to be careful that every penny can be justified. It isn't done until we've approved the investment," he said.

However, BBC director-general Mark Thompson is adamant the move will take place.

"We cover sports all around the world. The Olympics are going to be in Beijing in 2008 but we are not going to move the sports department to Beijing. The governors support the philosophy. We're now working on detailed plans," he said.

As it stands, the sports department, children's television and BBC Radio Five Live are all set to move to Manchester by 2009, as part of wide-ranging review at the BBC aimed at saving £355m over three years.

A BBC spokesman said the final decision on the BBC Sport move will come from the governors.

"The final plan will have to be approved by the BBC governors and value for money will be a key element of that," he said.

Cheers that man!


So Grade and his London Lovies have decided that BBC sports will not being moving to Manchester!

Even though the games are six years away and it only last for two weeks!

What a short sighted Lovie twat he and his London sausage jockeys are!

Michael Grade on 5live just now, sounding very very positive about Manchester move, decision by the end of the year.

from the guardian today - rebuttal of the weekend stories


The BBC yesterday named the current head of television news, Roger Mosey, as its new director of sport ahead of a crucial period for the department as it prepares for a possible move to Manchester.
Mr Mosey has spent most of his 26-year broadcasting career at the BBC, including spells as editor of Radio 4's Today programme and controller of Radio 5 Live. Since January 2000 he has overseen all of the BBC's television news output including the main bulletins, Newsnight, Breakfast and News 24.

The appointment confirms the BBC's determination to push through plans to move the sport, new media and children's departments, plus Radio 5 Live, to Manchester by the end of the decade.

Earlier this year Peter Salmon, the former director of BBC Sport who was overseeing the move north, became the latest senior executive to quit for the independent sector, joining Television Corporation as chief executive.

Mr Salmon left a legacy of a rebuilt portfolio of sports rights, including Premier League highlights on Match of the Day, Six Nations rugby, the FA Cup and Open Golf.

Mr Mosey must now sell the move to Manchester to BBC staff, and implement plans to cut costs in every department in an effort to save £355m annually within three years.

The BBC yesterday emphatically denied speculation that it had put the plans to move the sports department to Manchester on ice until after the London 2012 Olympics, although it added that they remained conditional on a favourable licence fee settlement.

Todays MEN..

BBC plans for Manchester 'unchanged by Olympics'
Ian Wylie

THE BBC has insisted its plans to move over 1,800 staff to Manchester were still on track despite London’s Olympic win.

A spokesman denied speculation that the transfer of the BBC Sport department might be delayed or dropped.

“The move to Manchester continues and is where it has always been. Nothing has changed. It’s business as usual.”

Five BBC departments, including BBC Sport, Children’s TV and Radio Five Live, are set to head north at a cost of up to £600m. Immediately after the capital won the right to host the 2012 Olympics, the BBC maintained the decision would not change its plans.

But speculation continued that the 2009 move of BBC Sport to Manchester might be delayed until after the Olympics, or be shelved altogether.

Director General Mark Thompson says his plans for Manchester are still firmly on course, with the London Olympics just one of many events to be covered by sports staff.

“The Olympics are going to be in Beijing in 2008 but we are not going to move the sports department to Beijing,” he said. “The governors support the philosophy. We’re now working on detailed plans.”

But the final say on the Manchester move has always rested with the BBC governors and depends upon a satisfactory new licence fee deal with the government.

The current settlement runs out next year and a new deal is set to be announced this autumn. If the BBC is not given a large enough increase, it could put its Manchester plans on hold or scrap them altogether.

BBC chairman Michael Grade said last week there was still a “remote possibility” that the move will not happen if the corporation cannot afford to fund it.

Rumblings

There have been other rumblings from within the organisation. Acting head of BBC Sport Dave Gordon said: “It’s a complicated decision which still hasn’t been signed off by the governors anyway. I’m not going to speculate. But we did managed to successfully broadcast the Commonwealth Games in Manchester with a sports department in London.”

BBC insiders say there has been a “robust” defence of the Manchester move, despite the departure of Lancashire-born former head of sport Peter Salmon, who had been leading the project.

Even so, industry experts continue to speculate about the sense of moving a sports department to Manchester, some three years before the greatest sporting event in the world opens in London.

An unnamed member of the group researching the Manchester move said the success of London’s Olympic bid had sparked doubts within the BBC Sport department.

“It was made very clear that whatever the Olympic result was, sport is still on the list to move to Manchester,” he told trade magazine Broadcast.

“But when seeing the plans for real, people do begin to ask themselves those questions again, and there are people within sport asking those questions. The decision will give momentum to argument not to move sports until after the Olympics.”

:)

Good news.

thank christ for that.

I don't know why anyone thought otherwise really. At the end of the day, the only stuff BBC Sport will be providing is the presenters and people to do the on-screen graphics. All the stuff that would actually be expensive to move about (cameras, cameramen, cabling, technicians, broadcast vans and the like) will be provided by BBC Outside Broadcasting anyway!

I'll be gobsmacked if BBC Sport do end up moving to Manchester. The BBC are a chattering class PC intelligentsia, many of whom have a sneering snobbish attitude towards industry, science, and any of those ghastly working class flat caps and chips places North of Watford.

I ain't joking. Aw, I hope I'm wrong. Time will tell.

well either way there will certainly be a lot of stories one way or the other in the media over the coming months and years as people leak, spin and counter spin their cases. I think we'll have to wait until we see the new buildings going up before we can get our hopes up about that lonbilical cord having been severed.

The BBC are a chattering class PC intelligentsia, many of whom have a sneering snobbish attitude towards industry, science, and any of those ghastly working class flat caps and chips places North of Watford.

I ain't joking. Aw, I hope I'm wrong. Time will tell.

My sister works for BBC sport at TV centre in London, she says most staff who are non-londoners are quite happy or at least not bothered about moving to Manc although some of the Londoners are hostile.

no its north of the watford gap not watford.

What more do you want you got 'Cutting It' didn't you. Ungrateful bastards

What more do you want you got 'Cutting It' didn't you. Ungrateful bastards

Manchester didn't decide to make the move, it was the bbc.

no its north of the watford gap not watford.

What more do you want you got 'Cutting It' didn't you. Ungrateful bastards
__________________
Pricemazda's Blog

London's Winning Moment

Maybe It's Because I'm A Londoner

^^ Well if it brings such classy and eloquent individuals to the North such as this, then Im all for it, personally.

god you people need to stop taking yourselves so seriously, anyone can tell I was joking.

You got 'cutting it' what more do you want is a dig a the poor attempts till now about commisioning outside of London. Think about....

god you people need to stop taking yourselves so seriously, anyone can tell I was joking.

You shouldn't be so humourless as to take a light hearted dig so personally.

You got 'cutting it' what more do you want is a dig a the poor attempts till now about commisioning outside of London. Think about....

Why complain about the relocation when London got 'Coupling'.... *irony* Oh sorry am I showing my ignorance now?

so tell me again why you are giving me grief?

Don't get mardy duck.

Maybe it's because you're a carrot cruncher.

Peasant. ;)

im not in a mardy at all me duck.

What more do you want you got 'Cutting It' didn't you. Ungrateful bastards

Pricemazda!

What more do you want?

You got the Dome!
You got the 90000 seater Wembley!
You got the 80000 seater Stratford stadium!
You got the Olympics!
You got the lot!
You even got the streets paved with gold!
What fucking more do you want?
Don't tell me!
BBC SPORT!

The Dome where time starts? How inappropriate for the millenium celebrations
Wembley was there before
Stratford and the Olympics are the same thing

You got the WCML upgrade, Commonwealth Games, City of Manchester stadium.


BUT FOR CRYING OUT LOUD REMOVE THE SOGGY CHIP FROM YOUR SHOULDERS. I agree with you stupid people.

Comeon everyone give Pricemazda a break, he was joking with you - where is that famed Manchester wit.

I'm a huge fan of Manchester but you guys need to know to take a joke.

The Dome where time starts? How inappropriate for the millenium celebrations

How inappropriate that the tax payer wasted over one billion pounds on Blairs London folly!(and we're still paying for it!)

Wembley was there before
So did that mean it had to be built there again? I do recall a nation telling Blair, his ministers, the FA and Londoners to build the national stadium near Birmingham. In a central location!

Stratford and the Olympics are the same thing

If the Olympics transform that area of East London it will be money well spent! However, Stratford stadium will be a 80000 white elephant! Why would West Ham want to plaY in a half empty 80000 seater stadium?


You got the WCML upgrade, Commonwealth Games, City of Manchester stadium.

Same thing!

The City of Manchester stadium is now paying for itself! Not only that, the agreement made with the council gaurantees any money made from crowds over 35000(45000+ every week) is split 50/50 between the club, council and Manchester residents! City will eventully pay the cost of the stadium back this way!

Im not even going to get into a stupid discussion with yet another mancunian over this. Its tired and old.

The world doesn't owe you a living. Manchester is not on the same level as London in temrs of global importance and Manchester is not the capital city. So stop acting like it is.

Essentially, I agree with Prizemazda, but Manchester does deserve more central government money. However, there are a few cities even more deserving of this...Stoke, Middlesborough, Derby to name but a few.

edited........oops sorry, I saw a vote, but didnt realise it was in the Manchester Forum, I thought it was in the skybar.....

Im not even going to get into a stupid discussion with yet another mancunian over this. Its tired and old.

The world doesn't owe you a living. Manchester is not on the same level as London in temrs of global importance and Manchester is not the capital city. So stop acting like it is.

I see! I answer your points and you don't want to get into a stupid discussion

You want to read your reply Pricemazda!

Now that is stupid!

Being realistic, and in light of the fact that such a move is hugely expensive and not currently fundable, I think the Manchester proposal is dead in the water.

What a surprise! Neopolitan!

You would love it to be wouldn't you!

Go and ask you pathetic council why it missed out!

When the move happens I will be the first Manc forum member to ram it down your throat!

I'm counting the days! :)

Steady on jrb! (just a little....)

Breath!:rant:

Hows the cd going Accura? Any new stuff?

Ones coming my way tomorrow!

Care to hazard a guess as to when we will get the first new images of No1?

the thing that people don't realise is London and Londoners have also suffered from years and years of neglect just go on the tube to see that. Or drive down the congested streets, or the fact that London only has 2 olympic sized swimming pools for a city of 8 million. Londoners live in increasingly smaller flats being divided and subdivided and all this when its population is nowhere near its peak in the 1930s. And London was the only major world city without a central governing body/authority.

Government is the enemy not each other.

Pricemazda!

Agreed! :drunk:

Essentially, I agree with Prizemazda, but Manchester does deserve more central government money. However, there are a few cities even more deserving of this...Stoke, Middlesborough, Derby to name but a few.

I would sooner it went to Manchester, Stoke doesn't deserve it.

The council is full of hangers on with the vision of a blind donkey. Where as Manchester is a city that is going places - Stoke is a place that is run by a useless Labour council who keep getting elected but who love spending money on themselves and new council buildings, but couldn't give a monkeys for the long term future of the city.

Breath!:rant:

Hows the cd going Accura? Any new stuff?

Ones coming my way tomorrow!

Care to hazard a guess as to when we will get the first new images of No1?
No, same old stuff really. Just new CJC renderings and fantastic interior shots of RBS! I might send Sarah Harwood an email asking when its likely that we will be able to recieve infor on 1HS.

BBC vow on Manchester move
Ian Craig
BBC boss Mark Thompson has given an assurance that a multi-million pound move to Manchester will go ahead.

Despite reports that the corporation was reconsidering the plan to move children's TV and sport to the city, the Director General promised: "It will happen."

But, challenged by the Bishop of Manchester, the Reverend Nigel McCulloch, he admitted that the massive relocation had to be approved later by the BBC's board of governors.

"But it is a high priority for the BBC. Will the move happen? Yes it will," said Mr Thompson.

Doubts about whether the move will go ahead circulated recently after London's success in winning the 2012 Olympic Games. Mr Thompson was questioned on whether it was wise to move BBC Sport north.

During a hearing by a Lords committee on the future of the BBC, the Bishop of Manchester wanted to know whether the move would go ahead, when and how much it would cost.

Presence

Mr Thompson said it would probably cost around £45million a year, but there would be savings in London. He compared this to the income from the BBC licence fee of £2.9 billion.

"It's time to have a bigger presence in the north of England.

"There's a wealth of talent up there and it's a great place to live," said Mr Thomspon.

He admitted to peers that the move would be disruptive to staff, adding: "But I've got no doubt we can build a great broadcasting centre in Manchester and fill it with outstanding talent," said Mr Thompson.

As well as Children's BBC, which runs the digital channels CBBC and CBeebies, the move will include BBC Sport and online services and it could create 1,000 jobs in the city.

If the BBC governors approve it later this year the move could take place in five to six years time.

ITV chief executive Charles Allen has again asked the BBC to join a "creative village" in Manchester.

Mr Allen echoed comments he made last month to a House of Lords committee by calling on the BBC to join Granada and other TV companies on one site in the city.

deleted

Another positive article! This tiem from Property Week!

The BBC should switch over to Manchester

Within the next six weeks the BBC’s board of governors will be presented with a report that will recommend whether sport, children’s TV and Radio 5 Live should move to Manchester.


15.07.2005

By Giles Barrie

As our north-west feature shows, the region is thriving – so much so that a raft of shopping centre development is planned stretching from Chester to Liverpool to Penrith.

The BBC should also endorse the region by moving 1,800 of its people there. The reality, though, may be different, and Property Week understands that journalists are leading the revolt from within. There are also murmurings within the Corporation about the expense of shifting people to Manchester, the cost of building new property and proving value for money.

The initial driving force behind the move, former head of BBC Sport Peter salmon, has left for the independent sector. There is also the argument that sport should not move now that London is to stage the 2012 Olympics.

All these prejudices and arguments are fundamentally wrong.

First, BBC staff would do well to move out of their cosy south-eastern existence. Many of us in publishing know people at the Corporation, and many of them, while talented, lead a blinkered existence through rose-tinted, metropolitan spectacles. A stint in the north-west would do them good.

Second, the whole point of the Lyons review into the government estate is to save money. Property in the north-west may not be as cheap as in some locations, but it is certainly cheaper than west London.

The government, though, needs to play its part by not restricting the licence fee at a time when up to £800m could be needed for the move.

Third, this initiative should not be seen as Salmon’s, but director-general Mark Thompson’s. The whole country, Manchester included, is looking to the BBC to prove that licence fee-payers are getting value for money.

And fourth, the lowlife perpetrators of last week’s London bombings may have thought twice about trying to disrupt the capital if a major organ of our society such as the BBC had a significant base outside the south-east.

It is suggested that the BBC should move in with ITV to create a media village on the site of the Granada studios to the west of Manchester city centre. The Broadcasting Act is forcing this kind of collocation to create cost savings, and ITV chief executive Charles Allen is open to the idea.

Now, more than ever, the BBC’s property team and its board of governors need to play their part by forcing through the move to Manchester.

i've posted that before jrb, but not in this thread, nvm

See how it works? It was a done deal. Now it's a maybe. And instead of saving money it's going to cost money and they're lining up the government to take the blame. I know the BBC. There's no chance they're going to up sticks in droves and come to Manchester. They'll deny they live a blinkered existence through rose-tinted, metropolitan spectacles, but in the next breath they'll tell you they couldn't possibly function in the land of flat caps and fish and chips, darling. Bah, I reckon the whole thing is just a threat to keep them in line. The Government line. Not the Metrolink line because that's been rerouted to the Olympic village.

Time will tell.

Word is that the BBC now have a shortlist of 5 sites in Manchester. Four of them are edge of centre while one is a little further out. Two of the sortlisted sites also appear on the voting list above.

Farsight, why are you so negative about everything? We live in one of the few cities in the UK where we can actually be positive about things!

Two of the sortlisted sites also appear on the voting list above.

Has to be Granada and Spinningfields IMO.

F***ing editor of EGi is questioning BBC Sport moving to Manchester !

Half page editorial on why BBC Sport should not only stay in London, but should be moved to Stratford instead of Manchester!

Short sighted c***!

BBC 'won't pay staff £21m' to move north
Ian Wylie

THE BBC has hit back at claims that it plans to spend £21m persuading staff to move to Manchester.

Up to 1,800 jobs currently based in London are due to transfer north.

But the BBC says it has not decided on a fixed package to be offered to employees and specific costs are not yet known.

When the move to Manchester was announced last December, the corporation said it would help staff who agreed to transfer.

It announced: "A new relocation package, including assisted house purchase, has been approved for all staff choosing to relocate there."

Employees were also told they would be able to take advantage of a guaranteed house purchase scheme.

Run by a relocation company with no licence fee money involved, an employee's house is bought up-front, allowing them to become a cash buyer in Manchester.

Now a row has broken out over claims that staff who agree to move Manchester may receive a relocation grant of £5,000, a payment of around £4,000 to cover the cost of legal fees on a new house, and a further £3,000 to buy household items, such as curtains.

Critics of the move allege the allowances, of up to £12,000 per employee, could increase even further, with a possible £900 grant towards removal costs and up to £1,500 if storage is needed for house contents

Programmes

Tory MP John Whittingdale, chairman of the Commons Select Committee for Culture, Media and Sport, claimed the costs raised serious questions about the use of public money. He said: "This seems like an awful lot of money to move a lot of people from homes where they are happy, to where they appear rather less enthusiastic to live.

"Instead of forcing employees to move, the BBC could fulfil its legal requirements of using independent production companies across the regions for 25 per cent of its programmes, which it has consistently failed to do."

Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster said: "I have always been sceptical of the move to Manchester. I don't think it will help the regions in terms of finding a voice. It amounts to little more than expensive tokenism."

A BBC spokesman said the corporation had always made clear that relocation packages would be on offer. "But any mention of specific figures is speculation."

With the move still at least four or five years away, TV bosses have no idea how many London staff will want to transfer to Manchester. The cost of the move has been estimated at between £400m and £600m.

Last week BBC Director General Mark Thompson insisted the BBC Sport switch would go ahead as planned, despite London's successful bid to host the 2012 Olympics.

The final say on the Manchester project has always rested with the BBC governors and depends upon a satisfactory new licence fee deal with the government this autumn.

fucking critics.

^^Staying on the same salary but with a Manc cost of living rather than a London cost of living should be incentive enough.

But everyone complains about the BBC wasting money, considering they just finished a brand new complex for BBC Technology costing 100's of millions and they will move it to a new building costing a further £500 million just to suit the lastest political fad from government.

Hardly 'putting money into programmes'

In the longterm, being out of London will save money. Yes?

And surely it isn't just a case of costs / saving money? It's a case of the BBC (funded by the whole country) having more respresentation / production from the regions. Not just Manchester, but everywhere.

Manchester is an obvious start due to it's history in broadcasting and it's excellent infrastructure and skills base that is already in place.

Why not complained whe Granada left?

But they have just spent 100's of millions on new buildings for departments they now say they will move.

If the situation was reversed and the BBC was shifting depts out of brand new offices in Manchester there would be an uproar.

BBC Nature is based in Bristol, BBC NI, Wales and Scotland all produce their own programmes Doctor Who being produced by BBC wales for example.

I am not against having more production in Manchester but it seems like a complete waste of money considering they have just spent 100's of millions on new premises.

I doubt moving stuff to Manchetser would recoup the money spent on new premises in london and new premises in Manchester which according to estimates combined would be £700 million nearly 1/3 of the entire BBC budget.

Why not complained whe Granada left?

But they have just spent 100's of millions on new buildings for departments they now say they will move.

If the situation was reversed and the BBC was shifting depts out of brand new offices in Manchester there would be an uproar.

BBC Nature is based in Bristol, BBC NI, Wales and Scotland all produce their own programmes Doctor Who being produced by BBC wales for example.

I am not against having more production in Manchester but it seems like a complete waste of money considering they have just spent 100's of millions on new premises.

I doubt moving stuff to Manchetser would recoup the money spent on new premises in london and new premises in Manchester which according to estimates combined would be £700 million nearly 1/3 of the entire BBC budget.

When did Granada leave?

100's of millions on new premises? Very bad planning by the BBC, but no reason that Manchester or other cities should suffer just because of that. Surely, what with London property prices and demand for commercial space, we wouldn't be looking at just losing 100's of millions? Maybe even make a profit :)

As I've said it isn't just about costs and savings and money, it's about a fairer distribution of BBC programming. I believe this country is London centric in just about every area of life. The BBC can balance this out by moving SOME of it's departments to other parts of the country. There is NO reason why they HAVE to be in London. The same is true for government departments. I think this should be actively pursued by organisations that are publicly funded - they are, after all, funded by the whole country. This, along with other commercial factors, would encourage other businesses to spread further out as well.

I still find it bizarre that a country the size of the UK and with our population can be so focused in one small area. I accept that London is our capital, but the imbalance is too much imo.

Pricemazda!

The move will save money! End off!

Do you think for one minute the people behind this plan would even consider it, never mind put it infront of the BBC Gouvners and Ministers if it were more expensive in the long run? No, neither do I!

As for cost! if there is to be a new media cluster/ building, some of the cost will be off set from the sale of the Oxford Road site! This in its self will bring in a huge amount of money!

Don't worry Pricemazda! Manchester will be a wonderful home for the BBC!(if it happens?)

Earlybird2: I'm not negative. I'm savvy.

600 million quid?

bloody hell thats a fortune and a colossal waste of money. how long will it take for the bbc to recoup this cash in terms of lower rents and employee salaries though?

how about this for a tantalising quid pro quo.... scrap the bbc move and take 600 million pounds from the bbc and build the metrolink extensions! i'm going to create a huge arguement here! :)

Rob afew banks and get both.

I notice the BBC were involved in more PC sh*t slanting that terrorist discussion program. Those guys are so dishonest it isn't true. And I pay their wages through the TV licence stealth tax. Grrrr.

I was in the audience of that slanted discussion programme. How was it slanted?

The audience was unrepresentative or "packed", just like after 911. This is something they're very fond of at the impartial BBC.

packed in what way?

Search google on "packed the audience" and "BBC".

http://furlongthedog.blogspot.com/2005/08/forget-this-i-want-to-hear-more-about.html

oh the ever reliable google method of proving something.

But is not right that a programme that deals with muslim terrorists that in order to get enough responses from the audience there should be more muslims than usual?

But that is hardly the same as attacking the whole BBC for one hour-long programme. Question Time is very carefully picked usually representing local populations. No one attacks ITV or Channel 4 for its discussion audiences. Channel 4 is publically owned and ITV has public service broadcasting obligations just like the BBC.

What other news organisation has a weekly programme devoted to viewers concerns about its news programmes.

Oh you should read that website you linked to, it slates the Express article, and the express is like the poor relation to the Mail, the express runs headlines about how immigrants are diseased.

Don't play stupid, pricemazda. The BBC packed the audience after 911, and recently banned the word "terrorist". There's lots of other instances. Just flick between news channels and the difference is obvious. As you know full well, the big difference between ITV/Sky/etc and the BBC, is that I have to pay for the BBC, and they're supposed to be impartial. The bottom line is that the BBC are not the sort of people you can trust. Very sad.

No they didn't ban the word terrorist equally go read up in the Newswatch website about that. They did issue guidance for its international channels particularly for stuff broadcast in the middle east.

You need to stop reading the Torygraph and the Mail. The BBC go to great lengths to be careful about their language to ensure that the news is presented impartially, people laugh at how PC the BBC is, but it is because twerps like you criticise it for its langauge.

Give me more evidence of how biased the BBC is? The BBC was attacked by the government for being thw Baghdad Broadcasting Corporation and by others for being the Blair Broadcasting Corporation. The truth is that whatever the BBC does people like you will never be happy.

The BBC is one of the few national champions we have left and it is only the foreign owned press that despises it.

What amazes me is that people think paying for Sky is any better. The BBC provides Freeview services which have enabled low income families to go digital but also they have provided a new platform for their competitors. The BBC is responsible for some of this countries greatest shows on radio and tv. It is not just a news organisation but produces hours of content. It provides a cash cow for the indepedent TV sector and post-production which attracts Hollywood films as our post-production is regarded as some of the best in the world. It also, like the NHS acts as chief trainer for the whole industry.

You get better value from the license fee than from Sky. ITV is utter crap and is rapidly getting rid of its public service broadcasting obligations. It will soon be bought out by News International or Viacom. Channel 5 is already owned by German Bertlesmann. The BBC will be the ONLY British Broadcaster left.

Tell me in your infinite wisdom what you would do to the BBC then to make it better and less biased.

Come on lads/ladies. With all due respect, this thread is about something else.

Sorry Mez. OK Pricemazda, for you, see below and that's enough on the subject. We'll see what happens with this relocation to Manchester. I sincerely hope my doubts are groundless and foolish.

http://www.labour-watch.com/bbcbias.htm

have you actually read those links or even followed any of them. Lots of them don't work and half of them aren't even dealing with bias. Some attack the BBC for showing rude things, other attacking Greg Dyke for being pro-labour (obviously the sight hasn't been updated since the Hutton Report). You allegations are actually groundless, the BBC used to get around 10 complaints a day from Alastair Campbell complainign of anti-labour bias, how can both anti-tory and anti-labour be true. Some of the links are about Hollywood not even the BBC.

Show me actual proven allegations of bias.

But you can do this in PM if you want.

Would the BBC have to stick to MCR and not Salford, because (correct me if Im wrong) there's loads of brown-land around Hampson St and East Ordsall lane, a stones throw from Granada.
I's also suggest the carparks at the bottom of Regent Rd, lying on the Irwell but hopefully, that'll be a prospective tower site.

Come on chaps, lets stick all the BBC stuff in this thread!

As requested, the article from yesterdays MEN!

Personally I would love the BBC to pick the Granada site, but I think Peel Holdings Dock 9 has a good outside chance!
Forget Greengate and COMS, they've got no chance! Forget Oxford Road! The building is to small and isn't worth redevloping! The BBC would get a huge amount of money for it, with property developers falling over themselves to buy it! 'Join the queue please!' :colgate:

Going back to Dock 9! Peel will throw everything, including the kitchen sink at the the BBC to get them to choose Dock 9! They will offer the BBC anything they want! Peels trump card is thier site! Dock 9 is ready for development straightaway! The site is Large enough for any requirements the BBC may have! The location is superb! Next to the Quays, fantastic views, quite, peaceful, with the Lowry, IWM,(the lovies will love that! :) ) and OT(for all those Cockney Reds ;) ) close by! We've all seen Peels masterplan for Dock 9! Offices, apartments, retail, parks, etc, etc! Peel could easily accommodate the BBC's new headquarters in to the plan! What more could the BBC and it's staff ask for?

What happened to Piccadilly Place and Spinningfileds? I can't believe both have been discarded already? Maybe Piccadilly Place was just to small and Spinningfileds may have already prelet or done deals on all their available office space? Maybe the locations and available buildings did'nt meet the BBC's requirements?

My money's still on the Granda site, but don't rule out Dock 9 for an outside bet! :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/koylpd.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/QITYUEH.jpg

[QUOTE=jrb]Come on chaps, lets stick all the BBC stuff in this thread!

That fucking twat Neal Keeling wants strangling for such divisive shit. As if anyone outside the few retards on Salford council (and they're probably only doing it to line their own pockets) even thinks of Salford as in anyway separate from Manchester. It will be the BBC's Manchester studios whichever location is chosen. I remember that Keeling arsewipe do a similar thing about the Lowry Hotel. Despite the owner's calling is the Lowry Hotel Manchester, addressing at as city centre Manchester, it actually being 1 minute from Deansgate etc. etc. he made out it was a big coup for Salford over Manchester. The guy's retarded. I've stopped buying the MEN because of this sort of shit reporting. How can we call ourselves the second city, then promote fucking nonsense like this? It's as stupid as a new hotel or studios being set up in Camden and the Evening Standard shouting the battle between Camden and London! Why doesn't someone fire the fucking useless bastard!

I thought I was the only one pissed off with the MEN these days. They've turned into a Manchester edition of The Sun and The Daily Mail, yet combined. It's a pathetic excuse for journalism these days.

^^ I thought that was a well written and suitably attention grabbing article myself.

Anyway, onwards and upwards. Some class architects are lining themselves up for the BBC job if this piece proves to be correct:

Sites vie to host BBC in North Building Design
| 26 August, 2005

The race is on to provide the new home for the BBC in Manchester, with schemes by Massimiliano Fuksas, Ian Simpson and John McAslan tipped as contenders.

By Will Hurst

Potential locations being considered by the BBC for its new northern headquarters include waterfront site Dock 9 in Salford, proposed by central Salford masterplanner Fuksas and developer Peel Holdings. “This would be a very good marriage ,” said Fuksas. “It is a nice site with many facilities and wide empty space so it [the BBC] would not have to worry about demolitions."

Other sites being examined by real estate firm Jones Lang LaSalle on behalf of the BBC include the [b]Oxford Road corridor, currently the subject of a study for the city council by John McAslan and Partners; the Central Spine area, masterplanned by Ian Simpson for developer Ask; and a site in Castlefield close to the Granada TV headquarters worked on by Stephenson Bell and developer Barlows.

Stirling prizewinner Steven Hodder, who carried out an earlier masterplan for the BBC at the Oxford Road site, said it was no surprise architects and developers were jostling to work with the corporation.

“It is seen as a fantastic client,” he said. “In the past, the BBC was not seen as commissioning great buildings, but in the past 10 years that has really changed. Obviously for Manchester, this is a huge opportunity.”

On his own ambitions, he added: “If [the BBC] were considering Oxford Road, we would hope to be still in the frame.”

A BBC spokeswoman said the board of governors would consider a detailed report on the Out of London relocation project in October. “We are looking at various sites across the Greater Manchester area, and are keen to stress the [regeneration] impact of this. By having the central hub here, there will be a ripple effect across the whole of the north-west.”

The new media centre — which will include children’s TV and radio, BBC Sport and Five Live — is part of the £640 million Out of London project that will move 1,800 staff north.

so those 2 towers in the central spine area are going to be ISA designed? nice.

Well, Masterplanned. The design could still be done by someone else.

I wonder what they would build for the BBC at Dock 9............

skymann and dgnr8. I don't disagree with either of you in any way.

Other from that, I couldn't really give a shit about where the BBC locate, just as long as it's within the M60.

BBC Scotland HQ, next to the Clyde!

http://www.josef-gartner.de/images/BBC_night_plaza.gif

http://www.glasgowarchitecture.co.uk/jpgs/bbc_extnite.jpg

http://www.glasgowarchitecture.co.uk/jpgs/bbc_dec03.jpg

Not the most exciting building, but the rendering's give a good impression of what might be coming our way if the BBC choose Dock 9 for their new building! No doubt the new building proposed for Manchester/Salford will be substantially bigger than the Glasgow one!

My only concern with the Dock 9 site is the length of time it will take to fully develop it! I don't think the BBC will want their new building built first, and on it's own, with huge amounts of work going on around it for years to come?

If the BBC choose Dock 9, they may decide to wait until it's completely developed? This would cause quite a delay in moving the BBC department's to Manchester, sorry, Salford! :lol:

If all goes to plan, we could end up with a wonderful, dare I say it, 'iconic building,'[b/]:)

[b]Caw! Can you change the poll to reflect the four new site's being proposed for the BBC, so we can vote again?! Many thanks!

Ok i'll do that. For the record, the results of the old poll:

Oxford Road.(redevelope) 16 34.04%
Spinninfields. 3 6.38%
Piccadilly Place. 3 6.38%
Granada Studios.(land around) 19 40.43%
Other? 6 12.77%

I reckon a made-to-masure tailor-made bespoke waterfront BBC centre down Salford Quays is the only option attractive enough to the BBC to bring them to Manchester.

..edited

I reckon a made-to-masure tailor-made bespoke waterfront BBC centre down Salford Quays is the only option attractive enough to the BBC to bring them to Manchester.

"made-to-measure" "tailor made" and "bespoke" all mean the same thing for goodness sake Farsight. And whatever option the BBC chooses is going to be a bespoke facility. :|


As attractive as a Salford Quays site might be I think the BBC might have slightly more sophisticated set of criteria than whether they have a plesant waterside backdrop. I definitely wouldnt discount Dock 9 for Broadcasting House though.

It is an interesting question what it might be called though. BBC Manchester? BBC North? BBC in the North? BBC Dockside? BBC Oxford Road Studios? BBC Granada?

i would imagine ITV plc still own the trademark over Granada

With regional ITV identity all but consigned to the history books it would be an interesting turn of events, should the BBC decide to locate next to ITV Granada's present site if they either formed some kind of fullscale joint venture (yeah I know about 360media) or ITV decided to sell the Granada trademark to the BBC. Fanciful I know, but whatever they decide to call their new facility given all these different options will be a significant decision.

Yes, the only ITV regional company apparently not "consigned to the history books" is Granada. When Carlton and Granada merged, we were led to believe that ITV1 had been created, with no regional television branding existing anymore. This has definitely not been the case, as far as the retained identity of Granada has been concerned, and Granada has come out of this as an even stronger brand.
Examples that illustrate this, recently there were two ITV programmes, 'This Morning', and 'The Paul O'Grady show' , both of which had behind-the-scenes insights into their programme-making. All of the doors of the celebrities dressing-rooms and staff were clearly marked not ITV1Day, but 'Granada Daytime'.
Also anyone who watches programmes out of studios based in Leeds, London, and Manchester, will have noticed that the end programme credit is not an ITV1 production, as it was perceived to be, but a Granada Yorkshire, Granada London, and Granada Manchester production, this reinforcing the Granada brand further..

Can you create a brand new poll, because if you voted in the old one, it's stopping you voting in this coz it thinks you've voted already.

The BBC Scotland building looks shit and remember that the dock 9 site is the last major site in Manchester's docklands (apart from pomona). What a waste to have some awful lowrise there. Probably the best option is a BBC right next to Granada on Water Street with shared facilities, or a redevelopment of the Oxford road site as a high rise (given the small area involved) but a separate BBC Sports at Sport City. Also the prospect of some cunt at Salford council being petty and lobbying to stop the new offices being called BBC Manchester (as in "we and not Manchester, we are a separate city" fucking tiresome bollocks) automatically biases me against anything in Salford. Once Salford is finally incorporated into the city proper (if Labour stick to their plans of one authority for the larger cities), then at least those sad cunts can start harking on about meaningless borders that should have been sorted out about 200 years ago. Even then a docklands site is wrong. Docklands is OK for back office stuff, but prestige stuff needs to be in the city cenrte, where there's a buzz and mix of businesses and professionals that make the Quays look boring and small scale.

I wouldn't underestimate the Quays guys. It's near Old Trafford footie and cricket, it's got waterfront, parking, leisure, car parking, space, stunning studio backdrops. It's like space age city and the next best thing to a greenfield site. Personally I think it could end up being Salford Quays or no move from London.

I dont agree with you there matey,theres shit loads of land around the Granada studios area,im hoping this site is picked

I wouldn't underestimate the Quays guys. It's near Old Trafford footie and cricket, it's got waterfront, parking, leisure, car parking, space, stunning studio backdrops. It's like space age city and the next best thing to a greenfield site. Personally I think it could end up being Salford Quays or no move from London.

Remember that there's far more that just BBC Sport moving and no other department is gonna give a shit about being near Old Trafford. I reckon even the Sports dept would prefer SportCity. I think most jounalistic types would rather be in a proper city centre with all the facilities that gives. Salford Quays just doesn't come close to offering what the city centre does. I can't even imagine what you mean about it's either the Quays of no move from London. That's a bit of an insult to Manchester City Centre, which wipes the floor with the Quays as a business location - no question. The Quays is a dead zone compared with town. Given that the city centre would be far more attractive to most BBC types I'd say it would be much easier to attract BBC staff if the new offices are in town. It's like who in their right mind woulld choose London's Docklands over the City or West End?

Everyone I've ever known at the BBC has lived in South Manchester or town and more than likely any new BBC staff to the city will either choose to live in in town or in South Manchester. This makes a city centre location the most attractive. Making use of the Granada site makes the best sense interms of TV production. Remember that the BBC won't be able to sell the Oxford Road site as offices because there is so much studio space that no company outside of TV could make use of. That means demolishing the site. Best economics would be to redevelop Oxford Road, expanding the studios and maybe a high rise for the offices. After the Granada option, the Oxford Road option is most likely. In one sense, I'd prefer the BBC not to move at all if they were stupid enough to choose the Quays site. It would completely scupper the chance of decent high rises at Dock 9.

Don't misunderstand me guys. I'm not saying I want the BBC down the Quays. I'm just saying it could prove attractive enough to make a difference between BBC and no BBC. And anyhow, regardless of your own preferences, think about where the BBC are in London.

Planning app for temporary increased carpark on a substantial bit of dock 9. The app says it's for 2 years. The increase in capacity could be a nice way for Peel to rake in a bit more money for the development of dock 9. Anyway, read what you want into it. There's probably nothing to get excited about.

http://www.salford.gov.uk/51236.pdf

From last weeks MEN!

I have a feeling Salford Council and Peel are going to nick it, unless Manchester City Council and the Granada site partnership can offer the BBC a proposal they just can't refuse!

Personally I would love to see the BBC move to Dock 9!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/lpopi.jpg

Dock 9 on TV would boost Manny's profile into the major league.

Dock 9 on TV would boost Manny's profile into the major league.

Exactly EB!

Imagine an iconic BBC building next to the proposed Dock 9 towers and the Lowry!

Plus it would speed up the expansion of Manchester City Centre towards the Quays by years!

Sorry Howard, my vote goes to Salford this time!

My God, that article says that there are more office workers in Salford Quays than in Leicester and Derby.

I always assume that Salford Quays development is still in its infancy. It's gathered pace in the last 5 years, but there must be loads to come. Hopefully then, they'll start to fill in the gaps with a few more talls.....

Perfect BBC location would be on the Trafford side of the Quays, with views of the Lowry, IWM and Dock 9 to the left, and of central Manchester and the rest of the Quays to the right...... :)

Next to that gold building over the bridge, there's space for a really iconic BBC building, and it could also have the added advantage of blocking out the view of Old Trafford to the great unwashed blue brigage.....like me.

....and Ordsall and Pendleton too!

i think a great place to make new office developments would be around exchange quay, you've got tram stops and it would encourage the connection between the city centre and the quays more so than if they built on dock 9.

which is Dock9?

The trams are already full at office kick out till. More people would make it mad.

hopefully they would realise the need for further investment in our trams and it would get some media coverage (for a change).

Agreed, Exchange Quay is perfect for more office development as well as Dock9.

I loved the big EQ building when it first appeared (I think it's called the World Trade Centre). I've always hoped that the area would be developed more with commercial stuff.

Metrolink, you're so right. We can't let public transport limitations put limitations on development (it's the wrong way round!)

we could have our own canary wharf.

caw, you can't see what Ordsall or Pendleton are like from that distance! Pendleton looks pretty urban and cool from any direction. From where I live, it appears on the horizon as a second cluster! Well, nearly.....

Metrolink, Dock 9 is the unused dock towards the back of the Lowry, and also to the north side of it. Some of it is now used as a carpark.

All agreed then? BBC for Salford Quays?

All agreed then? BBC for Salford Quays?
I'm trying to think of a setting where they could have Dock 9 in the foreground and Beetham in the background for when Lord Burns, King of Mancunia, reads the headlines.

Would the BBC at dock 9 squeeze out the quay point 'sail' towers?

Hope not. BBC at the quays would do untold wonders to Gtr MCR's image, but those towers included would make it look 10, nay, 100 times better.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/178/178201_bbc_offered_50m_for_move_north.html

BBC offered £50m for move north
Ian Wylie

AUNTIE: Future to be decided.
AUNTIE: Future to be decided.
THE BBC's proposed move to Manchester was given a £50m incentive today just days before a crucial decision about its future.

The Northwest Regional Development Agency is leading a plan to offer the cash towards helping the BBC with the £600m project.

It has written to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell proposing the investment, using public money, funded both through the agency and other bodies.

NWDA chairman Bryan Gray said the BBC North project could bring 4,400 new jobs and add £1.5bn to the region's economy over 10 years.

Change

"We have an unprecedented opportunity to deliver a genuine step change in economic performance within the north," he said. "We must not let this opportunity falter."

The agency's share of the money will come from an annual allocation for schemes which transform the region. It claims it will not deprive other projects of public funding and comes via a new way of prioritising its resources. Other public sector partners have also agreed, in principle, to contribute a share of the £50m. They are likely to include Manchester city council, which wants the expanded BBC to be located within the city centre, although sites in Salford are also being investigated.

Mr Gray added: "The media sector in Manchester and the north west has the potential to be world class. The development of a strengthened BBC presence in the north west would have a huge impact on our economy and employment opportunities."

Decisions

The announcement comes in the week BBC governors meet to decide whether or not to approve the Manchester move, with the ultimate decision linked to next year's government decision on the level of the licence fee.

BBC director-general Mark Thompson has warned that the Manchester plans could be at risk if a rise in the annual licence fee from 2007 of inflation plus 2.3 per cent is not agreed.

About 1,800 BBC staff posts, currently based in London, are due to transfer to Manchester from 2010 with the move of five departments, including BBC Sport, Children's TV and Radio Five Live.

In his letter - copied to Tony Blair - Mr Gray told the Culture Secretary: "In what is a crucial period for the BBC's proposed relocation to the Manchester city region, I write to assure you of the Northwest Regional Development Agency's full support for the move."

'Milestone'

Looking ahead to the meeting of the BBC governors, he added: "This is a significant milestone and we look forward to a clear and unambiguous outcome

"I firmly believe that the vitality and innovation of the north west's media and creative industries will be enormously boosted by the presence of the BBC and its important role in commissioning programmes and services."

The NWDA say the £50m would pay for packages to aid the BBC move, such as skills development courses. The agency said it was too early to identify potential partners. They would become involved once the BBC's plans were clearer.

Would the BBC at dock 9 squeeze out the quay point 'sail' towers?

Hope not. BBC at the quays would do untold wonders to Gtr MCR's image, but those towers included would make it look 10, nay, 100 times better.
The bbc best not move to the site of them towers I would really like to see them up because they are the best towers in the world since brown bread.

Metrolink: maybe I'm too cynical about London and Government stuff. But I smell a hint of blackmail and copout there.

Metrolink: maybe I'm too cynical about London and Government stuff. But I smell a hint of blackmail and copout there.


With the £50 million and the money from the BBC Oxford Road site, there should be no problems with getting the BBC to MANCHESTER, cough, Salford!

I hope so jrb.

Cough, it's the end of the Manchester Ship Canal. Not the Salford Ship Canal. So yep, that'll sound good....

BBC. Salford Quays. Manchester. Click click ;)

Manchester City Council to announce name change to lure BBC North! :colgate:

(Oh what fun we could have with this name! Their biting, reel them in! :wink2: )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnee.jpg

..edited

Naw mate, they're going to rename Salford Quays to:

BUDGIE WHARF

Now its 5!

East Manchester has dropped out and has been replaced by Witworth Street?

Salford has come in with another contender, Greengate!

The line up!

Manchester!

1. Oxford Road!
2. Granada!
3. Whitworth Street!

Salford!

1. Dock 9!
2. Greengate!

This battle for the BBC is fantastic! The saga continues! :)

(Will scan and post the full MEN article + image later on)

Crunch time for BBC jobs move

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ContentResources/299.$plit/C_17_Articles_178617_BodyWeb_Detail_0_Image.jpg

NOW: The current BBC site on Oxford Road.THE BBC's planned £600m move to Greater Manchester faced a crucial hurdle today.

A meeting of BBC governors was taking place in London with director-general Mark Thompson asking them to approve his proposals.

The 12 governors, led by chairman Michael Grade, must decide if the Manchester move is in the best interests of the BBC and licence-fee payers.

About 1,800 staff posts and five departments, including BBC Sport, Five Live and Children's TV, are due to switch to Manchester or Salford in 2010.

But the move cannot go ahead without the agreement of the governors.

They act as a regulator and have a duty to ensure the BBC offers value for money while reflecting the public's needs and interests.

The governors can make several choices, including approving the move or totally rejecting it, and have to ensure licence-fee payers do not bear the full cost.

The NorthWest Development Agency has offered a £50m incentive to help with the cost of the move.

Bryan Gray, North West Development Agency chairman, believes the BBC North project could bring 4,400 jobs and add £1.5bn to the region's economy over 10 years. But there are concerns over the use of further public money, as well as the hundreds of millions which will have to be spent by the BBC.

If the governors approve the Manchester plan, the final decision will depend on the outcome of the corporation's negotiations with the government over the cost of the licence fee.

Mr Thompson has warned that the whole move could be under threat if the BBC does not get a rise of inflation plus 2.3 per cent from 2007.

Backed by chairman Mr Grade, he told MPs he was still "totally committed to the Manchester vision" but it was dependent on the "licence fee as a whole". Unions have also expressed concern about the cost of the move at a time when the BBC is cutting thousands of jobs.

But there is also strong support among MPs who want the BBC to become less focused on London and back an expansion in TV production and related media in the north.

Meanwhile, Manchester and Salford are battling it out to be the home of the expanded BBC.

Aside from the option of expanding the current Oxford Road HQ, four other sites are being considered. They are:

* Whitworth Street, Manchester, near the British Council.

* Quay Street, Manchester, close to Granada's HQ.

* The Greengate area of Salford, close to the M.E.N. Arena

* Pier 9 at Salford Quays.

Near Bridgewater House?!

What available space is near there?

God forbid, its the Whitworth st carpark.

Mez, I think they probably mean the old British Council building......? Very typical hazy MEN reporting.

Well the Greengate site is consistent with the article you posted the other week - the interview with the property consultant who is working on the Exchange Station site.

Near Bridgewater House?!

What available space is near there?

God forbid, its the Whitworth st carpark.

- This is Central Spine.

Well the decision should have been made by the governors by now, anyone know what was decided?

I'm not getting excited, but? Get in there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :cheers:

Fantastic news for Manchester! :colgate: Congrats to NWDA, MCC, SCC and all the other bodies involved in this fantastic effort to get the BBC to move to Manchester! :applause:


BBC Oxford Road gets the Chop! New iconic BBC building?

Lets hope the Gouverment don't f*** up again, Metrolink style!

Click on link after article for Manchesteronline vox pop on the BBC move, plus pictures of the 4 proposed sites!


BBC: The Move is On


http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/ContentResources/138.$plit/C_17_Articles_178795_BodyWeb_Detail_0_Image.bmp


THE BBC's historic move to Manchester is on.

The decision, which was confirmed today, means a huge jobs bost for the city. But it spells the end for its Oxford Road HQ, which it will leave for a new site in Manchester or Salford, we can reveal today.

The multi-million pound move to Greater Manchester of 1,800 staff posts and five departments has been approved by BBC governors. But BBC staff will occupy a new building from 2010 at one of four shortlisted sites now being examined in detail.

The 12 governors also endorsed the vision of the BBC being at the heart of a "media zone" which will involve a partnership with other media companies.

Impact

It is understood a report being prepared by the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Manchester City Council to assess the economic impact of the BBC move to the area estimates approximately £275m worth of production commission business alone would be generated. The NWRDA has also estimated the knock on benefits would generate 4,400 jobs and add £1.5b to the local economy over 10 years.

The BBC's director of Nations and Regions Pat Loughrey told the M.E.N: "This will be a very new kind of broadcasting centre with a very different kind of BBC.

"We are convinced that Manchester could steal a march on the whole of the rest of the industry in the UK. Today is a very big stride in a positive direction.”

He was at BBC Oxford Road this morning to break the news of its closure to the existing 700 staff in the city. They will stay there until the new building opens five years from now.

Expensive

The option of expanding the current New Broadcasting House, which opened in 1975, was ruled out as simply too expensive and impractical.

"I think this is ultimately good news for the staff in Manchester because they would have been scattered across the city in all kinds of accommodation while we flattened and re-built Oxford Road,” added Mr Loughrey.

It is believed the Oxford Road site may be bought by Manchester City Council and then sold or rented to one of the city’s universities to be developed as part of the knowledge capital strategy.

The site will not be used for residential or commercial development.

Two sites in Manchester and two in Salford are now in the running to host the largest broadcasting centre outside London.

The plan is to choose one site in the New Year and then ask BBC governors to approve it next spring.

There could also be a significant reduction in the estimated £600m cost of the BBC North project as a result of the radical new approach proposed.

Costs

Although the BBC will be the anchor tenant, other companies will be expected to share costs, providing licence fee payers with value for money.

"We will create a collaborative industry base that would allow us all to thrive – a very different way of working and bound to re-shape our business,” said Mr Loughrey, who is leading the move.

The five departments due to transfer to Greater Manchester are BBC Sport, Children’s TV, Radio Five Live, New Media and Formal Learning.

But Mr Loughrey stressed the ultimate go-ahead for the move still depended on an “appropriate” licence fee settlement from the government.

The BBC says it needs an increase of inflation plus 2.3 per cent from 2007 to pay for all its plans.

http://www.manchesteronline.co.uk/men/news/s/178/178795_bbc_the_move_is_on.html

GREAT NEWS!!!!!! :cheers: :cheers:

There is no way the MP's will block this - they are very very pro this move.

Great news, although I can't see a big tower being part of the plan, hope I'm wrong!!!

1800 well paid jobs coming to the city, the spin off's will be great.

also, and more importantly, the way the region is represented in the media should improve considerably - Metrolink etc should get miles more coverage.

Was previously in favour of Granda site option as the most sensible, but a new BBC Manchester at the Central Spine would be fantastic. It's right off Princess Park so very near the airport, near Piccadilly station, near the Convention Quarter for when the political parties are doing their thing, near Beetham and the other skyscrapers that will be going up that area.

Big hope the city council will have the clout to push this site, though I'd still put my money on the Granada site coz it makes the most sense in terms of production savings etc. Greengate site = no chance. I'd hate to see it at the Quays because I'd much rather see some skyscrapers adding to Manchester's docklands, then what will probably be a fairly non-descript building. Fingers crossed for Central Spine area.

Great news! Jrb you are the golden nugget again!

I'm not that fussed re location, but Salford Quays I reckon. It's almost a greenfield site, there's parking, water, modernity, blah blah. It would be a great backdrop. And hey, all they have to to is build a skyscraper then point a camera out the window for the footie and cricket!

Liverpolitan's campaign to get it stopped wasn't very successful then.

Great news! Jrb you are the golden nugget again!

I'm not that fussed re location, but Salford Quays I reckon. It's almost a greenfield site, there's parking, water, modernity, blah blah. It would be a great backdrop. And hey, all they have to to is build a skyscraper then point a camera out the window for the footie and cricket!

2-4000 new jobs! Prperty developers must be licking their lips! Expect a host of proposed and new developments to be complete by 2010! :)

Will scan the MEN article later!

From BBC Manchester!

BBC bosses mull Manchester sites

The BBC's Oxford Road studios in Manchester will not be kept
The BBC has picked four possible sites in Manchester and Salford for the new homes of Five Live, BBC Sport, and other departments set to leave London.
The corporation plans to close its current Oxford Road studios and build a new "media zone" by 2010.

The BBC says the move, which also involves children's programmes, is to make it less London-centric.

But it still depends on how much money the BBC gets from the government in its next licence fee settlement.

The locations - two in Manchester and two in Salford - have not been specified by the BBC.

'Reconnect'

Almost 2,000 jobs would be moved from London to Manchester under the plan.

The departments expected to move are children's, including the CBBC and CBeebies channels, children's learning, BBC Sport, Five Live, Five Live Sports Extra and new media.

"I believe it will happen, assuming we get a reasonable funding settlement," BBC director general Mark Thompson recently said.

He has said the move is intended to reconnect "with communities across the UK" and "change our tone of voice and open our doors to new talent and perspectives".

This move is still dependant on one rather large caveat - that of the BBC's next license fee settlement. Its still a good number of years off yet too, but it was a good hurdle cleared today.

I would favour any of the city centre sites personally. Central spine, Exchange Station or Granada. Salford Quays still needs a lot more development - and of a better quality - with the accent on providing a proper pedestrian street network and quality public realm and much, much better ameneties and infrastructure to really be able to rival the city centre in terms of the quality of environment it is able to offer.

Isn't the fee announcement early next year?

Thought the move would start in 2008.

This move is still dependant on one rather large caveat - that of the BBC's next license fee settlement. Its still a good number of years off yet too, but it was a good hurdle cleared today.

I would favour any of the city centre sites personally. Central spine, Exchange Station or Granada. Salford Quays still needs a lot more development - and of a better quality - with the accent on providing a proper pedestrian street network and quality public realm and much, much better ameneties and infrastructure to really be able to rival the city centre in terms of the quality of environment it is able to offer.

The increase in the fee is for the BBC as a whole and not for the move! The move in that sense is not the major factor behind the increased fee, its a part of it!(ah?)

Great news :)

The MEN explains it well!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/mmnfsdwerw.jpg

More news on the move!

Note!

North West Vision Welcomes BBC Announcement

Date Posted: Friday 21st October 2005

North West Vision (NWV) the film and TV agency for England's Northwest are delighted that the BBC Governors have today given the go ahead to progress plans for the relocation to Manchester by approving the BBC North Project.

The agency has been working closely with the BBC and its partners to push this move forward and will continue to do so to ensure that a definitive timetable of actions is implemented.

The Governors have announced that they will now continue to investigate the four proposed locations for development.

Alice Morrison, Chief Executive of North West Vision, said:

"Today's announcement is a step in the right direction. The BBC's relocation to Manchester city region will create jobs and opportunities for local talent and have a huge impact on the economy.
We at NWV will continue to work with the BBC and all the other regional agencies and partners to make sure that a timetable of action is implemented and that our support and advice form an integral part of the development".

Filming in Manchester and the Northwest is at an all time high.
North West Vision's Manchester Film Office has recorded a 35% increase in location filming across the city in the last quarter. This can be partly attributed to the BBC's commitment to move to Manchester and the Regional Attraction Fund (RAF) a £million annual initiative established to grow and sustain a strong TV infrastructure in Manchester. The RAF is funded by the North West Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and managed by North West Vision.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/stories/2005/10_october/21/manchester.shtml

I think the Central Spine site will be an excellent location too. I always go near that area because of Beetham and Great Northern, when I visit Manchester, and there's some other iconic buildings nearby. :) Very easy to get too.

I'd be happy with any of the locations. I know I've been talking about Salford Quays but I don't really have any preference myself. Anything that would make BBC and staff feel happy is good.

to be honest, I bet there are quite a few very upset people about the prospect of moving to Manchester, just as I would be if I were similarly affected in the opposite direction.

Lets just hope that when they do move their fears will not be realised.

I think most will enjoy a better quality of life with better houses and more disposable income. In London a decent home usually costs a pile and is a long commute, and a lot of people pay for their children's education. Manchester is different. Yes, moving 200 miles will be an upsetting wrench for some. But a BBC that taxes us all for its London intelligentsia views and lifestyle is simply not sustainable.

I agree totally with you farsight, and I'm sure once they've settled here they'll wonder what the big worry was in the first place - but make no mistake, this is a huge thing for 2000 families (remember these people have families as well).

Agreed, Metro.

Here's something about the BBC and relocation.

http://www.personneltoday.com/Articles/2005/10/11/32027/Think+on+your+feet.htm

http://www.portal.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2005/07/24/nbbc24.xml

And for your starter for ten, what's ironic about this?

'This is a wake-up call for the smug London media set. It's fun reading about the changes but it's no fun when they start pissing on your own life’, one BBC Sport insider told The Guardian.

to be honest, I bet there are quite a few very upset people about the prospect of moving to Manchester, just as I would be if I were similarly affected in the opposite direction.

Lets just hope that when they do move their fears will not be realised.

By 2010 all of the current towers and midrises will be built, the other proposed towers will be under construction, hopefully Metrolnk will have started, all the shopping developments will be complete and god knows what else is being planned? Yes London is a hard act to follow, but just use your imagination and think what Manchester will look like in another five years time! The BBC staff won't be disappointed! :)

From todays MEN!

Battle for Beeb HQ

MANCHESTER and Salford are going head to head in a bid to host to the BBC's new northern headquarters.

The multi-million move from London will create a huge jobs boost and four sites - two in Manchester and two in Salford - have been shortlisted so far.

Confirmation of the transfer, which will involve 1,800 staff posts and five departments, has been welcomed by council and businesses in both cities.

Angie Robinson, chief executive of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said: "This is fantastic news for Greater Manchester.

"The BBC's move north will bring hundreds of jobs and encourage other people to invest. It also means Greater Manchester will be second only to London as a media centre.

"However, we must remember that nothing is final yet. The BBC is in the middle of renegotiating its licence fee with the government, and this could have an effect on the decision.

"As a result, we must keep lobbying to make sure the planned move to Greater Manchester becomes a reality."

As reported in our later editions yesterday, the M.E.N. understands the four shortlisted sites are:

Whitworth Street, Manchester, near the British Council

Quay Street, Manchester, close to Granada's HQ

The Greengate area of Salford, close to the M.E.N. Arena

Pier 9 at Salford Quays

A spokesman for Salford council said: "We see the BBC's announcement as a great boost for the Manchester area. We'd love them to choose to locate their HQ in Salford, and we believe we've got a couple of excellent locations available.

"Wherever they decide to go, the BBC's move is bound to be a boost for our city as well as for the rest of Greater Manchester."

The North West Regional Development Agency has also welcomed the move.

Chief executive Steven Broomhead said: "I am extremely pleased with the announcement to progress plans for the relocation to the Manchester city region.

"The development of a strengthened BBC presence in the region is hugely important to our economy and employment opportunities. The NWDA will now work with the BBC on their plans and will be emphasising that the move should bring with it real money and decision making power."

It estimates the knock-on benefits of the move will generate 4,400 jobs and add £1.5 billion to the local economy over a ten-year period.

The plans will mean the end of the BBC's presence on Oxford Road, but 700 existing staff will remain at New Broadcasting House until the new building opens five years from now.

The BBC's director of Nations and Regions Pat Loughrey said: "This will be a very new kind of broadcasting centre with a very different kind of BBC.

"We are convinced that Manchester could steal a march on the whole of the rest of the industry in Britain."


Submit your comments

TV chiefs told: Work together

BBC AND ITV chiefs have been urged to stop competing and share major new facilities in Manchester.

A powerful Lords' committee reporting on the BBC's future said the two TV companies would waste money if they both built new studios in the city.

The committee said: "The BBC and its commercial competitors should not be obsessed with competing with each other and instead should work together to maximise public value. The new Manchester hub would facilitate this."

It also casts doubt on the BBC's warning that without a big increase in the licence fee, the move from London to Manchester might be in doubt.

"We find it hard to believe that there are no economies to be gained by moving staff out of London," says the committee.

They also comment on the BBC's demand for an increase in the licence fee of 2.3 per cent above inflation each year which could mean it rising from the current £126.50 to nearly £180. The committee's chairman, Lord Fowler, said it was difficult to see how the increase now being proposed can be justified.

"There is no reason why the licence fee payer should bear the cost of digital switchover given that the government will make a substantial amount of money from the sale of the analogue system," added Lord Fowler. The committee, whose members include the Bishop of Manchester, have conducted a massive inquiry into the BBC's Royal Charter and comments on the instruction to the BBC to produce a significant proportion of its programmes outside the M25.

The BBC boss, Mark Thompson, said he believed the BBC should collaborate with other broadcasters in the proposed creative "hub" in Manchester.

Research

"The BBC hopes the Manchester hub will be a new centre for research, development and independent production in the north of England," said the committee.

Charles Allen, chief executive of ITV, told the peers that they had opened talks with the BBC on sharing facilities. But the committee says it is not yet clear whether the BBC and ITV were reaching agreement.

"We recommend that the BBC, ITV and independent production companies should work together to create shared centres of regional excellence," say the committee.

They say the BBC had made it clear that the new broadcasting centre in Manchester was dependent on the level of the next licence fee settlement, even though the BBC governors have given it the go-ahead.

The BBC has suggested that its out-of-London strategy will cost an extra £50million a year to 2013.

During their inquiry, the Bishop of Manchester grilled ITV chief Charles Allen about the move to Manchester, asking him what scope there was for greater partnership with the BBC.

"Rather than all of us having separate studios, separate infrastructures, separate broadcasting, I think there is great opportunity to pick areas in the country that would become creative hubs because a lot of money is wasted through duplication," said Mr Allen.

Mr Allen, former Granada boss, said he looked forward to the day when they could co-operate in the area on drama, factual programmes and entertainment.

The BBC plans to move five departments and some 1,800 staff posts from London to Greater Manchester in 2010.

They are now looking at four potential sites - two in Manchester and two in Salford - but have ruled out redeveloping their current Oxford Road HQ.

It would be great to see the BBC and ITV working together to develop something jointly, but I can't see it somehow. Nobody takes any notice of select committee reports, it's just a way to keep back benchers busy

I was interested to see the comment from Lord Fowler about the licence fee payer not picking up the tab for the digital switchover when the Government will make money from selling the analogue system. I couldn't agree more, but unfortunately I'm sure that tight arse Gordon Brown won't be sticking his hands in his pockets when there's revenue to be had for the coffers

Caw!

Can you change the poll again(LOL!) to the 4 latest sites! Salford Quays, Greengate, Central Spine and the Granada site!

Cheers!

Nothing we dont know already but relevant nonetheless.


Manchester ambition
28 October 2005


http://www.bdonline.co.uk/Pictures/web/t/r/r/overview-8b.jpg


Feilden Clegg Bradley has joined the race to provide a new home for the BBC in Manchester after governors at the corporation approved the £640 million “Out of London” move.

In a statement released last week, the BBC said it had ruled out refurbishing and extending the current BBC building in Oxford Road — an area being masterplanned by John McAslan & Partners — on cost grounds.

Instead, four other sites have made it to the final shortlist — two in Manchester and two in Salford, including the 13ha Exchange Greengate site, masterplanned by Feilden Clegg Bradley.

Other sites being considered for a new BBC “media zone” are the waterfront Dock 9 in Salford Quays, masterplanned by Italian architect Massimiliano Fuksas; the Central Spine area of Manchester, masterplanned by Ian Simpson; and a site in Castlefield.

Keith Bradley said he was “delighted” the BBC was considering the Greengate site.

“Greengate is at the gateway between the two urban centres of Salford and Manchester,” he said. “It is a place with a long historic tradition of markets and exchanges that could be a highly appropriate home for a 21st-century hub of communication.”

A spokeswoman for the BBC said it would make a final decision in the spring.




(By "Castlefield" it must mean the Granada site).

Good find sleepy.
Guess parking my car there will become a foot note very soon.

Note the the Granada site and empty land next to it! One of the posible loctions for the BBC!

http://img332.imageshack.us/img332/702/costco1313qh.jpghttp://img173.imageshack.us/img173/8426/costco111uc.jpg

I think the land near Granada is the best site out of the four, its central, they could share facilities with Granada(save on production costs etc), close to Spinningfields it just all makes sense to me

Woooo definitely, I love this city (nothing better than coming on this site after a weekend and seeing all of this sort of stuff!)

[QUOTE=jrb]Note the the Granada site and empty land next to it! One of the posible loctions for the BBC![QUOTE]

Looks perfect!

Looking at that there's loads of space, especially if they build up and use that small triangular thing in the middle of the road. Isn't there a Car Park opposite as well which could be used?
You would also have a cool view of Spinningfields for any open studios.

Looking at that aerial photo it's hard to understand how some ignoramuses still maintain that Salford is separate from Manchester. I mean they way they go on like they're a million miles apart and not on fucking top of each other!!!!
Silly twats.

Note the the Granada site and empty land next to it! One of the posible loctions for the BBC!

http://img332.imageshack.us/img332/702/costco1313qh.jpghttp://img173.imageshack.us/img173/8426/costco111uc.jpg

I vote for the Granada Area, as the area would be a beast as a Media Zone.

Im a Manc but before hand Im a Salfordian. Salford is a separate city, has its own cathedral and has been a City longer then Manchester has (blah blah blah). Its not a competition thing though like Newcastle and Sunderland, its a partnership. Salford shouldnt be pushed under the carpet like it doesnt exist by arrogance, deal with it.

If Pier 9 wins, which I hope it doesnt, the new arm shouldnt be known as BBC Manchester (because it isnt), nor should it be known as BBC Salford...........just BBC North.

Wow mama. That 1HS sure is one big mother.

BBC here? No chance guys. Look at the bottom of the picture, three quarters of the way along. Coronation Street.

Wow mama. That 1HS sure is one big mother.

BBC here? No chance guys. Look at the bottom of the picture, three quarters of the way along. Coronation Street.

That car park to the left of Granada opposite the Victoria and Albert (and including the car park leading to the Irwell on Water Street itself, is a fucking vast area mate.

Wow mama. That 1HS sure is one big mother.

BBC here? No chance guys. Look at the bottom of the picture, three quarters of the way along. Coronation Street.
Well it is a TV production set.
That's what you want in a 'Media Centre' if I'm not mistaken. :)

Hey don't get me wrong. I'd like to see a Media Zone here. It's just that I think there are issues. What do you do with Coronation Street? And surely Spinningfields next door makes land more expensive than eg Salford Quays?

I don't mind which site the BBC opt for, though I'd feel happier if there were no issues that might turn into a reason not to come.

Hey don't get me wrong. I'd like to see a Media Zone here. It's just that I think there are issues. What do you do with Coronation Street? And surely Spinningfields next door makes land more expensive than eg Salford Quays?

I don't mind which site the BBC opt for, though I'd feel happier if there were no issues that might turn into a reason not to come.
A reason not to come???? They're already packed!!
These London boys can't wait to move north, don't believe all the media shite.

Hope so Miles. LOL: Media shite. About the BBC.

A reason not to come???? They're already packed!!
These London boys can't wait to move north, don't believe all the media shite.

I think they'll water it down so much they'll only need one floor of a Bruntwood block. They are not keen on moving.

I read somewhere the other day that most BBC staff who have been consulted are positive, I would imagine quite a lot of people down there would jump at the chance to see the back of London, its a great city etc etc but boy is it expensive to live in..I feel sorry for them down there coz they're just being RIPPED big time.

I read somewhere the other day that most BBC staff who have been consulted are positive, I would imagine quite a lot of people down there would jump at the chance to see the back of London, its a great city etc etc but boy is it expensive to live in..I feel sorry for them down there coz they're just being RIPPED big time.
When we went to the Spinningfields Open Day, many of the staff from AL who had come up from London for a few days commented on how much easier life was in Manchester.

When we went to the Spinningfields Open Day, many of the staff from AL who had come up from London for a few days commented on how much easier life was in Manchester.

A couple of weeks ago some mates had a friend up from London . When we got back home at 5-45 she was convinced we'd taken half a day off. Apparently it's normal down there for someone who finishes at five not to get home until 7-30. That's two and a half hours! :eek:

A couple of weeks ago some mates had a friend up from London . When we got back home at 5-45 she was convinced we'd taken half a day off. Apparently it's normal down there for someone who finishes at five not to get home until 7-30. That's two and a half hours! :eek:
Yeah, I don't think London is so fantastic it's worth sacrificing 4-5 hours a day commuting on a smelly train/tube/bus/whatever.
What a complete waste of valuable personal time.

Yeah, I don't think London is so fantastic it's worth sacrificing 4-5 hours a day commuting on a smelly train/tube/bus/whatever.
What a complete waste of valuable personal time.
Let me add drinking time to that last sentence. :)

Yes but they do tend to stay in the bars after work to avoid the rush, so theres a better afterwork social atmosphere.

Yes but they do tend to stay in the bars after work to avoid the rush, so theres a better afterwork social atmosphere.
Well they can do the same in Manny and: 1) Pay much less for their ale and : 2) Have more binge...err... drinking time :cheers: and : 3) STILL get home for 7.30!! and whats more : Be much happier!!
Not forgetting that a shed-load of them will be a lot closer to their 'mecca'.... OLD TRAFFORD!!
I think a lot of them will be disappointed, that : 4) They couldn't get on the list coz it filled up too bloody quick!! ;)

I read somewhere the other day that most BBC staff who have been consulted are positive, I would imagine quite a lot of people down there would jump at the chance to see the back of London, its a great city etc etc but boy is it expensive to live in..I feel sorry for them down there coz they're just being RIPPED big time.

Walk into a Tesco in London or Manchester and the prices are the same. Buses though are much cheaper in London though, Holts is cheaper than Youngs but lager costs the same. Flats are too expensive.

People who work at the BBC tend to use taxis and the rich ones live in Central London. No commuting needed.

I do hope they come but I'm sceptical, just a smokescreen to Northern MP's vote through the continuation of the licence fee.

Walk into a Tesco in London or Manchester and the prices are the same.

No they aren't, Tesco, as well as other shops vary their prices depending on where you are, I bet the average Teso in London charges more than the average Tesco in Manchester for the same goods.

No they aren't, Tesco, as well as other shops vary their prices depending on where you are, I bet the average Teso in London charges more than the average Tesco in Manchester for the same goods.
Tesco Metro on Market St charges the same as that on Goodge Street in my experience

Beeb's new HQ in 'creative quarter'
Ian Wylie


THE BBC says its new HQ in Greater Manchester will be at the heart of a Trafford Centre-style creative quarter. But there is still no guarantee that Granada will join the BBC's planned new media centre as one of the major tenants.

BBC North project director Mark Thomas and his team are looking at four possible sites - two in Manchester and two in Salford.

One is Granada's 22-acre site at Quay Street, with ITV executives now in talks with the BBC about relocating to vacant land at their own HQ.



Granada TV managing director Sue Woodward told Broadcast magazine: "This isn't just about offering some office accommodation, it's a radical redrawing of the architecture and whole physicality of the environment on our land to build a 21st century media village."

Although they haven't ruled it out, the ITV company appears much less likely to move to join the BBC elsewhere.

"We've already got a site development plan which is pretty well advanced. It would have to be an overwhelmingly compelling, economically sound business case for us to even consider thinking about moving anywhere else," added Sue Woodward.

"Coronation Street is the jewel in our crown and to fleetingly think about doing anything that would affect it, well, I couldn't even consider what that would be."

BBC governors have endorsed the plans to move up to 1,800 staff posts and five departments to Manchester or Salford in 2010. The project is set to involve BBC Sport, Children's TV, Radio Five Live, New Media and Formal Learning.

Technology

The BBC sees itself as the anchor tenant in a "shopping centre" which would attract independent TV and media companies and involve other outside bodies.

These might include technology, research and development partners at the University of Manchester, commercial companies and sporting organisations.

Giving just one example, Mr Thomas said: "Given the convergence of broadcast and domestic technology, it's possible that the Sonys of this world would have an interest - it could be the UK's first media city in terms of future media."

The BBC say their proposed new media zone would be developed and run by the city council in either Manchester or Salford and the NorthWest Development Agency. The presence of the BBC would then attract other tenants.

Manchester-based Red Productions managing director Andrew Critchley believes it would make financial sense for the BBC and Granada to sort out their differences and get together.

"Economies of scale would be achieved by combining the financial power and clout of two massive organisations on one site," he said.

The BBC has already announced it plans to leave its present Oxford Road HQ for a new site - if the governors give final approval to the plans next spring.

The M.E.N. understands the four shortlisted BBC sites to be: Whitworth Street, Manchester, near the British Council; Quay Street, close to Granada's HQ; the Greengate area of Salford, close to the MEN Arena and Pier 9 at Salford Quays.

From manchesteronline.com

Has to be Granada. Apart from the arguement given.......

If there was to be a new Media Zone attracting the likes of Sony and the like, the area will no doubt fill the huge void round the ring road area between Spinningfields, The new Oldfield Road site and Castlefield.

Further increasing the City Centre Limits

i went to tesco in canary warf and it was actually cheaper!!!
buy one get one free on marshmellows. :) so that argument isnt justified.

i went to tesco in canary warf and it was actually cheaper!!!
buy one get one free on marshmellows. :) so that argument isnt justified.
Who the fuck eats marshmallows? Oh yeh....poncey Londoners... :puke:

I can understand reluctance to move to Manchester. Proportionatly, it's probably like our companies telling us to leave the Manchester conurbation to go Whitehaven. That example aside, let's not forget that the BBC staff who have to move may have children enrolled in schools, wives/husbands with other jobs in other firms, mortgages. It's hard for any group to relocate, whether it be journos forced to move North as part of a token political gesture from the Labour party, or construction workers going to where the next motorway site.

I can understand reluctance to move to Manchester. Proportionatly, it's probably like our companies telling us to leave the Manchester conurbation to go Whitehaven. That example aside, let's not forget that the BBC staff who have to move may have children enrolled in schools, wives/husbands with other jobs in other firms, mortgages. It's hard for any group to relocate, whether it be journos forced to move North as part of a token political gesture from the Labour party, or construction workers going to where the next motorway site.
Do you think Ford gave a shit when they upped and left Trafford Park in 1929 and told 3000 Mancunians "If you want to keep your jobs, you gotta pack up your stuff and families and flit down to Dagenham"
Don't be sympathetic to the Londoners, look at it as 'payback time'.
London's gotten fat and rich over the past 100 years on the backs of the industry of the North. Now most of the industry has been 'outsourced' to the third world. Do you want the North to forever be begging London for crumbs?
It's time to start spreading the wealth and rewarding the industrial regions who sweated for over 200 years making the South East wealthy.
The proposed BBC move is miniscule in comparison to what we're really owed.

omg im not a pearly queen (well maybe weekends) but im manc born n bread!!! piff get yourself to tesco and buy some marshmellows you chav! I think your just envious that i was taking pics of swiss re and canada 1 all week :) sorry

Just reposting from the main thread.


Now city hoping to woo Microsoft
Ian Wylie


THE BBC is to narrow its search for a new site in Manchester or Salford within weeks - and could share a future home with computer giant Microsoft.

Manchester city council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein has revealed talks are to be held with the global software company. The council is trying to attract technology companies to link up with the BBC in a proposed media zone.

Four sites - two in Manchester and two in Salford - have been examined by the BBC for the move of five departments and 1,800 staff posts in 2010. Two are expected to be shortlisted before Christmas with BBC governors expected to announce the chosen location in March.


A House of Lords select committee on the BBC Charter Review heard the £600m cost of the move has been reduced to under £400m - although that figure could still rise.

In a day-long hearing in Manchester, eight peers heard about the massive benefits the project would bring to the region.

Salford city council chief executive John Willis said it would further develop Greater Manchester, which had created 45,000 jobs over the last five years. Granada managing director Susan Woodward said Manchester could become "the UK's premier creative city" and hoped the BBC would relocate to vacant land at Granada's Quay Street site.

Gravitational

BBC Director of Nations and Regions Pat Loughrey said the move had to provide licence fee payers with value for money but cost-cutting was not its main aim.

He said the BBC was "completely committed" to the move - escaping the "gravitational pull" of London - and keen to get on with the project. He said: "There is a sense of urgency," although it is still dependent on final approval by the governors and a satisfactory licence fee deal from the government.

A spokesman for Manchester city council said: "Microsoft is one of a number of technology providers to whom we are, and will be, talking to.

"Manchester is committed to becoming a world class centre for knowledge-based economy. We are always keen to investigate opportunities for attracting extra jobs and expanding the city."




So a site is to be narrowed down within weeks. We have heard Sony and Microsoft bandied around as possible partners or investors within a new media and technology quarter. Google have just located to Oxford Road. If I was to bet, Id put my money on Central Spine / Southern Gateway as the BBC's eventual location. Why? Its bang in between the expanding university quarter and the city centre and has long been marked out as a key location for knowledge based and creative industries within the 'Knowledge Capital' initiative.

BTW. Where exactly is google located on oxford rd?

google are in St Peters House

http://www.iodhub.com/manchester/index.php

Microsoft already have an office in Manchester down by the Airport.

Lets also remember that previous NEM articles about the BBC relocation have been factually incorect, I'd say it's worth reading this latest article with this in mind.

City to woo 'Aleef's' and 'Abduls' into the Newsagent and Kebab (albeit very tasty) based economy.

From Media Guardian..

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BBC may seek City cash for Manchester move

Tara Conlan
Thursday December 1, 2005


The BBC is appointing consultants to oversee the financing of its Manchester relocation plans via a possible bond through the money markets.
Although it hopes the move will be funded out of the licence fee, the corporation is studying the idea as a fallback option should the government's settlement be less than the BBC has requested.

Sport, Radio 5 Live, the new media department and Children's BBC could move to the north-west by the end of the decade.

The corporation wants to create a "media zone", a cluster of independent producers, technology companies and possibly other broadcasters - including ITV - in an attempt to save money through partnerships.

The BBC is in the process of appointing consultants to look into the costs. It will then make a decision about funding, depending on the licence fee settlement.

Though the preferred option is for the project to be funded by licence payers, a bond is still on the agenda, say insiders.

The BBC is already planning to use the instrument in order to pay for the additional costs of digital switchover, targeting help for vulnerable, older and disabled people.

Its plea for a generous licence settlement, rising by the retail price index plus 2.3%, did not include paying for additional switchover costs.

These are still not precisely costed but are expected to run into hundreds of millions of pounds.

Bonds have already been used to finance the BBC's "media village" in White City and the redevelopment of Broadcasting House in central London.

http://www.bdonline.co.uk/story.asp?sectioncode=426&storyCode=3059970

Four-way fight for BBC site
02 December 2005


Ian Simpson Architects, Fairhurst Design Group, Hamilton Associates and EPR Architects will present early design work next week for four sites in move north of several major Manchester shortlisted for the BBC departments.

By Will Hurst

As developers clamoured for a slice of the proposed £640 million media zone development, it emerged that Hamilton Associates was working with Ask on the Exchange Greengate site in Salford, while Peel Holdings, which developed the immense Trafford Centre, had commissioned Fairhurst to work up plans for Salford’s Dock 9 site.

EPR is working with an unnamed developer on an area of Castlefield in Manchester close to the Granada TV headquarters, and Ian Simpson is preparing work for Ask on the so-called Central Spine area, which covers 8ha south of Oxford Road and the city centre.

A succession of high-profile architects, including Feilden Clegg Bradley and Massimiliano Fuksas, have been linked with the BBC project through their masterplanning work on the earmarked sites.

Development manager of Peel Holdings, Ed Burrows, said Dock 9 was the ideal choice for the BBC. “What we have to offer is a large site — 14ha in the company’s ownership — and we have outline planning permission for 1 million sq ft [93,000sq m] of offices,” he said.

“We do not have major infrastructure, services or other issues to overcome with the site. It is very risk-free in that regard and that is a major plus for us.”

But an unnamed source close to the team preparing the submission for the Central Spine site insisted that it was best suited to the BBC’s objectives. “Central Spine is the best option for regeneration,” he said. “It is in swathes of brownfield land and has fantastic possibilities to create a very strong entrance into Manchester.”

A spokeswoman for the BBC said the shortlist of four would probably be cut to two before a final recommendation was made to BBC governors in the spring.

“Because the preferred option is for a media zone, they are also taking into account what other partners might require,” he said.

Salford's not giving up without a fight....

From Manchester Online/MEN:

£125,000 to tempt Auntie
Neal Keeling


SITE: Pier 9 in Salford.SALFORD is to launch a £125,000 charm offensive to persuade the BBC to set up its new HQ in the city.

A battle to provide a new home for the organisation has broken out between Salford and Manchester.

Two sites in Salford and two in Manchester are on a short list for a huge media centre.




Now, in a bid to sell Salford to the BBC, money is being spent by the newly formed Salford Urban Regeneration Company to make the pitch.

The URC, a not-for-profit company set up early this year, is driving the regeneration of the inner-city Central Salford area by attracting more investment, improving the city's image, and the environment.

It is funded partly by the City Council, and the North West Development Agency.

Special powers

On behalf of the UDC, Salford council leader John Merry has used special powers to approve the employment of an acting chief executive officer at a cost of £47,600 on a consultancy basis, and the spending of £37,000 to provide "specialist advice and resources".

The aim is to manage the response of the council and the URC to the BBC's interest in Salford, and fund the production of "brochures and submissions".

A further £40,000 has been approved from the UDC budget should one or both of the Salford sites make a final short-list of two.

Coun Norman Owen, leader of the Salford Liberal Democrats, said: "We are 100 per cent behind the idea of the BBC coming to Salford. However, we do feel consultation with the opposition parties is essential when such crucial negotiations are taking place. This is not the first time decisions have been made without consultation."

One of the sites is land at Salford Quays, known as Pier 9. It is the only undeveloped site at the former docklands and is owned by Peel Holdings.

The other is a site owned by Ask Developments in the 11-acre Greengate area, close to the Manchester Evening News Arena.

Who should win the BBC battle - Salford or Manchester? Have your say

After taking a good look around the Greengate area today, I know the BBC will not pick this location/site for their new building.

Interesting planning app submitted by ITV.

Will ITV redevelope the warehouse or knock it down and rebuild?

What will happen to ITV'S old head quarters(Quay Street)?

What effect if any will this have on the BBC?

078088/CC/2005/C3 23/12/2005 Bonded Warehouse Granada Studios Quay Street Manchester CONSERVATION AREA CONSENT for demolition of building adjacent to the Bonded Warehouse security buil... Application Pending Consideration

Change of use application for the Bonded Warehouse from the former Granada Studios Tours and storage and production uses to ITV Granada's Headquarters consisting of offices, new studio and ancillary facilities, incorporating proposed extensions

After taking a good look around the Greengate area today, I know the BBC will not pick this location/site for their new building.

If they have any sense they'll pick Central Spine as by far the best location.
They may go for Granada Site. Granada are moving their offices and HQ to the Bonded Warehouse and selling off the 50s office (which will probably be demolished). Granada will always be there in some form because of the Corrie set. The BBC would build new studios they ITV and they could share. Plus there's loads of room for expansion at various sites along Water Street.

The Quays site, I doubt very much, but stuck out of the buzz of the city.
The Greengate site - no chance.

It's such a shame that the retarded twats at MEN keep on writing this shit about Manchester vs Salford. Whatever the site it'll be BBC Manchester. The BBC don't see Salford as separate from Manchester any more than they see White City as separate from London. It's a nonsensical argument and does Manchester great harm. I stopped buying the MEN because of this sort of shit about a year ago and I defo don't miss it. MEN = beyond parochial.

Exactly skymann. Nevermind the MEN, its even more perverse that the Central Salford URC are spending (read wasting) hundreds of thousands of pounds of what little money they have on a marketing effort to entice the BBC to Salford.

At the end of the day the BBC will choose the site that best suits their needs rather than which party provides the glossiest brochure or the flashiest presentation. As Ive said before, my money's on Central Spine too.

From Salford..Ordsall..Lower Broughton..Pendelton (Relocated)... Now a Borough Hill Lad...(BBC world service)...Broadcast from Bush house (Aldwich..London)......... I dont Know.. what do you wreckon........!!!!!!!!!!

Catch me if your CAN.. my name is DAN.. sure i'm your MAN!!!!!!!!

Catch me if your CAN.. my name is DAN.. sure i'm your MAN!!!!!!!!
I'm also NIFTY for a man of FIFTY..... SEE ABOVE !!!!!!!

I'm also NIFTY for a man of FIFTY..... SEE ABOVE !!!!!!!
Yer also a NUT and a construction SLUT that could use a cubic metre of stiff concrete up yer BUTT!!!