Knowledge Capital

[jrb]

Been Quite a few Knowledge Capital stories and news articles over the last few weeks. Perhaps we need a thread. (The Tesco one has already been posted, etc, etc)


A BREAST cancer research unit is set to make Manchester one of the top European centres for studies into the disease.

Up to 15 scientists at the £5m unit - announced today by the charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer - will try to find more sophisticated treatments by developing ways of working out which drugs will be most suitable for each patient.

Along with colleagues at two other new centres, in Edinburgh and London, they aim to pinpoint the earliest signs of the disease and ways to prevent it developing.

Every year, 700 people are diagnosed with breast cancer in Greater Manchester and they will benefit from any research trials carried out at the new unit, when it opens next year.

The centre will be based in newly-refurbished laboratories at the Patterson Institute of Cancer Research, next to The Christie, Manchester's specialist cancer hospital.

It will have close links with the newly-opened Nightingale Centre and Genesis Prev- ention Centre, at Wythenshawe.

Anthony Howell, professor of medical oncology at Manchester University, who will be the director of the new unit, said: "It will draw on the enormous strengths in basic and clinical research which exist here and our work will focus on ways to diagnose breast cancer earlier and prevent the disease from occurring.

"Along with our existing research interests in this field, this centre has the potential to make Manchester one of the top breast cancer research clusters in Europe, if not worldwide.

"The aim of our work will be to create new, more sophisticated treatments and more accurately predict which therapies are most likely to succeed for any individual."

Charles Streuli, professor of cell biology at Manchester University, and Nigel Bundred, professor in surgical oncology at the University Hospital of South Manchester and Christie hospitals, will also be directors of the new unit.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in Britain, yet survival rates are among the lowest in Europe.

[jrb]

Academy plans set to transform education
Published Tuesday 16th October 07 in Education and learning news

Plans to completely transform education and learning in Manchester with the establishment of seven brand new industry-linked Academies are now moving forwards at a fast pace.

Sponsors and the Council are working together to progress the unique proposals that are very different from other Academies being established elsewhere nationally.

Manchester's proposals will see seven brand new Academies open in Manchester by September 2010, each one linked to future growth sectors of the city's economy, and each one linked also to other schools in the city.

It is expected that at least 120,000 new jobs will be created in Manchester over the next ten years and the city's Academy plans will ensure that local pupils are well placed to be able to benefit from this.

The Academies will be fully inclusive and will work collaboratively with all schools across the city to help drive up standards and to ensure that pupils learn directly from industry and education specialists the skills they need in order for them to be able to access further and higher education, and get good jobs in the future.

There will be six Academy specialisms including creative and media; digital communications; health; finance and business; construction and the built environment; and business and enterprise.

Key sponsors of individual Academies are Bovis Lend Lease, Laing O'Rourke, BT, The Co-operative Group, Central Manchester and Manchester Children's University Hospital NHS Trust, Manchester Airport, Willow Park Housing Trust, and Manchester College of Arts and Technology (MANCAT).

Manchester City Council and MANCAT will also be co-sponsors of each of the Academies.

Other organisations offering further support to the Academies include City College, ITV Granada, Microsoft and BBC.

The Council's Academy proposals complement the work already underway through the Government's Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme to rebuild each high school in the city. Together this represents a £500 million investment in the city's schools.

Councillor Sheila Newman, Executive Member Children's Services, Manchester City Council, said: "There is no doubt that the sponsors' involvement in our Academy plans will be key to radically changing and improving the educational experience of pupils in the city's schools.

"Pupils at all schools will benefit from the proposals as the Academies' business sponsors will work collaboratively, sharing their knowledge, expertise and facilities with schools across the city. "Most importantly however, these plans will improve the life chances and future success of all pupils by ensuring that they leave school with the right skills and qualifications that will give them the best possible chance of accessing further and higher education and good jobs in the future."

The Academies will be owned by Academy Trusts which will be charitable companies limited by guarantee. The Board of the Trust will also be the Governing Body of each school and will be responsible for the running of the Academy and its outcomes.

Each Academy will be headed up by a Principal and a national recruitment drive to find the right individuals for the posts is due to begin shortly. It is hoped that appointments to the posts could be made as early as Spring 08 to enable the Principals to be directly involved in the process of establishing each Academy.

Pauline Newman, Director Children's Services, Manchester City Council, said: "The Academies will help shift children's and young people's attitudes and ambitions by offering enriched, challenging and fulfilling learning experiences.

"They will help ensure that young people leave school as emotionally resilient, confident, competent citizens with the skills and qualifications they need to be able to realise their full potential in education, training, and employment."

Five of the planned seven new Academies would replace five existing high schools - Brookway, Parklands, Plant Hill, North Manchester Boys, and North Manchester Girls - which would all close as the new Academies open. There will also be two brand new purpose built Academies, one in east Manchester and one on Queen's Road / Rochdale Road, in Harpurhey.

A period of formal public consultation on the proposed closure of the five high schools begins on 5 November and runs until 21 December.

[jrb]

Renovo makes its mark
Kevin Feddy
15/10/2007


MANCHESTER-based Renovo Group has become the first UK company to win a top European biotech business award.

Renovo, which is developing drugs to prevent wounds from scarring after surgery, scooped what is regarded as the continent's most important and valuable prize for small and medium-sized companies.

More than 500 people from the worlds of science, business and politics saw Renovo collect the 2007 European Biotechnica Award at a ceremony in Hanover, Germany.

The firm beat 27 hopefuls to the accolade, which is worth up to £70,000. Danish companies took second and third prizes. It was the competition's fifth year.

Biotech experts from six countries assessed the marketability, relevance and impact of products to decide the winner.

Prof Peter Stadler, the panel's chairman, said: "Renovo impressed the jury with its high scientific standards, its pioneering products in a very important area of application that has hitherto suffered from low standards of treatment, its strong financial situation and its genuine entrepreneurial spirit."

Expertise

Prof Mark Ferguson, Renovo's co-founder and chief executive, said the honour was further recognition of the strength of Renovo's research and development expertise, its product pipeline and the huge potential market for its drugs, which he believes is worth £2bn a year in the US alone.

Renovo's lead product, Juvista, has been safely administered to more than 1,500 people in several trials, which have yielded `highly positive' results. Another drug, Zesteem, is also undergoing trials.

Prof Ferguson established Renovo with Dr Sharon O'Kane in 2000. The Manchester University spin-out, based on Grafton Street, was floated in 2006.

In June, it struck a deal with drug maker Shire for the rights to Juvista, which could be worth more than £400m to Renovo.

Last year, Renovo was recognised as a worldwide technology pioneer, while Prof Ferguson was named Manchester director of the year.

[jrb]

£2m DNA code quest
deborah haile
12/10/2007

SCIENTISTS in Manchester will be at the forefront of a £2.2m search to pinpoint the gene that causes osteoarthritis.

The crippling condition, with joint pain and reduced mobility, is one of the biggest causes of disability in the elderly, affecting about two million people.

Scientists say the two-year project announced today - involving the DNA screening of thousands osteoarthritis sufferers - could lead to a test to predict those most likely to develop the condition and drugs that could slow the progression. Currently there is no effective drug treatment.

The study will be conducted by a team of genetic experts from across Britain, including Professor Bill Ollier and Dr Gillian Wallis, from Manchester University.

It will involve blood samples from 8,000 people suffering from osteoarthritis of the hip and knee being collected and then sent to the university's centre for integrated genomic medical research. DNA will then be studied to look for common genetic patterns among sufferers.

Samples from 6,000 healthy people will also be studied to compare. The study aims to identify genetic changes, known as polymorphisms, which increase the risk of people developing osteoarthritis, where the cartilage at the ends of bones wears away.

Prof Ollier said: "This is a major study to help identify the underlying genetic factors explaining osteoarthritis and Manchester is pleased to be involved in such a significant project."

Experts hope the study, funded by the Arthritis Research Campaign (ARC), will pinpoint up to 20 genes that indicate a risk for the condition.

It was thought osteoarthritis was an inevitable consequence of ageing but experts now believe there is a genetic link.

People with a parent or sibling with osteoarthritis are two to three times more likely to develop osteoarthritis.

Prof Alan Silman, of ARC, said: "With modern technology we have a unique opportunity to unlock the genetic code."

[jrb]

Article in the MEN dated the 22 0f October. Can't find it online.

Manchester scientists are teaming up with top aviation firms to create a world-leading flight research centre. More than 120 staff from across the University will be part of the Aerospace Research Institute. (I'll scan the full article at a later date)

One hundred years ago when the Wright brothers undertook their first historic flight, they could never have envisaged the influence their invention would have upon the development of humankind. In the early days, the main challenges were to ensure flight safety, to enable aircraft to carry more people and to fly faster and further. During the post war period, the cost of air travel became the focus of attention; prices fell and demand grew significantly. The latter half of the Twentieth Century saw exponential growth in air travel driving the development of the Global Economy and the multicultural society.

It is now clear that aviation will play an even more significant role in the future development of society than it has in the past. However, this will be dependent upon its ability to address its environmental impact and engage with the sustainability agenda.

The Centre for Aviation Transport and the Environment is a multi-disciplinary research centre based at the Manchester Metropolitan University. The Centre's mission is to facilitate the integrated social, economic and environmental sustainability of the aviation industry through critical research and analysis, and through knowledge transfer between the academic, industry, regulatory and NGO sectors.


Found more information here. (click on link/PDF brochure/info to the left)

http://www.cate.mmu.ac.uk/index.asp?chg=who

[Comdot]

Originally Posted by jrb

MANCHESTER-based Renovo Group has become the first UK company to win a top European biotech business award.

clearly m.e.n. poor grammer or m.e.n. factual error.

[jrb]

Biotech innovation centre opens in Manchester
16/11/2007

Biotech giant Syngenta and the University of Manchester have launched an innovation centre that will bring together chemists, engineers and physicists.

The Syngenta Sensors University Innovation Centre has received half a million pounds of funding from the national technology strategy board to develop next-generation sensor technology for the food supply chain.

One of the first research and development projects involves creating devices based on radio frequency identification that allow retailers to establish more accurate best-before dates on fruit and vegetables.

Dr Bruce Grieve, director of the Manchester-based centre, said: "Our research aims to develop smaller simplified sensors that will operate rather like Oyster cards on the London Underground.

"They will use a battery-free method to store data and then receive pulses of energy from transmitters that will provide just enough power to transmit their data in return."

Syngenta, which employs 21,000 people in more than 90 countries, reported a half-year sales rise of nine per cent to $5.7 billion (£2.8 billion) in July, with new product sales climbing by 15 per cent.

[jrb]

Bioscience firms join Umic
10/12/2007

The University of Manchester Incubator Company (Umic) has welcomed two new bioscience companies to its Grafton Street laboratory and facilities.

Conformetrix is creating the technology required for three-dimensional representation of drug molecules, while Imagen-Biotech is developing screening and assay development services for new pharmaceutical drugs.

The announcement comes as Manchesterbiomedical giant Renovo takes on a further 25,000 sq ft at Umic's core technology facility.

Dr Linda Magee, head of Bionow at the Northwest Development Agency's biotechnology cluster programme, said: "I believe that Umic's cohort of flourishing biotechs together with a pipeline of next-generation companies is even better than envisaged seven years ago by the NWDA.

"The Manchester bio-incubator has proved to be a real hub of activity and it's great to see two more exciting companies join."

Hi-tech firm Greenlight Computers is also taking on extra space at the north campus incubator, while business solutions company Winning Pitch has expanded its operations at One Central Park.

[Comdot]

the government is renting at least one 'academy' school in london that has no pupils because they overestimated the demand. the owner of the academy is laughing as they're getting a steady stream of income for i think many years. i wonder if the government was in bed with these companies. the PFI secondary school in question is almost as big as they get.

[neil]

University in China tie-up

29/ 1/2008

NORTH west avaiation experts are helping China to control the environmental impact of its huge economic boom.

A Manchester Metropolitan University delegation has been in Beijing to sign an agreement with the Chinese authorities to transfer knowledge and to share research and training in the areas of aircraft noise and airport design.

The Chinese Civil Aviation Authority signed the agreement jointly with MMU's Centre For Air Transport And The Environment (CATE) and with ARUP, a civil engineering firm.

Economic powerhouse China has well-advanced plans to build 48 airports by 2011, bringing the total there to 200.

Callum Thomas, (pictured) MMU professor of sustainable aviation, said: "This is a strategic partnership with China to encourage and promote sustainable development and is in line with the discussions between Gordon Brown and the Chinese premier Chinese premier Wen Jiabao on issues relating to climate change.

"The growth of air transport has significant implications for the environment and these impacts have the potential to constrain growth in this vital industry if not properly managed."

[jrb]

Manchester University News.

http://www.manchester.ac.uk/aboutus/news/

[jrb]

Render below article.

£35 million new Christie centre – giving hospital largest patients trials unit in world
Artists impression of new trials unit - Click image for larger view The Christie Hospital has announced major new plans for a £35 million patient treatment centre – providing the famous cancer hospital with the biggest early trials unit in the world and an expanded world class chemotherapy centre.

Construction work will start at the hospital's main site in Withington later this year and will be finished by 2010.

The Christie already runs one of the largest clinical trials units in Europe, but this new development will double the number of early trials undertaken – bringing huge benefits to local patients. The research undertaken will lead to more effective treatment and more lives saved.

Clinical trials are research studies to find better ways to prevent, diagnose or treat cancer. They aim to find out if a new treatment is safe, has side-effects, and works better than established treatments. Around 2,400 Christie patients a year will be amongst the first in the world to benefit from the latest treatments.

The centre will also include a large laboratory for biomarker research. Biomarkers are beginning to play a critical role in drug development and can predict how patients will respond to a drug.

Professor Malcolm Ranson, head of the clinical trials unit at the Christie Hospital said: "This unit is tremendously exciting and hugely significant for cancer patients in the North West and for the Christie Hospital. It will make us a global leader in cancer research. Most importantly it will bring substantial benefit to local people because they will be among the first in the world to access the latest and most innovative treatments for cancer as they become available, giving them the best possible chance of survival."

The new centre will also be home to an expanded first-class chemotherapy facility which will allow the Christie to build on the major changes that are taking place in the way chemotherapy treatments are given. Advancing technology means more chemotherapy treatments are being developed and more treatments are being given as patients survive for longer.

Used alongside radiotherapy and surgery, chemotherapy is the use of drugs to destroy cancer cells. In the new centre, treatments will be increased from 30,000 to 36,000 per year. As the largest single site cancer centre in Europe, the Christie currently registers around 12,500 new patients and treats around 40,00 every year and this is increasing year on year. Christie doctors are also giving more chemotherapy to patients in other hospitals across the area as well as on the main hospital site.

The new building will include around 70 beds, 60 specialist treatment chairs where patients are given chemotherapy, 10 consulting suites, a phlebotomy room for blood tests, a pharmacy and two laboratories.

The announcement comes just weeks after the Christie confirmed plans to open two £17 million Christie radiotherapy centres in Salford and Oldham, providing Christie quality radiotherapy care much closer to patients' homes.

Caroline Shaw, Chief Executive of the Christie Hospital said: "We are delighted to move forward our plans for a new treatment centre on our main site, as well as our new radiotherapy centres in Salford and Oldham. We are going through one of the most significant times in the proud history of the Christie Hospital as we work to bring more world class cancer facilities to local people. Both these developments will strengthen our position as one of Europe's leading cancer centres and provide huge benefits to our patients. We will be able to save more lives affected by cancer than ever before."

[jrb]

Internet service provider UKFast has been short-listed in the Best Hosting Provider category at the ISPA awards. The Manchester-based firm, which recently doubled turnover to £4.2m, has won the award for the past three years. “We are delighted to be in the final for this category,” said managing director Lawrence Jones.

[andysimo123]

Am not sure yet but I might be going in one of their data centres tomorrow, through my mate since we have nothing else to do.

[jrb]

Renovo: Product development on track
By Claire Shoesmith


Renovo, the University of Manchester spinout company developing treatments for scar reduction, said it has continued to expand its cash balances, progressing its clinical and preclinical development portfolio in line with management expectations.

In a stock exchange announcement released ahead of the group’s AGM on February 20, Renovo said there have been no material events or transactions in the period from the start of October through to today that change the company’s outlook.

It said it is on track to report trial results for the use of its flagship product Juvista in both scar revision and breast augmentation surgery in the first half of this year and that phase three trials for Juvista in the European Union are expected to start in the second half of the year as planned.

Renovo said the combination of cash and cash equivalents with term deposits maturing within one year was £93.8m as of the end of December, compared to £100.7m at the end of September. It said the reduction primarily reflects the cash invested in operations, in particular the continued development of the company’s drug portfolio.

“Based on its cash position, management believes Renovo is appropriately funded for continuing ongoing operations.”

Shares in Renovo slipped 1.5 per cent to 136.25p as of lunchtime.

[jrb]

University plans nuclear centre


The University of Manchester is bidding to raise £25m to set up a new Centre for Nuclear Energy Technology (C-NET).

It is designed to meet the industry’s predicted need for more than 9,000 engineering graduates over the next decade.

Nuclear has an ageing workforce at a time when thousands more jobs are expected to be created by a new programme of reactors to meet Britain’s future energy needs.

The reactors will have to be acquired from overseas-owned suppliers after British Nuclear Fuels sold its Westinghouse reactor business, but British energy companies will need to maintain high level skills if they are to operate them safely.

Paul Howarth, research director at the university's Dalton Nuclear Institute, has said that one third of the £25m has already been raised..

The university said the investment in C-NET will total £25m in two phases over the next five years. The first phase of investment will start this year and will see a £16 million investment over three years..

The proposal has been endorsed by the NW Science Council, and funding is now being sought from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). The University of Manchester will also be making a substantial investment in the Centre.

It is envisaged that further funding will come from research councils, income generated through the work of researchers and considerable investment from industry..

Regional and private sector investment in C-NET will seed the re-establishment of critical capabilities required to support the nuclear industry and help attract and support nuclear build companies in the region..

The market for new build reactors is estimated to be worth tens of billions of pounds with potential for 70 to 80 per cent delivered within the UK and C-NET will supply a new generation of science, engineering and technology graduates will be required to support this industry..

Jeremy Scudamore, Chair of the NW Science Council said: ''Nuclear is a critical sector for the North West and the Science Council is delighted to support this proposal that will ensure the supply of skills needed for nuclear new build and strengthen further the critical mass of expertise that is located in the North West.”.

The university said C-NET would act as a "beacon" and link in appropriate capabilities and research infrastructure nationally and internationally. In particular, it would collaborate with the other academic strengths in the region and thus help consolidate the NW’s position as an internationally recognised region of excellence in nuclear energy. .

The new Centre, which is expected to start operating during 2008, will be based in Manchester and will link into other regional universities..

David Powell, Westinghouse's Regional Vice-President for the UK said: "The UK Government's recent decision to encourage the construction of a new generation of nuclear plants provides a vital stimulus for the development of nuclear skills and technology..

“It is important that the UK has nuclear expertise of our own so that British industry can capitalise on the huge opportunities which are offered both by new nuclear stations and by the existing programmes of work associated with our current fleet.

"As a key player in the North West's nuclear industry, Westinghouse welcomes the establishment of this Centre, which marks a significant step on the way towards regeneration of the nation's nuclear capability.".

As well as the science and engineering aspects of nuclear power, C-NET will also develop capability in ‘society and sustainability’ aspects, covering important topics such as socio-economics, policy, regulation and public acceptability..

Professor Alan Gilbert, President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester said: “For Manchester, C-NET is key to building a world leading academic capability in nuclear and related research..

“The Centre will not only support UK interests in nuclear energy, but will engage internationally at this critical time for establishing sustainable energy generation technologies.”.

The Dalton Nuclear Institute was launched in July 2005 to act as the engine to drive the co-ordination and growth of Manchester's nuclear expertise base and to become one of the world leading centres of nuclear research and education..

Last year the Institute announced it would be establishing a major £20m nuclear research facility in Cumbria in conjunction with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA)..

The institute is already researching nuclear decommissioning techniques for possible use at the Sellafield nuclear plant in Cumbria, based on a new type of decommissioning business model. The process will generate outputs to show things such as schedule, cost, resources required and waste.

[jrb]

Northwest's new multi-£m nuclear technology centre to be based in Manchester



26/02/2008


The University of Manchester's Dalton Nuclear Institute has announced plans to establish a new Centre for Nuclear Energy Technology (C-NET).Following the government's recent announcement on the future of nuclear power, C-NET will develop professionals with the skills to work in the global nuclear industry and will provide access to high-quality, independent academic research.

The investment in C-NET will total £25 million in two phases over the next five years. The first phase of investment will start this year and will see a £16 million investment over three years.

The proposal has been endorsed by the NW Science Council, and funding is now being sought from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA). The University of Manchester will also be making a substantial investment in the Centre.

It is envisaged that further funding will come from research councils, income generated through the work of researchers and considerable investment from industry.

Regional and private sector investment in C-NET will seed the re-establishment of critical capabilities required to support the nuclear industry and help attract and support nuclear build companies in the region.

While new reactor designs likely to be built in the UK will to come from abroad, it is recognised that the UK will need its own delivery capability.

The new build market is estimated to be worth tens of billions of pounds with potential for 70 to 80 per cent delivered within the UK.

C-NET will supply a new generation of science, engineering and technology graduates will be required to support this industry.

Jeremy Scudamore, Chair of the North West Science Council said: "Nuclear is a critical sector for the Northwest and the Science Council is delighted to support this proposal that will ensure the supply of skills needed for nuclear new build and strengthen further the critical mass of expertise that is located in the Northwest."

C-NET will act as a 'beacon' and link-in appropriate capabilities and research infrastructure nationally and internationally. In particular, it will collaborate with the other academic strengths in the region and thus help consolidate the Northwest's position as an internationally recognised region of excellence in nuclear energy.

The new Centre, which is expected to start operating during 2008, will be based in Manchester and will link into other regional universities.

David Powell, Westinghouse's Regional Vice-President for the UK said: "The UK Government's recent decision to encourage the construction of a new generation of nuclear plants provides a vital stimulus for the development of nuclear skills and technology.

"It is important that the UK has nuclear expertise of our own so that British industry can capitalise on the huge opportunities which are offered both by new nuclear stations and by the existing programmes of work associated with our current fleet.

"As a key player in the Northwest's nuclear industry, Westinghouse welcomes the establishment of this Centre, which marks a significant step on the way towards regeneration of the nation's nuclear capability."

As well as the science and engineering aspects of nuclear power, C-NET will also develop capability in 'society and sustainability' aspects, covering important topics such as socio-economics, policy, regulation and public acceptability.

Professor Alan Gilbert, President and Vice Chancellor of The University of Manchester said: "For Manchester, C-NET is key to building a world leading academic capability in nuclear and related research.

"The Centre will not only support UK interests in nuclear energy, but will engage internationally at this critical time for establishing sustainable energy generation technologies."

The Dalton Nuclear Institute was launched in July 2005 to act as the engine to drive the co-ordination and growth of Manchester's nuclear expertise base and to become one of the world leading centres of nuclear research and education.

Last year the Institute announced it would be establishing a major £20m nuclear research facility in Cumbria in conjunction with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA).

Source: University of Manchester press

http://www.dalton.manchester.ac.uk/

[jrb]

Renovo shares fall on trial results
By Claire Shoesmith


Shares in the University of Manchester spinout Renovo fell 9 per cent in late morning trading after revealing that the trial for use of its flagship Juvista product in the reduction of scarring following breast augmentation surgery did not meet its primary endpoint.

However, Renovo said that a separate scar revision trial where Juvista was dosed twice, met its endpoint with statistical significance. As a result, the company said

it now has evidence to show that Juvista has a greater effect on scarring when administered twice.

Mark Ferguson, Renovo’s chief executive, expressed disappointment that the breast augmentation trial didn’t meet its primary endpoint, but said that one of the objectives of the phase two trial was to investigate the most effective dosing strategy for Juvista.

"Cumulatively the trials reported to date indicate that twice dosing yields greater efficacy than once dosing," he said. "This gives us confidence that the large scar reduction market remains accesible with Juvista."

Ferguson said the company will now proceed with the first phase three trial as planned in the second half of the year.

The shares were trading at 60p as on midday.

[andysimo123]

1,000 times faster than what? 2mb 10mb 20mb? I would love a 2GB line.

[jrb]

Other Views: 'Fibre to the premises' plans will get Manchester connected


Manchester City Council's proposals to create a digital masterplan for the city have been widely applauded by local industry, but what really stands out are plans for the UK's first “Fibre to the Premises” open network.

Within a short drive of the £150m Beetham Tower are some of the most deprived housing estates in the UK. A quick walk away from the Oxford Road corridor and you enter a world of homeless hostels, council housing and a feeling that you're not in a suitable neighbourhood for a stroll in the early hours of the morning.

One of the effects of this economic contrast is that of access to technology, high-speed broadband in particular.

In the heart of Greenheys on the edge of Hulme is a concentration of internet bandwidth that most locals would find mind-boggling.

Making connections


In the 400m between Oxford Road and the far edge of Manchester Science Park there are at least three data centres holding thousands of servers with the fastest possible connections to the heart of the UK's internet infrastructure. And yet all around Manchester is digital deprivation.

Some of the locals have realised that cheap high-speed bandwidth is useful. Despite its reputation as being a rundown area, one estate through the “Redbricks Intranet Collective” — a network built by locals, for locals, providing low cost Internet access — has arguably one of the highest uptakes of technology in Manchester. I remember the first version of their network, made mostly of ethernet network cables strung between lamp posts.

Many of Manchester's other areas haven't been so resourceful. With low uptake of bandwidth in low-income households, service providers are reluctant to put the infrastructure in place to make access affordable. However, if the infrastructure was there projects like RIC would have shown uptake rises. Ultimately this results in an increase in the education, skills and salaries of the residents in the area. A chicken and egg situation, if ever there was one.

“Fibre to the Premises” would make new services available that are inconceivable with the current generation of broadband. Whilst the initial attraction might be for entertainment services — a demand that local creative firms will be happy to cater for — the hope is that access to advanced information networks will only help Mancunians in the global information economy.

In fact, the stakes couldn't be higher in global terms. If Manchester doesn't take advantage of the large demand for high-speed bandwidth by finding a way to supply the infrastructure, local technology industries and information-hungry residents may find a city better prepared to cater for them.

After a decade of growth and a realisation that we are now at a tipping point of being dominant in the technology sector regionally, nationally and maybe even continentally, Manchester needs to make sure the opportunity isn't wasted.

At least we know where to find some people prepared to string up their own network over lamp posts as a last resort.