—Manchester Forward
—Manchester Forward
Published by Manchester City Council and Marketing Manchester March 2009
—culture —life —intelligence —business —environment —connectivity —directioN
—forEword
SIR richard leese CBE, LEADER, MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL This publication is about Manchester – both the city and the wider city region – and its ‘near and present’ future; it is intended to give those who have an eye on the City or a stake in its continued success a genuine and wide-ranging sense of our plans, our priorities and our dynamic direction of travel. In the pages that follow we make it clear that Manchester is a great place to be. It’s a city of invention, of innovation and of talented people; there is an enthusiasm and drive that is infectious and explains, for example, why so many of our overseas students choose to stay in the city when they graduate. There is always something happening here – the Manchester International Festival, the reinvention and redevelopment of Oxford Road as the Corridor and even our standing as a Science City. Ours is a city that never stands still, that is always looking for that next adventure. And we embark on these new journeys not least through a deeply felt confidence that whenever we put our collective heads and hearts together, we win. Much of our vision is based around innovation, from the unparalleled wealth of knowledge in our higher education institutions and research and development community to individual businesses in creative industries, life sciences or the professional services; we innovate too in culture, sustainability and critically in the delivery of public services. It’s a vision for the many, not the few. Boosting investment and jobs in the city will bring benefits to the whole community. This inclusiveness is apparent in many of our initiatives. We want everyone to be a part of the Manchester story. This wider regard extends to our impact on the planet, and our truly held conviction that we want to be the fastest decarbonising city in the world. Of course, there are challenges to address. Every city has its share of problems but Manchester is committed to all its residents. Real investment is happening across the city region. Investment in our schools, our workforce, homes, businesses and culture. With our network of outstanding partners, both public and private, Manchester has become a city of national and international importance. Its future is built on firm foundations. A future where people achieve, business prospers and enterprise thrives. Manchester believes in itself. You can believe in Manchester.
04/05
—forEword
sir howard bernstein, CHIEF EXECUTIVE, MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL
Manchester Forward is as much a work in progress as the city itself. In this publication we have attempted to capture the ambitions of the many people, agencies and businesses that are working tirelessly to continue Manchester’s renaissance but we are certain of one thing: we have only presented on these pages the very slightest glimpse of all that is being created and dreamed of across our city. Consider this a despatch from Britain’s other city, not a comprehensive record of the current state of play. Our focus is on the near future. Look to a five year horizon and many of the schemes and strategies mentioned in this publication will have come to fruition and will have helped us to continue our improvement across the key areas that matter: jobs, housing, health, education, carbon emissions, innovation, culture. We have a vision reaching out across a ten or twenty year time span which includes ambitious plans for some of our most important business sectors, for transport and also for the communities where we have to work harder to bring prosperity and opportunity. Ours is a dynamic city. The changes of recent history have rendered some parts virtually unrecognisable. It is this ability to reinvent, the ability to change, that makes Manchester the successful city we see today. That we have the energy and the optimism to achieve our goals cannot be denied, by anyone. Manchester is an ambitious city. We want to attract the very best in business and individual talent. Of course, we have our fair share of home-grown successes that make us rightly proud. Some of the key developments you see around the city are due, in no small part, to the enterprise and tenacity of the people who live and work here. The complete rebirth of east Manchester from a forgotten industrial area to a vibrant local neighbourhood, and the creation of Sportcity where so many of our Olympic athletes train side by side with local people are just two of the jewels in our crown. Sportcity in particular is set for dramatic changes in the very near future which will have to be covered in a subsequent despatch from the Original Modern city. Read on and discover what we’ve been working on and where we want to get to.
06/07
open minds open CITY
The city of ideas and the city of culture, of enjoyment and of life lived to the full; these are one and the same. Manchester’s global reputation rests on the events, moments and encounters that make the Manchester experience utterly unique; it must be an experience that is constantly improving its quality, challenging its audiences and forging a city-wide culture of innovation. Open minds and you open opportunities too. The spaces and places where culture happens will continue to be transformed but there will also be programming – such as the successful Manchester International Festival – which secures our cultural profile right across the world. The city will continue to be a place where arts, commerce and society are fused together as a singular force.
—culture
08/09
Culture critical
On the world stage
Manchester has a rich and diverse cultural offer. The city has worked hard to achieve its full potential with world-class visitor attractions and unique events. In some areas, the cultural ‘product’ has yet to be fully realised in terms of ambition, skill and scale but Manchester embraces these challenges – the interplay of innovation, radical thought and independence that once shaped the Industrial Revolution continues to inform the cultural and creative sector today. That improvements can be made is, of course, good news. This is not a sector that seeks to rest on its laurels. And there is a good deal to build upon. Thanks in no small part to the benefaction of its Victorian forefathers, Manchester is particularly rich in cultural assets. The internationally renowned textile and wallpaper collections at the Whitworth Art Gallery, for example, or the John Rylands Library, whose bibliographic stores span five millennia, are just two of the cultural highlights brought into being during the Industrial Revolution. But culture is not just of historic importance here: culture has played an integral part in the city region’s contemporary renaissance, from the creation of dance music to innovative digital industries. At the policy level, Manchester’s current Cultural Strategy integrates marketing and programming, business support, education and tourism; a new cultural strategy is in development and will take effect in 2009. Commissioned by Manchester City Council, it is being driven by the Intelligence Agency. It focuses on assessing the current market, measuring cultural output against international standards and setting a new framework that will enable cultural organisations across the city to become more ambitious, distinctive and, perhaps, ‘Mancunian’.
The cultural profile of Manchester is significantly enhanced by the presence of world-renowned institutions such as the Hallé Orchestra, led by Music Director Sir Mark Elder CBE, and Chetham’s School of Music. Now Manchester has ambitions to build on this reputation still further, by seeking to develop a major new training and production centre for creative skills. Plans are being drawn up to develop a high quality performance space that will attract international opera and ballet, host performances as part of the Manchester International Festival and commissions with national and international partners. A project of this scale and ambition would bring a further boost to Manchester’s international profile and would increase cultural tourism, skills development and the ability to unlock new audiences.
Below Greater Manchester’s top five visitor attractions, according to Visit Manchester’s 2007 Tourism Economic Indicators.
THE LOWRY SALFORD 800,000 MOSI MUSEUM OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY 704,975 MANCHESTER ART GALLERY 393,650 BOLTON MUSEUM, AQUARIUM AND ARCHIVE 267,483 MANCHESTER UNITED FC MUSEUM 263,325
CHETHAM’S The world-famous Chetham’s School of Music is being redeveloped with the help of a multi-million pound investment. A new state-of-the-art school and performance venue will allow the School to develop its expertise and become a world-class visitor attraction. Through this work, its 15th Century library will be opened up as a new visitor attraction. The oldest public library in the UK, Chetham’s was the site of meetings between Marx and Engels and the table where parts of the Communist manifesto were written is still in situ. Along with Manchester Cathedral these historic buildings, go towards the creation of a new Medieval Quarter for the city. It is much more than a project to update a school though. Chetham’s is a unique, world-class institution and an outstanding historic building. Preserving and enhancing it will connect it to the city centre and ensure the building and everything that goes on inside are an integral part of the picture of Manchester.
—culture
8 GOLD
10/11
Major events strategy
4 SILVER 2 BRONZE
Left The Great Britain cycling team won 14 medals at the Beijing Olympics; all medal winners trained in Manchester.
The city of Sport Manchester has long been recognised as one of the world’s leading sports destinations. From the XII Commonwealth Games in 2002 to Manchester’s designation as Sport City of the Year 2008, the city region regularly outperforms other sports cities such as Melbourne and Berlin. In 2008 alone, Greater Manchester hosted six international competitions and is one of the few areas outside London scheduled to host 2012 Olympic events. So renowned are the city’s facilities that the Australian swimming team has decided to make Manchester their home in the run up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond. In east Manchester, Sportcity is home to the single largest concentration of sporting venues in Europe. It is here that some of Britain’s most impressive sporting facilities can be found, including the City of Manchester Stadium, home to Manchester City Football Club, the National Squash Centre and the National Cycling Centre. Thirty-eight of the UK’s medal-winning athletes at the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics completed their training at Sportcity. The area is not resting on its laurels. Further investment is being made in new sports infrastructure, including a national indoor BMX centre, to ensure the Northwest continues to provide a platform for UK sporting excellence as well as creating further participation opportunities for the local community. In addition, Manchester City Council is seeking a partner to operate a leisure and tourism destination of international significance on the site. Manchester City Football Club is also committed to creating a world-leading football club with its home at Sportcity. Manchester’s sporting facilities and prowess generates significant tourism, from the athletes who come to the city region to take advantage of its superior sporting facilities, to the thousands of football fans who regularly travel to Old Trafford, home of Manchester United FC and Sportcity, home of Manchester City FC. It is estimated that international football tourism alone generated over £4 million for the city region in 2008.
The ‘Decade of Sport’ sees the United Kingdom planning to host several high profile events including: Olympics 2012, Commonwealth Games 2014, while also bidding for the Rugby World Cup 2015 and FIFA World Cup 2018. The opportunities emerging from this are being clasped with both hands by Manchester as it works alongside national and regional agencies, such as Sport England, UK Sport and the Northwest Regional Development Agency, to develop a dedicated long-term major events strategy. This strategy is underpinned by partnerships with International Federations and National Governing Bodies (British Cycling, International Federation of Netball Associations, British Swimming, England Squash, Sport Taekwondo) who are already investing in the city through the location of their headquarters, regional offices and performance centres. The economic impact of hosting major sporting events is clear. Manchester World Sport 08 – eight international sports events hosted and supported by the city – saw Manchester invest more than £2.5 million in securing and delivering world-class sporting events in 2008. This in turn generated over £11 million in event delivery expenditure and is expected to show an economic return in excess of £20 million. In addition to economic impact, the city’s national and international profile has been greatly enhanced – Manchester was recognised as the world’s leading Sport City at the Sport Business Event Management Awards, beating off competition from Melbourne, New York, Madrid and Doha. Manchester’s strategy for major events will see sustained investment of around £1.6 million plus funding from national and regional stakeholders. The event offer is further strengthened through partnerships with organisations such as Marketing Manchester, professional clubs, the universities, and commercial facilities; alignment with sports development and community sport strategies; ongoing facility development programmes; and the support of health and education initiatives.
2007 ARTISTS
2009 ARTISTS
—CULTURE
Manchester International Festival The biennial Manchester International Festival is the world’s only festival dedicated to premiering newly-commissioned work. Twenty-five premieres studded the inaugural event in 2007, including Monkey: Journey to the West, an opera inspired by the ancient Chinese tale that subsequently toured the globe. The Festival presents new work from across the spectrum of performing arts, music, visual arts, popular culture, debates and even Heston Blumenthal’s culinary experiments and in 2007 resulted in over 200,000 attenders from across the UK and the world. The 2009 Festival will see over 20 new commissions, including the pairing of renowned architectural practice Zaha Hadid Architects with the music of Bach in a transformed exhibition space within Manchester Art Gallery, and Prima Donna, the debut opera from Rufus Wainwright. Manchester International Festival celebrates the city’s pivotal role in culture and innovation.
Opposite, top Manchester International Festival is the world’s first international festival of original, new work and special events. In 2007 it drew in artists from as far afield as Japan, Brazil and Indonesia, and in 2009 it will feature artists from countries including Cuba, Cameroon, Bali and Bangladesh. Opposite, bottom Advanced ticket sales for the world premiere of Rufus Wainwright’s first opera, Prima Donna, at the Manchester International Festival, from 10 July 2009.
12/13
MUSEUMS CONSORTIUM If there is one sector that is working to embody the notion of the Original Modern vision, it’s the cultural sector. Major events such as Manchester International Festival embody the innovative, globally ambitious qualities that inform the city. Elsewhere, organisations are working together in new ways to deliver exceptional exhibitions and events. Manchester Museums Consortium is a group of some of the city region’s leading arts venues. Its nine members are Manchester Art Gallery, the Whitworth Art Gallery, Urbis, Imperial War Museum North, The Lowry, Cornerhouse, The Manchester Museum, the Museum of Science and Industry (MOSI) and the People’s History Museum. With financial support from the Northwest Regional Development Agency, three of these organisations have been able to plan and stage highly ambitious exhibitions. The Consortium also works across venues to improve planning and marketing; together with reinvigorated programmes, the Consortium’s activity is set to focus international attention on the city region.
OVER THE PAST DECADE ALMOST £400 MILLION OF PUBLIC MONEY HAS BEEN INVESTED IN GREATER MANCHESTER’S CULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE
LIVING HERE IS GOOD THIS IS HOME
Life must be good if our city is to prosper. The essentials? A good school, better health and a weekend that means something; a decent home; a reduced fear of crime. Manchester knows that an ever-improving quality of life is a fundamental ingredient for economic growth and success. To attract the best and give today’s citizens the life they deserve and the inspiration they need to innovate, challenge and seize opportunity, this is our continuing challenge. Our schools are being rebuilt; our hospitals revitalised; our record on crime is radically improved, comparing favourably with other British cities; we are just an hour from three National Parks and a host of other destinations. Living here is good. This is home.
—LIFE
14/15
THE BUILDING SCHOOLS FOR THE FUTURE AND ACADEMIES PROGRAMMES WILL BRING A £500 MILLION CAPITAL INVESTMENT TO REBUILD, REFURBISH OR REPLACE 33 SCHOOLS
Learning the ropes Think about the future of Manchester and turning your attention to the next generation is unavoidable. The children, teenagers and graduates of today are going to play a huge part in the long-range direction of this city. Investing in this future generation, providing them with the very best start in life, the broadest range of opportunities and allowing their aspirations to become reality means the future of Manchester will most definitely be bright. Investment takes the form of educational excellence, physical improvements, emotional well-being and industry experience. Couple these with the opportunity to work alongside real world companies and a commitment to students’ emotional welfare and our next generation are armed and ready for the world beyond education. Our focus needs to take in high quality further education provision and the opportunity schools present as genuine community hubs. Investment in the city’s schools has been given a real boost through initiatives such as the Primary Capital Programme and Building Schools for the Future. Both will see widespread improvements of building stock and facilities and both are already generating results across the region. The Primary Capital Programme brings a 15-year build programme to every local authority and will see a number of the region’s schools renewed and updated. This investment in our primary schools is critical in terms of raising standards in education, creating better opportunities for young people and safeguarding a positive future for them and the wider community. Building Schools for the Future (BSF) brings together significant investment in buildings and in ICT (Information and Communications Technology) to support the Government’s educational reform agenda. In Manchester there is £500 million capital investment to rebuild, refurbish or replace 33 schools, seven of which are set to be specialist academies sponsored by the likes of The Manchester College, BT, the Co-operative Group, Laing O’Rourke, Bovis Lend Lease, and the Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.
Manchester Academies The Academies programme brings public and private sector sponsors and schools together to create a new educational environment. Established in disadvantaged areas, Academies are key to the drive to raise standards and aspirations and create opportunities. The seven Academies being created in Manchester are: Manchester Creative Academy, Manchester Media Academy, The Co-operative Academy of Manchester, Manchester Communication Academy, East Manchester Academy, Manchester Health Academy and Manchester Enterprise Academy. At the Manchester Enterprise Academy, for example, Manchester Airport is investing heavily in the local community and their future workforce. Their knowledge of business, travel and tourism will help to enrich the curriculum and there is the chance to get involved in work placements and the pilot cadet programme. The other sponsors of Manchester Enterprise Academy are Willow Park Housing Trust and The Manchester College. Together these can provide a range of opportunities from a wide selection of courses to work placements in construction, surveying and community work. Giving students the chance to believe in their aspirations and connecting their school life to the world of work prepares them to take an active and successful role in society. Providing these opportunities cannot be underestimated.
—Life
16/17
The Manchester Curriculum The Manchester Curriculum is just one of a range of curriculum initiatives. Established by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA), the idea behind it is a unique curriculum, contextualised within Manchester. The curriculum is local – based on the rich economic and cultural history of Manchester – but within a global context. With such a strong heritage, Manchester’s history forms part of this but the curriculum is firmly rooted in the city’s future. The objective is to develop a culture of learning both within schools and beyond into the local communities. The aim is to raise the levels of aspiration and achievement of all pupils in Manchester schools; to engage this ethnographically diverse population with their own learning; to engage them constructively with the future of the city; and to provide the context through which skills and attitudes may be developed, thereby encouraging and enabling this population to make a positive contribution to the city’s future – and to their own futures. In essence, it is time for the curriculum to change so that it makes sense to the learner, increases engagement in learning and raises community aspirations. The Manchester Curriculum wants to go even further; to create a transferable vernacular curriculum so it could be adopted by any city or town that can then apply its own social and historical context.
BURY 1.7% BOLTON 7.1% ROCHDALE 21.4% WIGAN 14.8%
OLDHAM 23.8% SALFORD 25.2% MANCHESTER 18.1% TRAFFORD 11.3 % TAMESIDE 16.3% STOCKPORT 16.2%
Above Percentage improvement at Key Stage 2: Pupils achieving above the expected level, 2004-2007. DCFS.
BURY 6.4% BOLTON 6.2% ROCHDALE 7.7% WIGAN 7.5%
OLDHAM 7.7% SALFORD 7.9% MANCHESTER 10.1% TRAFFORD 6.3% TAMESIDE 4.9% STOCKPORT 7.1%
Above Percentage improvement at GCSE. Students attaining 5+ GCSEs including English and Maths, A*–C, 2004-2007. DCFS.
Safety first Think of the world’s leading cities; the thriving cities of the future where commerce succeeds, visitors flock and culture is rich. One thing these cities have in common is their commitment to a continual improvement in terms of safety and crime. This recognition and importance is, in part, down to a focus on neighbourhoods and quality of life. But there are other benefits that can cascade from investment in safety and security: increased visitor numbers, investor confidence and an improved national and international image. Tackling crime and finding effective ways of preventing crime are key features in the city’s future. Manchester is committed to creating a safe environment for all. For Greater Manchester Police in particular, the growth and success of the city has provided fresh challenges. With new developments springing up across the city and a booming city centre residential population, the need to create a safe and reassuring environment is imperative. Work remains to be done but there is already a good news story to be told. Figures show that the city is getting safer – crime has gone down by 20 per cent in the past five years. This trend must continue and the police can play a part in both law enforcement and the creation of civic pride. Mancunians can be proud to belong to the city, proud of its achievements and proud of its reputation. We can celebrate and build on success, and we must meet the challenges that lie ahead. New threats on our streets need to be recognised and tackled in a much more coherent manner. An intelligence-based, strategic regime will work alongside the traditional neighbourhood policing models to forge the ‘prevent’ agenda and guarantee a safe and secure future for all. Fighting crime means adapting to change and embracing innovation. The sheer geographical and physical growth of the city has been a challenge and now a new state-of-the-art headquarters at Central Park will create a strategic resource centre for the region. The city’s Crime and Disorder Reduction Partnership (CDRP) is the union of several agencies including Greater Manchester Police, Manchester City Council, Crown Prosecution Service, National Health Service and the Greater Manchester Fire Service. The CDRP has one overriding objective: to make Manchester a safer place to live, work and enjoy. Its 2005-08 strategy was a resounding success and the city has experienced a significant reduction in crime. The new strategy for 2008-11 aims to build on this success and continues to bring about a downturn in crime.
CRIME IN GREATER MANCHESTER HAS GONE DOWN BY 20%
—LIFE
The Christie NHS Foundation Trust The Christie NHS Foundation Trust is the largest cancer treatment centre of its kind in Europe and an international leader in research and development. It provides high-quality diagnosis, specialist surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, palliative and supportive care for patients alongside research and education facilities. The statistics speak for themselves. As one of the world’s largest radiotherapy departments, The Christie delivers more than 84,000 radiotherapy treatments; over 34,000 outpatient chemotherapy treatments; 6,600 admitted chemotherapy stays and around 3,700 surgical operations every year. The Christie is one of only two hospitals in the country offering surgical treatment for patients with pseudomyxoma and the young oncology unit is one of only eight dedicated teenage cancer units.
Central Manchester UNIVERSITY HospitalS NHS FOUNDATION TRUST Manchester’s Children’s Hospitals are renowned the world over. Seeing around 135,000 patients each year across a range of specialties including oncology, burns, genetics, haematology, bone marrow transplantation, and orthopaedics, a new state-of-the-art facility is set to make it one of the largest hospitals in the UK. In the new hospital all the departments are close to the equipment and support that the patients need for seamless care and purpose-built accommodation for families and carers means they can stay close by. The hospital is also a major sponsor of one of the city’s new academies, The Manchester Health Academy, which will bring the benefits of links with a health provider to all its students, as well as the wider community, whilst supporting students across the city who are interested in a career in the health sector.
18/19
health of a city Manchester, and the Northwest as a whole, faces many challenges when it comes to the health of its people. But the city has some trailblazing health brands right on its doorstep. The Christie, Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, and Manchester: Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technology (MIMIT) are all world leaders in the research and treatment of patients. The University Hospital of South Manchester NHS Acute Trust is already recognised as a centre of excellence for a number of specialisms and a major treatment and research centre. The vision for the hospital is to become a world-class health research, treatment, manufacturing and education zone, created specifically to develop and exploit the benefits of ground-breaking medicine. And getting this innovation and quality to the people on the street is where Manchester can help to improve the health of all its citizens. It is this ambition to improve the health of its population that has spurred the city into making significant investment in health with around £15 million earmarked for new facilities. A new policy based around Practice Based Commissioning (PBC) has been developed. This aims to provide primary healthcare professionals with the resources and support to become more involved in the commissioning and development of health services. These people are in the perfect position to assess, redesign and deliver tailored services that respond to the needs of their patients. This means that patients will benefit from more convenient and appropriate treatment and more personalised care. There is also investment happening in the physical stock under The Strategic Service Development Plan. Five new practices are being created – one in Charlestown under the Fairness in Primary Care agenda and four under the Equitable Access in Primary Care, in Levenshulme, Longsight, Moston and the city centre.
£15 MILLION IS BEING INVESTED IN IMPROVED HEALTH FACILITIES AND SERVICES
—LIFE
20/21
Transforming spaces
A place to call home
The Northern Quarter is being transformed into Manchester’s answer to Camden Lock. Developer Argent has already signed up the first tenant of The Hive, a 78,000 square foot office development: Arts Council England has agreed to be its anchor tenant and will take up residence there from December 2009. The Hive, along with the wider plans for the regeneration of the Northern Quarter, will support existing retailers by generating greater footfall, while it will also encourage new businesses to set up shop in an area that boasts one of the city region’s largest creative and cultural communities. The Arts Council, for example, will be joining queerupnorth and Arts About Manchester, who both reside nearby.
Everybody needs somewhere they can call home. Whether it’s loft style living, Victorian terraces, one-bedroom flats, country homes or family friendly semi-detached houses, something that Manchester can definitely be proud of are homes in all shapes and sizes. There has been huge investment in the last ten years. Significant population growth in the city centre – from 1,324 people in 1991 to 7,125 in 2001 and an estimated 20,000 by 2010 – has driven the changes in the housing market. This growth brings with it a services challenge. Ensuring that city dwellers have the doctors, dentists, schools and convenience stores they need for everyday life will both attract and retain this population. Pull your focus back a degree or two and beyond the city centre, Manchester is a surprisingly ‘green’ city. Leafy suburbs dominate the city region – Didsbury, Bramhall, and Worsley all boast tree-lined streets; Bolton and Wigan are blessed with expanses of countryside; and Heaton and Wythenshawe Parks provide wide open spaces for city dwellers, just two amongst hundreds of parks across Manchester. But what about the areas in between? The ‘doughnut ring’ around the city centre that has suffered declining popularity and housing market failure. It is here where investment is most needed. And it is here where the really interesting holistic developments such as New Islington are underway.
Strategic Commission for Spatial Planning and Housing Making sure that the right homes are provided in the right areas is essential to creating successful communities. A Greater Manchester-wide Strategic Commission for Spatial Planning and Housing is being established to deliver the city region’s goals for sustainable housing growth and regeneration. There are also plans for sub-regional housing strategies, to be delivered by the Commission, to ensure a balanced, high quality housing offer is sustained across the city region.
Below In 1991, there were an estimated 1,324 people living in Manchester’s city centre. Since then, the desirability of urban living has soared and the population of the city centre has grown. In 2010, it is estimated that around 20,000 people could call Manchester city centre their home, a figure that looks set to increase still further.
2010 19,773 2009 18,757 2007 16,004 2006 14,266 2001 7,125 1991 1,324
—life
“A GREENGROCER AND NEWSAGENT, A GOOD TAKEAWAY AND THE BEST FISH AND CHIPS. A HAIRDRESSER, AND A BEAUTIFUL LAUNDERETTE, A GREAT PUB, A PONCEY BAR, A CAFE, A CAFF AND A GREASY SPOON, A CHIC ITALIAN WITH CHECKED TABLECLOTHS OR A RESTAURANT WITH 3 MICHELIN STARS, A MARKET TO BUY LOCAL FOOD, A FOOTIE PITCH THAT’S SAFE TO USE, A FANTASTIC NURSERY, A WONDERFUL CRECHE. AND A STATE OF THE ART CLINIC.”
Above The ambition for New Islington – to be the best place in Manchester. Urban Splash. Below Forecast for household growth across Greater Manchester, drawn from ‘Making Housing Count: a Housing Demand Model for the Manchester City Region‘, Oxford Economics March 2007
2014 1,178,900 2012 1,155,100 2010 1,132,800
2016 1,203,100
2018 1,226,500
2020 1,249,300
22/23
New Islington Nestled between the Rochdale and Ashton Canals to the east of the city centre, the old Cardroom Estate was in a spiral of decline. Its location meant it was cut off from surrounding areas, many homes didn’t face the street, there was a confusing mish-mash of public and private spaces and the whole area was difficult to police. People started to move away and those that remained felt increasingly marginalised. With the local community on side, the decision was taken to create the UK’s third Millennium Community. The whole project was underway by 2002 and by 2014 it should be complete. Renamed New Islington, the area incorporates affordable housing with everything a community needs – a school, health centre, eco park, shops, bars and leisure facilities. These are not isolated homes, this is the creation of a new, thriving community and New Islington is providing the model for others to follow. The environment around New Islington is a key feature of the development. The Rochdale and Ashton canals provide a perfect starting point and new canals have been created to link these. The area boasts the first new park to be built in Manchester since the 19th Century – Cotton Fields is also the venue for the annual New Islington Urban Folk Festival. The new park will incorporate a wetlands area, nesting boxes, an eco-island and ‘beach’ to provide places for wildlife to thrive and people to learn and experience the outdoors. New Islington is even letting people who want to live there design their own homes. In the ‘Tutti Frutti’ development (so named in homage to the 19th Century Italian community) anyone can design and build their dream house on a designated plot. It’s a novel idea, one that was inspired by Borneo Sporenburg in Amsterdam, and one that sits perfectly with Manchester’s innovative attitude.
DOWNTIME, GOODTIME
CO-OP
For people living in and around Manchester, the area offers much to see and do. The city region sits framed by three spectacular National Parks – Lake District, Peak District and Snowdonia. It has a dense and improving network of waterways; outside the centre of the city there are large parklands and leafy suburbs. Getting away from the urban jungle is easy. Exploring the city’s industrial heritage and uncovering the stories that make this city tick can bring a new understanding to residents and visitors alike. For culture vultures, major events such as Manchester International Festival embody the innovative, globally ambitious qualities that inform the city’s Original Modern vision while, elsewhere, organisations are working together in new ways to deliver exceptional exhibitions and events.
Standing at 20 acres, the Co-operative Group has the largest site for regeneration in the centre of Manchester. With no less than seven listed buildings within its boundaries, forming part of the Shudehill Conservation area and sitting right next to Victoria Station, the site really is a prime location. The masterplan has been drawn up with Arup and reflects the site’s heritage and history alongside the Co-operative’s ongoing commitment to sustainability and community. Arup beat off competition from over 30 companies from all over the world to win the right to shape the future of Manchester’s Northern Gateway.
The W Hotel
THE LAKES 1.5 HOURS YORKSHIRE DALES 1 HOUR FORMBY 1 HOUR SNOWDONIA 2 HOURS
PEAK DISTRICT 1 HOUR
W Hotels Worldwide is one of the fastest growing luxury hotel brands in the world, but, until now, the UK had not been able to sample its unique combination of opulence and local flavour. A new development in Manchester will put paid to that: in late 2010 The W Manchester opens on Princess Street. Within walking distance of Piccadilly Station, the Ian Simpson-designed hotel will contain 160 luxury rooms, 7,000 square feet of meeting and event space, a ballroom, spa and fitness rooms, shop and top-notch restaurant. The W Manchester will be driven by luxury: bespoke interior design with a Mancunian flavour, complemented by signature scents, unique visual art, music, cutting edge technology and what W Hotels boast is the most advanced in-room entertainment system in the industry. The W Manchester will also feature the brand’s ‘Whatever/Whenever’ service, which aims to provide discerning customers with whatever they want, 24 hours a day.
Left In Manchester, you’re never more than a couple of hours away from some of the country’s most beautiful places. From National Parks to stunning coastlines and country estates, the great outdoors is there to be explored.
—life
RETAIL TURNOVER IN THE CITY CENTRE HAS GROWN BY £300 MILLION PER YEAR
HIT THE SHOPS Manchester’s retail sector has been transformed. Large-scale regeneration, new shopping developments and an influx of retailers have made the city region one of Britain’s leading retail destinations. According to CityCo, the city centre management company, since 2003, turnover in the regional centre has grown by a staggering £300 million per year, with 540,000 square feet of new retail space underpinning this rapid growth. Manchester city centre in particular attracts visitors from across the country, keen to experience its mix of big brands, independent boutiques and specialist markets. Leading the high street, Manchester Arndale has been subject to a recent £150 million development, while brand hunters can browse high-end collections in Selfridges or Harvey Nichols. Specialist shopping is also one of Manchester’s strengths, offering an impressive array of independent retailers, while a regular, year-round programme of specialist markets across the city region allows shoppers to choose from goods as diverse as farm produce and edgy fashion. The Northern Quarter is Manchester’s self-styled creative quarter. Its narrow streets shelter a variety of independent fashion boutiques, vintage stores, record shops, commercial galleries, coffee houses and bars. The area is also home to a growing creative community: those artists, arts organisations, design studios, photographers, fashion labels and more whose staff support the vibrant retail sector. Part of the Northern Quarter’s charm comes from both this close-knit community and from the surrounding architecture. Here, restored 18th and 19th century warehouses allude to the area’s historical links to Manchester’s textiles trade, while the Romanesque façade of the former Smithfield Market now provides a backdrop to flats, bars and the Chinese Arts Centre. Nearby, the Manchester Craft & Design Centre makes use of another former Victorian market hall; within its listed eaves 18 craft studios sell original jewellery, ceramics, furniture and textiles.
24/25
Spinningfields Spinningfields, a £1.5 billion commercial development in the heart of Manchester, is also home to the city’s newest retail, dining and entertainment development. Created by Allied London in partnership with Manchester City Council, Spinningfield’s primary focus is its office space: almost four million square feet in all, that will, once complete, be home to 25,000 white-collar workers. It is already the location of choice for the Bank of New York Mellon, Royal Bank of Scotland, Guardian Media Group, Deloitte and Halliwells. But what sets Spinningfields apart from other commercial developments is the fact that the 10-hectare site has been planned and developed as a whole, rather than as a series of individual buildings. So, alongside top quality office space, will be award-winning architecture, a five star hotel, luxury apartments and pedestrianised public spaces. The new retail area will help pull the whole development together, with The Manchester Civil Justice Centre at one end and, in Spinningfields Square, a flagship Armani store at the other. Between purchases, shoppers can relax in a diverse range of eateries, including Carluccio’s, Wagamama and Strada, with five additional signature restaurants also in the pipeline. With many of the buildings finished and populated, Spinningfields is a living and breathing example of how major new developments can successfully work alongside an established city centre. An award-winning development of individual architectural statements and dynamic public realm – Spinningfields has the perfect mix for a lively urban area. Design and construction will continue well into 2011. In the meantime, this new urban centre will acquire its own identity as it becomes increasingly recognised as a natural extension to the city centre.
WELCOME BACK WE ARE INNOVATING AGAIN
Welcome back. Manchester is innovating, again; with fresh thinking, real world science and the search for sustainable solutions. Innovation is of course about more than new ideas and the filing of patents. It is a state of mind, a process, a dynamic conversation and a call to arms; it is an eco-system. This city thinks differently. That’s why there is a huge investment being made in knowledge, in our universities and in the physical places where intelligence takes hold. We fashioned the modern world: so let’s do it again.
—INTELLIGENCE
26/27
a global, knowledge economy The global economy is in transition; moving from an industrial base to one that is knowledge-focused. Always international in outlook, Manchester has witnessed the same migration, as it seeks to build an economy around knowledge, innovation and technology. Its early success in this area is based on a number of factors: internationally-renowned academic research, well-established technology, bio-science and innovation-rich businesses, an international communications and transport infrastructure and a social and cultural environment that attracts and retains highly skilled workers, entrepreneurs and graduates. A close relationship between the city region’s four universities and the wider business community is vital to sustaining the knowledge economy. The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) benefit from their proximity to the 35,000 people in Manchester who work in high value-added, knowledge-based activity. But right across the city region, the universities have strong links to industry; business placements and knowledge transfer partnerships remain a priority. The University of Salford’s Research Institute for the Built and Human Environment, for example, is not only academically impressive (it was awarded the top accolade in a recent government assessment) but works closely with industry partners such as Laing O’Rourke, Bruntwood and Balfour Beatty. The University of Manchester, meanwhile, has been ranked third in the Research Power Table compiled by the Research Assessment Exercise (RAE) 2008. With only Oxford and Cambridge Universities above it, the University of Manchester is flexing its research muscle in a competitive field. It has also created 100 spinout companies and invested heavily in facilities for innovation-rich businesses, ensuring that new products will continue to be created, tested and brought to market. The universities also have a part to play in engaging the public and in encouraging children and young adults to take up science and technology subjects at school and beyond. The University of Manchester, Salford and MMU have formed Smart City Futures, an initiative designed to forge closer links between academia and civic leaders, professionals and ordinary citizens. Beacons for Public Engagement and Manchester Science Festival are both longer-term projects that aim to raise public awareness of science and technology, while MMU’s Science Learning Centre Northwest promises to revolutionise the teaching of science subjects in schools and thus nurture the science communities of the future.
25 PER CENT OF THE CITY’S LABOUR POOL IS EDUCATED TO DEGREE LEVEL
—INTELLIGENCE
28/29
UNIVERSITY OF BOLTON UNIVERSITY OF SALFORD UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
Above Every year 27,000 students graduate from one of Greater Manchester’s leading Universities.
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH Manchester’s Biomedical Research Centre is a £35 million initiative that brings together researchers and clinicians from the University of Manchester and Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, to create a world-class clinical academic campus in the city. One of only 12 elite centres of medical research excellence in the UK, the centre specialises in high-quality, patient-focused translational research that will enhance our understanding of health and disease, identify ways to alleviate chronic long-term disability and develop new therapies for a range of conditions including mental health and cardiovascular disease. With this centre, Manchester is placed at the forefront of developing new medicines and treatments that will influence future healthcare provision across the NHS. The Biomedical Research Centre is focusing on three areas of excellence in translational research – experimental therapeutics, genetic and developmental medicine and tissue injury and repair. The research projects will tackle some of the most important issues of the Manchester population, and will enable patients to access leading clinical treatments, both through clinical trials and the early adoption of new treatments across Manchester. The Manchester Biomedical Research Centre is funded by the National Institute for Health Research, and is supported by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Manchester City Council and range of commercial partners which include AstraZeneca and GlaxoSmithKline.
Renovo Renovo was established in 2000 as a venture capital based spin-out company from the University of Manchester and has since become a world leader in scar prevention and reduction research. The company was built on more than 20 years of internationally acclaimed research and now employs over 150 staff, many of whom are graduates from the University itself. Renovo has thrived amid Manchester’s culture of innovation and clinical excellence, and remains on track to become the first company to produce a marketed drug in the US and Europe that can prevent and reduce scarring.
—INTELLIGENCE
30/31
Innovation MANCHESTER Innovation Manchester is an initiative created by Manchester: Knowledge Capital, NESTA, Northwest Regional Development Agency and Manchester City Council, designed to fast-track innovation across the city region. Six teams, drawn from the public and private sectors, including 70 business leaders, looked at areas where Manchester has particular strengths and opportunities for innovation. The project has led to new networks that will improve communication between sectors and thus collaboration, funding and development of new ideas. The Innovation Manchester programme is backed by a £9 million Innovation Investment Fund, funded by NESTA (The National Endowment for Science, Technology and the Arts), the Northwest Regional Development Agency and Manchester City Council. Already, this Fund has supported the Manchester Independent Economic Review and MIMIT (Manchester: Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technology), the Manchester Integrated Medical and Innovative Technology programme. The Fund will also support a Futurology Conference, an event that will allow businesses to pinpoint future technology trends and hear from a wide range of international speakers.
MANCHESTER MASTERS The Manchester Masters scheme has been developed to help retain the best creative graduate talent in the city. Manchester’s history is punctuated by great people having some great ideas. It’s a tradition the city hopes to continue. With funding drawn from the Innovation Investment Fund, Manchester Masters will take ten exemplary graduates from across the city region each year and give them the chance to work in different organisations and have their own industry mentor. The benefits are two-fold; graduates will get the chance to gain invaluable experience in Manchester’s PR, marketing, media, digital and design companies; the businesses involved will get to work with the best new talent in the city.
HOW WILL THE INNOVATION INVESTMENT FUND ACHIEVE ITS GOALS? COMMUNITIES OF INNOVATORS UNDERSTANDING INNOVATION INSPIRING INNOVATION EMBEDDING INNOVATION IDEAS TO INVESTMENT
Manchester Science Park Known as an internationally renowned hub for entrepreneurship and innovation, Manchester Science Park (msp) has been playing a key role in supporting Manchester’s knowledge economy for 25 years. Mancheser Science Park is home to around 90 companies who between them employ some 1,000 people across a range of science and technology-related sectors, from digital media and web development to clinical research and biotechnology. Established during the recession-hit 1980s as a visionary partnership between the University of Manchester, the City Council and private companies, msp is a testament to the fact that innovation thrives amid an environment built on creativity, active business support and knowledge sharing. msp has provided a fertile development ground for many entrepreneurs and nearly a quarter of all the parks’ residents are spin-offs from universities. Many also take advantage of msp’s versatile business support network, dedicated business development team and strong links with the private sector and global markets.
—INTELLIGENCE
32/33
Science City
NEWCASTLE
YORK MANCHESTER
NOTTINGHAM BIRMINGHAM BRISTOL
Above The six Science Cities, of which Manchester is one.
Manchester was designated a ‘Science City’ by government in 2004, a recognition of its strengths in science, technology and healthcare, and its vibrant knowledge economy, which employs around 35,000 people in Manchester alone. One of six ‘science cities’, the initiative was launched to help foster innovation by nurturing partnerships between academics, researchers, entrepreneurs and business leaders and create an environment where ideas flourish and innovation is nurtured. The Science City programme has three strands of work: The Innovation Ecosystem – developing an environment which attracts talent, creativity and investment alongside networks, partnerships and support; Real World Science – unlocking the benefits of science and innovation for the public good and allowing more people to get involved in decision-making; and the Innovation Partnerships – developing some unique collaborations between academic and industry specialists in key areas such as healthcare, digital and the environment.
Below The main types of urban assets and their role in innovation, as outlined by Cushman, Wakefield, Healey and Baker, 2004.
CONNECTIVITY (PHYSICAL AND ELECTRONIC) SKILLS, SPECIALIST SKILLS PROPERTY, LAND, BUILT ENVIRONMENT QUALITY OF LIFE, QUALITY OF PLACE URBAN INSTITUTIONS AND THEIR NETWORKS CHANGE ASSETS, STAR SCIENTISTS
MEDICAL INNOVATION A joint effort between The University of Manchester and the Greater Manchester NHS and Primary Care Trusts, MIMIT (Manchester: Integrating Medicine and Innovative Technology) focuses on developing radical new healthcare technologies. It builds on existing expertise within Greater Manchester, matching clinical need to areas where Manchester already has particular bio-medical and engineering strengths. MIMIT will also create a cross-sector network by running forums open to clinicians, scientists, engineers and industry partners in all disciplines; in turn, generating opportunities to brainstorm unexpected ideas and build effective teams. On top of this, MIMIT provides seed funding for projects that show market potential and, thanks to close links to industry partners, can help ensure that any products developed are fit for market. The end result of MIMIT’s activity, however, will have a profound impact on patient treatment: it will create a steady flow of new devices, diagnostics and healthcare systems that can be rapidly brought to market and then taken up by healthcare professionals within Greater Manchester and beyond. MIMIT is the first international affiliate of the US-based Center for Integration of Medicine & Innovative Technology (CIMIT). Collaboration between Boston and Manchester is highly likely, while the Manchester centre will be used to assess whether the model can be rolled out across Europe and the rest of the world. CIMIT was established in 1998 as a non-profit consortium and is driven by the idea that technology is one of the ways to deliver better healthcare for people across the world.
Below Students within one hour’s drive time, by key subject area.
Gentronix Established in 1999 as a spin-out from the University of Manchester, Gentronix is an innovative biotechnology company that’s helping to accelerate the pace of drug development. The company has developed a new technology called GreenScreen for use in genetic toxicity screening. The process can identify genotoxic compounds, which are potentially harmful to humans, much earlier in drug discovery than other methods. Over 50 pharmaceutical and fine chemical companies in eleven countries now use GreenScreen HC data as part of their genotoxicity profiling strategy.
The Incubator Based at the Manchester Business School, the Incubator has proved a launch pad for hundreds of innovative business ideas. Run by a team of entrepreneurs, the Incubator offers start-up businesses the chance to access advice, support and an unparalleled network of professional and business experts. It is also a key part of the school’s internationally respected MBA programme, with postgraduate students working on project briefs specifically written for entrepreneurs.
Central Park
BUSINESS AND ADMINISTRATIVE STUDIES 37,485 LANGUAGES 18,615 CREATIVE ART AND DESIGN 16,675 ENGINEEERING AND TECHNOLOGY 16,430 COMPUTER SCIENCE 14,555 LAW 10,220
Central Park, in east Manchester, is a successful joint venture between Ask and Goodman that’s currently supporting 40 local firms employing over 120 people. Established to help new businesses make their mark, as well as acting as an economic catalyst for the area, the initiative has been a true Mancunian success story. Companies based at the site include an innovative online retailer, tree2mydoor; business consultants Winning Pitch; and an academy for would-be taxi drivers. Such has been its success that the model has now been copied by other cities across the UK.
—INTELLIGENCE
34/35
Above University of Manchester International students top 20
MANCHESTER BUSINESS SCHOOL
MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY
Above MBS and MMU International Exchange Partners
CAN SUCCESS BE GAUGED THROUGH THE CRANES ON THE SKYLINE? Most certainly not; but even in challenging times such as these there are new developments and new partnerships helping to transform the shape, look and function of the city. Into spaces shaped by a Libeskind, Alsop or Meier come new businesses and new ventures that have made Manchester a leading centre of growth in the last decade. This is a cultural, commercial and canny city, attracting some of the world’s biggest global brands. It has the appetite and momentum to be and become a major player in the new economy. There is a large, talented workforce, easy access to international markets, and a central UK location. The Manchester model, reinvented.
—business
36/37
CITY WITH AMBITION The Manchester Independent Economic Review (MIER) is the first economic study ever created for a UK conurbation and will provide a rigorous assessment of the current state and future potential of the Manchester City Region’s economy. Completely independent of local and national government, the Review is led by a panel of prominent economists and business leaders who have commissioned work on seven strands of analysis. As a city with ambition, it is not unusual that Manchester is striving to discover what it needs to do to continue to make its economy flourish. These findings will help policy-makers to understand what strengths and weaknesses exist and the action that needs to be taken so that Manchester can achieve long-term sustainable economic growth. This agenda-setting report will pull together the seven strands of analysis, output from the comprehensive baseline study, as well as incorporating extensive intelligence gathered from a year long consultation across the public, private and voluntary sector, to provide the foundation for an ambitious economy strategy for the city region. New growth will be built on substantial success stories across a number of sectors. In business services the city has continued to grow with investment from both UK and locally headquartered financial and professional services firms such as Co-operative Financial Services and Halliwells Solicitors, but also international businesses such as Bank of New York Mellon, IBM and the State Bank of India. Manchester is also now Europe’s leading location for pan-European shared service centres and a global outsourcing centre of excellence, with companies such as Fujitsu Services, AstraZeneca, Esso Serve Europe and Teletech well established in the city region. Manchester’s manufacturing tradition is being reborn and re-engineered with advanced engineering, renewable energy and environmental technologies, all with close research links to the universities at the fore and global names like PZ Cussons, Jacobs, Shimadzu, Siemens, Brother, L’Oreal, Proctor &Gamble, Cargill, Ingersoll-Rand and Hitachi; Heinz, Kellogg’s and Warburtons in the food sector, and Adidas Reebok and Nike Umbro in sportswear. And as the development of MediaCityUK underlines, the city’s historic strength in media, with the likes of Guardian Media Group and ITV Granada is not only complemented by the significantly increased BBC presence but also by growth in the creative, digital, ICT and communications sector, attracting names like Cisco, Google and Yahoo.
sectors for manchester’s economic future Financial and Professional Services This sector is, by some margin, the largest contributor to the city region’s economy, accounting for 21.2 per cent of Gross Value Added (GVA). It currently employs more than 240,000 people across 26,300 businesses.
Creative, Digital and New Media The sector includes a range of areas including TV production, website design and advertising, which together employ over 77,000 people across more than 8,000 businesses. According to MIER, it is responsible for 5.5 per cent of Manchester’s GVA.
Life Sciences and Healthcare Manchester is home to 75 per cent of the regional life science and biomedical sector, employing over 185,000 people and producing nearly 12 per cent of the city region’s GVA.
Manufacturing The sector, as well as its sub-sectors such as advanced engineering, is a significant employer. Nearly 185,000 people, or one in seven people living in the city region, still work in manufacturing.
ICT Digital/Communications With the largest concentration of ICT industries outside the South East, the sector now boasts over 8,000 businesses, employing over 55,000 people and contributing 4.2 per cent of the GVA.
Aviation and Manchester Airport Aviation employs around 14,000 people and contributes just 1.2 per cent of the region’s GVA, but it is seen as a major growth accelerator that underpins expansion in many other sectors, such as financial and professional services and knowledge industries.
—business
38/39
Capital flows A major hub of industry and commerce, Manchester has developed into the largest sub-regional economy outside London and the South East. The city region’s economic performance over recent years has been strong with output growing at a rate above that of similar areas not only in the UK but also across Europe. Generating over £50 billion of GVA, the city region contributes 51 per cent of the Northwest’s total economic output and five per cent of the UK total. As more businesses choose to set up operations in the city region and thriving local firms expand, Manchester’s robust economy is set to strengthen even further. Over the next decade, growth is forecast to continue at an annual average of 2.1 per cent, reaffirming the Manchester City Region as a leading European economy.
5 MILLION
1.75 MILLION 5.2 MILLION 7.5 MILLION
Right 7.5 million people live within commuting distance of Manchester City Centre. To put that into perspective, 5 million people live in Scotland, while Northern Ireland has a population of just 1.75 million.
Manchester is on the up Manchester has firmly established itself as a leading European business location and in 2008 it was ranked higher than any other UK city outside London, moving up from 18th to 14th place in the Cushman & Wakefield European Cities monitor. The research was based on responses from senior executives from 500 top European companies, and also ranked Manchester as the second best city in Europe in terms of the availability of office space, and tenth when it comes to the value for money offered by this space. Manchester also performed exceptionally well in the UK version of the monitor, with executives ranking the city as their preferred choice as both a new headquarters location and for new back office functions, for the second year running. Manchester also ranked first as the city doing the most to improve and promote itself. The appeal of the city has played an important role in attracting inward investment, and this in turn has helped to fuel an unprecedented period of business growth within the city region over the last decade. But while Manchester’s economy still retains many of its traditional strengths in areas such as manufacturing and engineering, it has also embraced new technology, and taken advantage of its position as a true international hotspot for industries such as digital and biotech.
Sharp PROJECT Developed to complement MediaCityUK, the old Sharp electronics distribution centre in east Manchester is being transformed into a £5m creative and digital hub, that will create up to 500 new jobs. The 200,000 square foot building will include a choice of suites to suit all budgets, ensuring that the city continues to offer a range of locations for the creative sector, from incubators and managed workspace; through to fully-fitted production studios. The most exciting development planned for the Sharp building is a virtual Super Studio, a global network of digital production centres linked by common technology and based on a ‘follow the sun’ model. With Manchester as the UK hub, additional studios in Toronto and Perth will open up new links with the animation industry worldwide and give Manchester animators access around the world to new markets, co-productions and new global partnerships.
Bank of New York MELLON
1. MANCHESTER 2. LEEDS 3. LIVERPOOL 4. BIRMINGHAM 5. CARDIFF
Despite the turmoil in the financial markets, Manchester continues to show its resilience and quality as a European growth centre. Last year The Bank of New York Mellon announced it was to expand its operations in the city. The bank, which specialises in back office transaction processing rather than more risky trading operations, arrived in Manchester in 2005, employing 800 people at its offices in Piccadilly Gardens. In autumn 2008 the bank announced it was to employ a further 400 people at a second location in Spinningfields.
6. SHEFFIELD 7. GLASGOW 8. NEWCASTLE 9. BRISTOL 10. LONDON Left The Cushman and Wakefield UK Cities Monitor table places Manchester at No.1 for city improvement and promotion
—BUSINESS
AVIATION +3,200 CREATIVE, DIGITAL, NEW MEDIA +8,800 ICT, DIGTIAL, COMMUNICATION +17,600 LIFE SCIENCE INDUSTRIES +21,000 PROFESSIONAL SERVICES +56,400 Above Job growth 1998-2006 across Greater Manchester key sectors from MIER Baseline Report
Business Tourism Business tourism is one of the most lucrative kinds of tourism. The organisations and individuals who arrive here are attracted by the world class facilities, fine reputation and opportunities that the city offers. When the Labour Party held its annual conference in the city in 2006, Manchester’s transformation into a leading international business destination was complete. Such was the success that the Conservative and Labour parties’ annual conferences will be held in Manchester in consecutive years from 2009 until at least 2011. The opening of MediaCityUK at Salford Quays is set to boost business tourism further as the city becomes home to the UK’s largest dedicated media hub and welcomes the BBC. On top of this, other developments, such as the £20 million redevelopment of Manchester Central will create new conference facilities that will attract even more major international conferences. The city now has over 250 outstanding venues, ranging from major auditoriums like the MEN Arena, Europe’s largest indoor concert venue, to small, intimate spaces such as rooms in the historic Midland Hotel. Add to this over 5,500 hotel rooms in the city centre alone and quick and easy access to Manchester Airport; it’s clear why the city continues to attract thousands of delegates to major conferences.
40/41
MediaCityUK MediaCityUK is a 200 acre, multi-million pound development at Salford Quays that is set to become an international nucleus for creative business and media. The BBC, as anchor tenants, will be relocating five departments and 2,500 staff to MediaCityUK by 2011, and in total the development will create jobs for 15,500 people and add some £1.5 billion to the regional economy. A new iconic waterfront building for the BBC will sit opposite The Lowry and Imperial War Museum North. MediaCityUK will create world-class production facilities for the BBC that will also be available for other broadcasters and the region’s independent sector. Designers, programmers, music, advertising, video games, choreography and much more will locate to form a creative hub. The vision for MediaCityUK places creativity and the needs of the industry at its heart, with flexibility combined with a diversity of different types of business premises, incubator units and facilities that are affordable and available for short-term rent. A custom-built recording studio for the BBC Philharmonic, the largest commercial studio complex in the country, ample space for independents, floating stages for theatre and concerts, a stunning waterfront piazza, high quality technical facilities and a visitor destination that celebrates new media and creativity are all being created. MediaCityUK will also feature a Skills Centre of Excellence and a research institute, and is part of a wider 20 year regeneration programme led by the Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company.
THE JOURNEY TO A SUSTAINABLE FUTURE MUST BE TAKEN If the world’s definitive industrial city, which made its name and livelihood from coal and steam and the utilisation of natural resources, can aim to be a green city and succeed, there will be no city, anywhere in the world, that can place the environment in a pending tray labelled ‘too difficult’. The journey to a sustainable future must be taken. The price of carbon is set to challenge the price of oil as our primary economic barometer. Nations and cities that embrace a low carbon future will be more competitive and future-proofed. We have to change the way we think, the way we work and the way we live. We have to once again become the global leader in a new kind of economics.
—environment
42/43
open spaces
CORRIDOR MANCHESTER
Experiences differ. You may well be moving from train to hotel to meeting; you may be a commuter; this could be home; this could be school; you might be shopping. Whichever it is, the public realm of the city is a constant and important presence. The signs you follow, the street furniture and waste bins, the public squares, the lighting, the green between the grey and brown and red: for Manchester, it’s the places between the buildings, their animation and experience, that can really help to set this city apart. In many cases, the places and spaces are already there. In the centre of the city can be found St. Anne’s Square, Piccadilly Gardens, Exchange Square, Stevenson Square and more. Some are getting there, others are still too uninspiring. Manchester recognises the need to improve its public realm and urban green space. Transforming spaces with a high level of design quality and creating places where people want to be, pass through, feel safe in and enjoy is the primary aim. There are plans to improve the legibility of the city, with a new strategy for signage and interpretation. The University of Manchester is helping to lead the way with an £8 million project to improve the landscape and public realm along Oxford Road, an area where buses and students fill the streets. This investment will help to create attractive and inviting spaces, with stronger links to surrounding neighbourhoods through improvements such as more trees, planting, cycle and pedestrian routes, street furniture, lighting and paving. Alongside the public realm, the importance of green space cannot be underestimated. Bringing more greenery into the city centre is a key feature in the future of Manchester. Street trees, pocket parks and new areas of planting will soften the hard edges of the city and create a more attractive and healthy environment in which to be. The bits between the buildings will come to be the city’s unsung heroes. Splashes of green, striking public art and beautifully designed squares will create individual character. In a time of homogeneity it is a city’s public realm and green space that will set it apart.
Corridor Manchester is the heart of the city’s knowledge economy future. With Oxford Road at its centre it stretches from St. Peter’s Square in the north to Whitworth Park in the south. Parts of the area are undergoing the most significant development programme in the city. Well over £1.5billion is being invested by the universities and hospitals alone. But it’s not just ‘knowledge’ that gives the Corridor its edge – it is also home to some of the city’s great cultural destinations, such as Whitworth Art Gallery. The i-trees project gives a sense of what the Corridor is all about. The project will create a ‘living laboratory’, used to develop scientific techniques that can monitor environmental changes and gather information on the effects of trees and greening on improving our urban micro-climates. As we green the Corridor we will add to the world’s environmental urban-knowledge bank. Couple this with creative public realm initiatives and you have a sense of what the Corridor is and will be.
WOODLAND COVER IN GREATER MANCHESTER HAS INCREASED BY 74% IN THE LAST 20 YEARS. THE CITY PLANS TO INCREASE IT’S TREE COVER BY A FURTHER 10% BY 2010
Green Streets Climate change will impact on our city, regardless of how quickly we reduce our carbon emissions, and trees will have a frontline role to play in adapting to a shift in temperatures and an increase in the intensity and overall levels of rainfall. A Red Rose Forest initiative, the Green Streets project helps local communities in Manchester, Salford and Trafford to create greener neighbourhoods by planting street trees and flowers, making hanging baskets and establishing community gardens and environmental art works. It’s not just a case of handing out funding, Green Streets works alongside local residents to make sure they are in involved in the design, creation and maintenance of their scheme.
—environment
44/45
THE LAKES
SMITHILLS COUNTRY PARK BURRS COUNTRY PARK QUEENS PARK TANDLE HILL COUNTRY PARK
HOLLINS VALE HEATON PARK
BLACKLEACH COUNTRY PARK
BLACKLEY FOREST
LIVIA MOSTON VALE
PENNINGTON FLASH COUNTRY PARK
DAISY NOOK
PEAK DISTRICT WERNETH LOW COUNTRY PARK
SALE WATER PARK
ETHEROW COUNTRY PARK WYTHENSHAWE PARK DUNHAM PARK
LYME PARK
NORTH WALES
ANGEL MEADOW PARK
ST ANN’S SQUARE PARSONAGE GARDENS ST JOHN’S GARDEN
CLAYTON VALE
PHILIPS PARK
PEACE GARDEN
PICCADILLY GARDENS SACKVILLE PARK
HULME PARK
ALL SAINTS PARK WHITWORTH PARK
ALEXANDRA PARK PLATT FIELDS PARK
CROWCROFT PARK BIRCHFIELDS PARK CRINGLE FIELDS PARK
CHORLTON PARK
LADY BARN PARK
CHORLTON WATER PARK
FOG LANE PARK DIDSBURY PARK
HEATON MERSEY COMMON FLETCHER MOSS GARDENS
Top Green space Bottom Pocket parks and other open spaces within the city
Sense of Place
First Street Manchester
Manchester City Council and its partners carried out Sense of Place work across the city region as part of the Manchester Community Engagement Strategy, . Sense of Place is defined as a feeling of belonging, an affinity to an area that makes people want to stay. What creates this belonging is hard to pin down. It’s the sights and sounds of a place, the understanding of the community and a connection to their environment. Improving understanding of this Sense of Place meant that the Council could engage and interact with communities more effectively – looking at the city in a different way and examining the best ways of working. There are proposals to create three major public art commissions in key city centre sites to celebrate Manchester’s radical history.
ST PETER’S SQUARE St Peter’s Square is one of the most strategically important sites in Manchester. The Town Hall and Central Library can both be found here, the Metrolink runs through its heart and its location within the Corridor, which sees unprecedented levels of investment in and around Oxford Road, sees all eyes on St Peter’s Square. The Town Hall Complex is getting an overhaul and alongside this, St Peter’s Square is set to be remodelled as a key gateway to the city and the Corridor. World-class public realm will enhance the square, creating a space befitting of the Town Hall, Central Library and the redevelopment of Elizabeth House. The Metrolink that dominates much of the square will not be removed, rather the way transport moves across St Peter’s Square will be addressed to create a logical, usable gateway. It will not just be a place that people move through however. St Peter’s Square will become a quality visitor destination where people linger and visit, with the Central Library, Peace Gardens and Town Hall attracting both residents and visitors to this new civic core.
A massive vertical garden – Europe’s largest living green wall – will be created as part of a brand new development in the heart of Manchester city centre: First Street. The wall will enhance biodiversity at this city centre site, using water collected from the building to hydrate the vegetation. A green roof, travel plans and excellent public transport links and the use of ground source heating and cooling will add to the development’s sustainable credentials. The 20 acre site will incorporate over two million square feet of office space, 330,000 square feet of retail and leisure space, bars, cafés, restaurants and hotels all focused around a striking 18 metre wide, 300 metre long tree-lined boulevard. The project will have some of the UK’s most impressive public realm. The design also features four public squares for people to relax and enjoy, each with its own distinct identity. The plans for First Street demonstrate just how important the public realm is and how it can make a difference to the urban landscape. The first phase is complete with the redevelopment of the former BT building into an 180,000 square foot, BREEAM ‘excellent’ office building. This key southern gateway into Manchester City Centre is set to be one of the most exciting evelopments in the city.
REGIONAL CENTRE INNER CORE NORTH INNER CORE SOUTH HIGH DENSITY OLDER SUBURB SEMI-DETACHED SUBURB SOCIAL PERIPHERY INNER SUBURB TOWN CENTRE OUTER SUBURB MOORLAND TOWNS PROSPEROUS COUNTRY
Left Neighbourhood typologies for the Manchester City Region, taken from AGMA’s Housing Strategy.
—eNVIRONMENT
46/47
a resource in the wrong place
Fairfield anaerobic digester
Rubbish. It’s an unavoidable fact of life. How you deal with that rubbish, however, can make all the difference. Most of our waste can now be recycled and transformed into another resource. It takes a certain amount of innovation to see the potential of waste. In 2009 a new construction programme worth £3 billion will be launched to create five new biological waste treatment plants for the Manchester City Region, radically reducing landfill, boosting recycling rates, creating up to 5,000 jobs and generating enough electricity to power 10,000 homes through methane capture. Four new composting sites are also being created and seventeen household recycling centres will also be refurbished. Led by Greater Manchester Waste Disposal Authority the investment programme will give the city world class waste management facilities and cut the proportion of rubbish going to landfill from 60 per cent to 23 per cent. It’s all perfectly sustainable and has the backing of Friends of the Earth as an environmentally safe way to deal with waste. One of the largest waste Private Finance Initiative (PFI) projects in Europe can also be found in Manchester. Through a £330 million investment, two anaerobic digesters are being built to deal with residual solid waste. It gets really interesting when you learn that following anaerobic digestion, the plants will produce a compost like material for landfill remediation and biogas that, through combined heat and power (CHP), can be converted to green electricity for export to the grid.
Below, left Municipal waste arisings handled by GMWDA. Between 2004 and 2008 these decreased from 1.4m tonnes to 1.28 million tonnes.
Below, right Percentage of GMWDA municipal waste which is recycled. Between 2004 and 2008 the percentage increased from 12.5 to 34.9 per cent.
2004/2005 1.4m WASTE 2005/2006 1.38m WASTE 2006/2007 1.34m WASTE 2007/2008 1.28m WASTE
Food waste is big business. Or, at least, it has the potential to be, as Fairfield AD Ltd. has set about proving. Working in partnership with technology providers, the Bio Group, Fairfield is in the process of setting up an Anaerobic Digester (AD) plant in Stockport. The plant, scheduled to open in 2009, will provide a radical new way of dealing with biodegradable waste and will be the first of its kind in Manchester. Instead of going to landfill, food waste will be delivered to the Stockport plant and, through the process of anaerobic digestion, converted into high quality fertiliser. But that’s not all. As the food breaks down, it creates methane gas, and this is burnt to create electricity. Although the plant is still at the planning stage, Fairfield hopes to extend the scheme from businesses to collecting such waste from households. The end result of the plant is, then, threefold: reducing waste sent to landfill, generating renewable energy and also creating an entirely new product – fertiliser – that can be sold on. Fairfield plants have the ability to process around 20,000 tonnes of food waste per annum, generating enough electricity to power 500 homes.
2007/2008 34.9% RECYCLED 2006/2007 29.7% RECYCLED 2005/2006 19.6% RECYCLED 2004/2005 12.5% RECYCLED
—ENVIRONMENT
48/49
DOMESTIC 34% INDUSTRIAL, COMMERCIAL, PUBLIC SECTOR 26% ROAD TRANSPORT 29% LAND USE AND FORESTRY 11%
Industrial evolution Climate change is a recognised threat to global prosperity, and it is one of the biggest that Manchester will encounter in the coming decades. Manchester faces particular challenges, as its economy includes four sectors likely to be hit hard both by climate change legislation and changes in consumer habits: air transport, road transport, energy intensive manufacturing and textiles. But if you can’t measure something, you can’t manage it. In 2006, the government-commissioned Stern Review on the Economics of Climate Change delivered a stark warning to the global economic community: make significant, immediate investment into mitigating the worst effects of climate change or face the long-term costs of climate change later – at a cost that could be as high as 20 per cent of global GDP. A Mini-Stern Report is Manchester’s response to this warning. The report assessed the potential impact of climate change legislation on Manchester and the Northwest and found the impact could be profound. The Report is constructive – with a potential £20 billion economic gain that could be made if action is taken quickly and effectively. It reviews the potential opportunities of climate change legislation, such as new products and services based around ‘clean’ technologies, and identifies areas where mitigation is required to safeguard the sub-regional economy. In 2009, the Call to Action strategy was launched. It sets out a new way of thinking about climate change, the role that Manchester can play in leading the response to climate change and suggests a programme of immediate action. The call to action goes out to everyone in the city – from the largest business to each and every individual. Manchester wants to take the lead in tackling climate change. With the support of the population combined with several of the UK’s Manchester-based leading research centres, including the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, the Joule Centre for Energy Research, the Centre of Urban and Regional Ecology and the Centre for Air Transport and the Environment, this could surely be an achievable goal.
Above Where is it coming from? Greater Manchester’s CO2 emissions by major sectors.
OMEGA Aviation can bring economic and social benefits, but all too often it is to the cost of the environment. Climate change, local air quality and noise have all been detrimentally affected with our increasing desire to travel. Omega offers impartial, innovative insights into the environmental effects of the aviation industry as well as potential sustainability solutions. Led by Manchester Metropolitan University, this partnership project brings together the very best in the field – experts in environmental and social sciences, technology, business, economics, environment, politics and global regulation. Omega is independent of the aviation industry and government so that its work is transparent, objective and neutral. The risks and opportunities posed by aviation are a global issue and Omega has forged links with partners across the world.
A TRUE MICROCOSM OF THE WORLD
Universal free wi-fi? Of course we would; the digital age was made for Manchester. The free flow of ideas, information and of people? It must come to mark out our city as genuinely different. The diversity and richness of people and communities that will make Manchester a true microcosm of the world? This is the destination we wish to reach. The diverse city that you can get around and which offers the very best connectivity will be the city that has a future; this is Manchester.
—CONNECTIVITY
50/51
IN THE MIX
CHINESE ARTS CENTRE
Manchester is a big city. It’s one of the UK’s major conurbations and, as such, has a population to match – both in terms of numbers and diversity. It’s these people that make Manchester what it is. Beyond the city limits, each sub-region has its own identity. Bolton, Rochdale, Oldham, Bury and so on… but an overarching belonging to this part of the country is obvious. The word ‘diversity’ fits Manchester well. In 2008, there were 166 languages spoken and people settle here from as far and wide as Poland, Jamaica, India and China. It’s a multi-cultural patchwork of people. The Boho Britain Creativity Index rated Manchester as the most creative city in the UK. The Boho Britain index was produced using a similar research tool developed by Richard Florida to assess US cities. The belief is that the new ‘creative class’ is a key indicator of a city’s economic health. In the Boho Britain survey, the UK’s 40 largest cities were ranked using three creativity indicators: ethnic diversity, the proportion of gay residents, and the number of patent applications per head. Manchester’s unique mix of ethnic diversity, gay friendliness and technological innovation put it right at the top, with Leicester and London sharing second place. The universities add to the vibrancy. There are over 70,000 students in the city alone. With the influx of new students every year, the city is revitalised and seen with fresh eyes by a whole new set of people. There are more overseas student applications to the University of Manchester than any other UK university. It’s this mix of old and new, of youth and experience that make Manchester the city it is. These people are positive, innovative and sometimes even headstrong, but they put Manchester on the anthropological map.
An arts centre dedicated to the development and promotion of contemporary Chinese artists can be found in the centre of the Northern Quarter. Manchester has the second largest Chinese community in the UK. The Chinese Arts Centre is an active organisation, offering advocacy, consultancy and artist support schemes to encourage art to flourish. Working in the interests of Chinese artists, in Manchester and internationally, the Chinese Arts Centre is unique in Manchester as a gallery that focuses on contemporary art relating to a particular country or culture. Rather than simply exploring cultural heritage, the Chinese Arts Centre aims to raise the profile of Chinese artists around the world, and promotes exhibitions in house and on tour, commissions, residencies and publications. Its first major touring exhibition in 1999, Representing The People, was the first independent exhibition to show artists from mainland China in the UK and toured to four key national venues. It featured artists such as Liu Xiao Dong who has since gone on to achieve great international acclaim.
Opposite, top Significant numbers of Manchester’s residents were born outside the city. Opposite, bottom A large number of Manchester residents have a language other than English as their first. Left Most common languages spoken as a first language by Manchester’s residents.
—CONNECTIVITY
REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 10,709
NORTH AMERICA 5,687
52/53
UNITED KINGDOM 334,771
FAR EAST 5,693
EASTERN EUROPE 1,981 WESTERN EUROPE 5,861 MIDDLE EAST 3.353 NORTH AFRICA 1,604
CENTRAL AND WEST AFRICA 2,149
SOUTH ASIA 14,588
MARKETING MANCHESTER/VISIT MANCHESTER
SOUTH AND EAST AFRICA 4,276
SOUTH AMERICA 502
OCEANA 638
PASHTO SWEDISH
SPANISH URDU KOREAN
RUSSIAN
FILIPINO CARIBBEAN CREOLE
SPANISH CHITRALI
CZECH
DAR PERSIAN IGBO
INDONESIAN
MANDARIN
ARABIC
PORTUGUESE
KATCHI BEMBA
GUJARATI TIGRINYA
PANJABI SHONA
MALAYALAM
LINGALA SWAHILI PAHARI
TAGALOG SOMALI
BENGALI
CANTONESE EBIRA
MARATHI
MALAY
ZULU YORUBA
HEBREW
GA
AKAN
POLISH KURDISH
VIETNAMESE
WOLOF
JAPANESE
SLOVAK TURKISH
ITALIAN
AMHARIC
ALBANIAN
BOSNIAN GREEK
CROATIAN FARSI/PERSIAN
NDEBELE
SPANISH FLEMISH
FRENCH
SINHALA
ROMANIAN
LUGANDA
GERMAN
SERBIAN
LITHUANIAN
LATVIAN
CHICHEWA PERSIAN/FARSI
HINDI
Digital Infrastructure
MaNAP
As a city, Manchester is connected, with a booming digital industry and strong IT and telecommunications infrastructure. The city’s central UK location also means that all primary telecom carriers and fibre networks converge through it, making it a principal access point for the north of England. Having so famously developed the world’s first stored memory computer, it is fitting that Manchester should now be at the forefront of a new digital revolution, Next Generation Access. Manchester has prime mover advantage in having the UK’s only Internet Exchange outside London, one of the biggest range of digital companies in Europe and some of the best creative talent in the world. A new state-of-the-art digital infrastructure is planned for the city-region that’s based on fibre to the premises (FTTP) and advanced wireless technology. It will make Manchester the most connected, creative and innovative digital city in the country. Manchester is set to pioneer FTTP by becoming a test-bed to see exactly what the new technology is capable of. As part of a national government initiative called the ‘Digital Challenge’ the scheme will also help to take broadband into the more disadvantaged areas of Manchester, doubling the number of people who use on-line services, and creating a huge new on-line market for businesses. Bringing forward public investment projects like this is just the thing to protect existing jobs, create new ones, develop new skills and to ensure that Manchester is ready for the eventual economic upturn with one of the best digital infrastructures in the world. The need to develop Next Generation Access (NGA) is increasingly recognised as a critical infrastructure for the future development of the city region. Manchester’s Digital City project, coordinated by the Manchester Digital Development Agency (MDDA) is the first stage of delivering the digital infrastructure element of the Multi-Area Agreement. This stresses the city region’s commitment to ensure that our economic growth is not constrained by a lack of capacity in power, water, transport or digital infrastructure.
Manchester is home to the UK’s only internet exchange outside London. MaNap (Manchester Network Access Point) was established in 1997 to enable internet companies in the North and Midlands to interconnect without the massive cost of running circuits to London and back. MaNap is now one of Europe’s most mature internet exchanges and allows Internet Service Providers, telecoms companies, carriers, content and web hosting providers to make financial savings by directly connecting to each other.
WiFi City In 2006 Manchester became the largest free wireless internet hotspot in Europe when The Cloud, a leading wireless broadband network operator, launched free WiFi internet access to ‘hotzones’ across the city. These hotzones turn broadband-speed internet into radio signals which can then be accessed by laptops, PDAs, handheld games consoles and WiFi-enabled mobile phones to allow quick, free and easy internet access.
FREE WIFI TO 90% Left Manchester Digital Development Agency aims to provide free WiFi to 90 per cent of the city centre
—CONNECTIVITY
TO GLASGOW AND EDINBURGH
54/55
TO EDINBURGH AND GLASGOW
NEWCASTLE
CARLISLE
MIDDLESBROUGH
WINDEMERE
SCARBOROUGH
BARROW-IN-FURNESS LEEDS SOUTHPORT
HULL
PRESTON
LIVERPOOL SHEFFIELD
CITY CENTRE
CLEETHORPES
MANCHESTER AIRPORT Right Direct train lines from Manchester Airport, which in turn is just 15 minutes transfer from Manchester City Centre.
CREWE TO LONDON AND THE SOUTH
Manchester Airport
manchester airports grouP
Manchester Airport is a unique asset within the city region, and the only true international gateway to the whole of the north of England. It looks after 22 million passengers a year and contributes over £3 billion to the UK economy. Its role in the economic health of the city region cannot be underestimated, and it’s because of this that the threats to global aviation, and their likely impact on Manchester Airport, are being addressed through the region-wide project Air Services Development Fund. The Fund, overseen by the Northwest Regional Development Agency, Manchester Airport, Marketing Manchester and MIDAS, is channelling significant funding to develop and safeguard routes from Manchester Airport to North America and India. The Airport has spent millions of pounds redeveloping its terminals, improving layout, signage, traffic flow, shops, catering and security services. Following the completion of the new Station in 2004, as part of the Airport’s new Ground Transport Interchange, the Airport is now at the heart of the rail system, with links to a wide range of destinations across the north of England as a whole, supporting the Airport as the major facility of its kind outside the South East. Beyond this, the ground transport strategy seeks to secure the new Metrolink extension into the Airport through Wythenshawe, providing a new spine of connectivity between the city region’s two primary economic drivers – the Airport and city centre – through a major regeneration area. Through a combination of these major initiatives and improved internal activities the Airport aims to achieve a position of carbon neutral ground operations by 2015.
Manchester can lay claim to the country’s largest UK-owned airport operator, Manchester Airports Group (MAG). With four airports – Manchester, East Midlands, Bournemouth and Humberside – it currently serves over 29 million passengers every year. MAG is publicly owned by the ten Greater Manchester local authorities. Manchester Airport itself has a massive impact on the region. It is home to over 100 airlines offering direct flights to 225 worldwide destinations; 22 million passengers pass through every year; and 19,000 people are directly employed. In 2008, Manchester Airport was voted the Best UK Airport by the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards. In 2007, it won England’s Best Regional Airport in the World Travel Awards. In previous years Manchester Airport has scooped many more industry awards, including the Gold Environment Business Pledge Award for outstanding environmental performance.
getting around All great cities depend on an efficient transport infrastructure. If the experience of a city is that of congested roads and an inefficient public transport system, people will be left with largely negative perceptions. And these people can be tourists, business people, potential investors, decision-makers – the very people that can drive the city’s economy. As a centre of social and economic activity, Manchester City Centre relies heavily on mobility in and out of the area. Increasing numbers of people travelling to the city centre have led to a rise in the numbers of apartments, bars, shops, restaurants and other leisure activities. But an increase in cars moving in and out of the city can also lead to congestion. The city’s local transport plan is not about reducing the number of people coming to Manchester – the vibrancy of the city depends on them. It is about making sure that people can access the city centre quickly and efficiently, no matter how they choose to travel. The Metrolink is set to benefit from a £600 million project, which will nearly double the size of the network. New Metrolink lines are expected to take five million car journeys off local roads every year, and to increase the number of trips passengers make on the network each day from 55,000 to more than 90,000. The new lines, which will open up new links to work and leisure for thousands more people across the city region, will run to: MediaCityUK, to provide an important link to this new media hub; Chorlton, to serve the large concentration of commuters; Oldham, with a new interchange at the Central Park business development; Rochdale, to support regeneration in the north east of the region and provide a link to the Kingsway Business Park; and Droylsden, with a dedicated service for Sportcity and east Manchester. The new services are due to be up and running between 2010 and 2012. From light rail to heavy, a new and detailed study has been launched by Network Rail into the ‘Manchester Hub’, a plan to explore how best to increase the number of trains that are able to run through Manchester, enabling more and faster trains to operate across the North, particularly key services between Liverpool, Manchester, Leeds and Newcastle. The increased capacity could also potentially allow faster and more direct services to Manchester Airport, and more freight traffic to connect with northern ports. The Manchester Hub concept is built around the recent White Paper which set out the Government’s plans for increasing capacity on the railway, including a 30 year strategy, and committed £15bn of subsidy for the railway over five years. It identified Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield and Newcastle as cities that will benefit from more carriages on urban services and also set out plans for faster journey times on the TransPennine route between Liverpool, Manchester and Leeds, and pledged to improve reliability so that 92 per cent of trains will run on time.
VICTORIA STATION This beautiful Edwardian station has been the northern gateway to the city centre since the 18th Century. Trains from places such as Blackpool, Glasgow, Liverpool, Sheffield and London brought visitors and commuters to the heart of the city. Over the years, the station’s age began to tell and what was once an architectural masterpiece is in real need of refurbishment. A £300 million masterplan will bring Manchester Victoria into the 21st Century. Covering approximately 2.3 acres, a huge mixed-use development will include office, retail, hotel and residential accommodation, together with station improvements. With Chetham’s School of Music, Urbis and the Co-operative, the area will form a coherent whole with new public realm and buildings of high architectural quality. No longer will it be a place to pass through from train to town, it will be a place to stop and explore.
PICCADILLY STATION Manchester’s Piccadilly station was recently voted the nation’s favourite station amongst passengers, with 92 per cent of travellers saying they were satisfied with the overall environment, in a survey conducted by the consumer group Passenger Focus. Piccadilly is one of three main stations in Manchester and handles over 83,000 passengers and 1,000 train movements every day and has been through a major physical transformation in the last ten years. Between 1998 and 2000, over £27 million was spent modernising the station. The money was invested in lighting, platform surfaces, signage and construction work, which won an award for the station’s architects, BDP. More recent improvements to the Station have included new customer information systems, high quality shopping and eating, a larger ticket office and travel centre, and improved pedestrian access.
—CONNECTIVITY
56/57
EMBRACE THE SPIRIT OF THE AGE
What next for the Original Modern city? As an industrial powerhouse we helped to shape and define the modern age. As an engine of ideas we unleashed radical reforms and scattered scientific revolutions across the globe. Now Manchester is reinventing itself once more to become a sustainable, innovative and rewarding home to the people and businesses that will shape the 21st Century. Strong leadership will be critical; early and robust action to tackle climate change will be a signature; a passion for science, discovery and new thinking will mark us out. Tough decisions will be made and enlightened solutions will be found. Britain’s ‘other city’ is set once more to emerge from a time of change to embrace the spirit of the age.
—direction
58/59
ASSOCIATION OF GREATER MANCHESTER AUTHORITIES
BUSINESS LEADERSHIP COUNCIL
CITYCO
CORRIDOR MANCHESTER
GM CHAMBER
GREATER MANCHESTER POLICE
HIGHER EDUCATION
MANCHESTER AIRPORT
MANCHESTER CITY COUNCIL
MANCHESTER: KNOWLEDGE CAPITAL
MARKETING MANCHESTER/VISIT MANCHESTER
MIDAS
NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE
NEW EAST MANCHESTER
NORTHWEST REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT AGENCY
PRIVATE SECTOR
PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS
—DIRECTION
60/61
DYNAMIC LEADERSHIP
Guide to the city region
Manchester is a city that embraces change. From models of industry to culture, politics and sustainability, the city is not afraid to pioneer. It has moved from a post-industrial, regional capital to a culturally vibrant, internationally relevant and politically astute city region. The reasons for this are many, but central to this shift is a genuine sense of leadership across the city, where collaboration, openness and strategic thinking have delivered some remarkable projects that stand as shining examples of what can be achieved when you work together towards a common goal. Manchester is forging partnerships across the city region, with new commissions being set up to direct and monitor specific elements of a Greater Manchester Strategic Plan, including: Transport; Housing and Planning; Health Inequalities; Public Protection; Economic Development, Employment and Skills; Environmental Protection; and Improvement and Efficiency.
The ten boroughs that make up Greater Manchester are: Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan. Manchester City Region is the extended territory across which the core urban centre draws people for work and many different services, including health, leisure and retail. The city region is defined as the ten Greater Manchester local authorities plus East Cheshire (formerly Local Authorities of Macclesfield, Congleton and Crewe and Nantwich) and Warrington. AGMA (the Association of Greater Manchester Authorities) is a partnership between the ten local authorities within the Greater Manchester area and fosters co-operation on a number of issues, both statutory and non-statutory, where there is the possibility of improving service delivery by working together. To further increase this partnership working, AGMA also includes unitary local authorities from the surrounding areas of Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool and Warrington as associate members.
THE MANCHESTER WAY A high profile and visible leadership is driving the city forward. There are strategies designed to underpin Manchester’s position within the global marketplace, to help make it as competitive as the very best international cities. The focus on becoming a Knowledge Capital underpins a commitment to education and employment, setting Manchester apart as a uniquely enterprising, creative and industrious city, continuously striving to go further. As Manchester continues to grow, it is essential that all its residents are provided with the opportunity to reach their full potential, that all communities feel secure and proud, and that a wealthier population lives longer, happier and healthier lives.
Opposite Partnership working is a key feature of Manchester and this graphic shows just a small selection of partners working for a better future.
this world, this city This city has always known that significance is what matters. How daily revolutions scatter out across the globe. How works and acts can improve the lives of citizens. How hope and feeling and belief can be constantly found in a city that knows where it wants to go. The mix of social, technological, environmental and economic change presents fresh challenges and opportunities for the city but these are marked by an enduring appetite to respond with new ideas, partnerships and enterprises that make the city stronger and ever-more relevant. Manchester has built a textile trade, fostered radical social movements, embraced computing, invented dance music, and fabricated graphene. Manchester Forward marks out the city’s trajectory. From business to education; culture to sustainability; innovation to infrastructure, there is still work to be done but the very strongest of foundations upon which to build. The revelation is that Manchester is not an industrial city in any conventional sense. It wasn’t then; it isn’t now. This is a knowledge city – an ideopolis – that moves from invention to application quickly and assuredly. Industry is an outcome. Manchester likes to get things done. Presence, and presence of mind, is critical. How Manchester negotiates its role and purpose, sometimes as Britain’s other city but more often as its own centre of international relevance and activity, is of the highest importance. This is a city, a people and a place that will continue to surprise, reward and challenge those who have the ambition and appetite to shape the future.
—OUTRO
62/63
Above Greater Manchester’s international friendship agreements and linkages.
colophon Manchester Forward was possible thanks to the contributions, intelligence and support of the following organisations. CityCo The Commission for Economic Development, Employment and Skills Corridor Manchester GMPTE Manchester Airport Group Manchester Digital Development Agency Manchester International Festival Manchester: Knowledge Capital Manchester Metropolitan University MIDAS New East Manchester Northwest Regional Development Agency University of Bolton University of Manchester University of Salford URBED Visit Manchester
Published by Manchester City Council and Marketing Manchester. Written and produced by Creative Concern. Creative Consultant Peter Saville. Photography by Jan Chlebik.