Mediacity:uk

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Mediacity:uk

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Construction of mediacity:uk in February 2008

Construction of mediacity:uk in March 2008

mediacity:UK is a property development based on the media industry, located in Salford Quays, in Salford, England. mediacity:uk is being developed by a partnership of the Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company, Peel Holdings and Salford City Council. Key advisor on the development of media cities worldwide is Michael Joroff of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) who also advises on the development of Digital Media City Seoul, South Korea, and Digital Mile in Zaragoza, Spain.^[1] mediacity:uk is supported by Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council. The main tenant upon initial completion will be the BBC, though other media related companies, including ITV^[2], are expected to join them.

Location
BBC's involvement
School
References
See also
External links

Location

Salford Quays is an area of Salford, England, near the end of the Manchester Ship Canal and just to the north of Trafford. Previously the site of Salford Docks, it became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom following the closure of the dockyards in 1982.

mediacity:uk is located on a plot of land between Broadway and The Quays. Further expansion in the future may involve expanding mediacity over the ship canal towards Trafford Wharf Road.

The areas immediately around MediaCity:UK are undergoing regeneration in preparation for the workforce which will move to the area. Some developers including the internationally celebrated Yoo^[3] and regeneration specialist LPC Living who are regenerating the Ordsall site next to Salford Quays^[4].

BBC's involvement

It is believed that the BBC's very first regional TV studio was also in Manchester – Studio A at Dickenson Road – which it had bought from Mancunian Films in 1954.^[5]

In 2007, it was confirmed that the BBC would be moving five of its departments to a new development on Pier 9, to be called mediacity:uk.^[6] The affected departments are BBC Children's, BBC Children's Learning, BBC Sport, BBC Radio Five Live, and parts of BBC Future Media and Technology (including a small number from BBC R&D), involving about staff.^[7] The move, expected to be completed by 2011, marks a major decentralisation of the corporation's operations, and will represent the BBC's largest presence outside of London. The arrival of the BBC is expected to attract other media, broadcasting, and filmmaking companies to the area.

It is claimed that mediacity:uk will create up to jobs and add Ł1bn to the regional economy over 5 years.^[8]

BBC North Project – aka "Out of London" – is now used by the BBC to describe the creation of a new 200-acre mediacity:uk at Salford Quays, Greater Manchester on land owned by Peel Holdings who have planning permission for the central 36 acres of this site.^[9] In 2006 Salford was named as the chosen location by the Board of Governors ^[10] and in 2007 the go-ahead was given to the project by the BBC Trust.^[11]

School

In 2008, Salford school Hope High School, located on Eccles Old Road, changed it's name to Oasis Academy MediaCity:UK. The reason for the change was it's new organisation, being sponsored by Oasis Community Learning, which is a separate charity, but is part of the Oasis Global family. The school is now focussing on IT and Media. For it's first 3 years as an academy, it will stay in it's current location, before moving to a new premises in Salford Quays in September 2011. The school now has many different partnerships, the BBC now being a main one. The school will now also be a sixth form starting from next year, therefore providing learning to 11-18 year olds.