MediaCityUK

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MediaCityUK at night

MediaCityUK is a 200-acre mixed-use property development site at Salford Quays in southern Lancashire. It stands on the bank of the Manchester Ship Canal in the City of Salford. The project is being developed by Peel Media, part of the Peel Group, and its principal tenants are media organisations. The land occupied by the development was part of the Port of Manchester and Manchester Docks.

The BBC signalled its intention to move jobs to south Lancashire in 2004, and the Salford Quays site was chosen in 2006. The Peel Group was granted planning permission to develop the site in 2007, and construction of the development, with its own energy generation plant and communications network, began the same year.

The principal tenant is the British Broadcasting Corporation, whose move to Quay House at MediaCityUK marks a large-scale decentralisation from London. BBC Children's, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Research and BBC Sport are among the departments relocated to the development.

ITV Granada has also moved from its Granada Studios in Manchester to MediaCityUK in 2012. The Studios on Broadway house seven high-definition studios, claimed to be the largest such facility in Europe.

Phases

MediaCityUK is to be developed in two phases. The 36-acre first phase was completed in 2011, with the second dependent on its success. Metrolink, the light-rail system serving Manchester, Salford and their surrounding towns, was extended to MediaCityUK with the opening of the MediaCityUK Metrolink station on 20 September 2010,[1] and further extensions are planned. Road access was improved by the construction of Broadway Link Road.

Location

A 1924 map of Manchester Docks

Salford Quays, at the eastern end of the Manchester Ship Canal on the site of the former Manchester Docks, became one of the first and largest urban regeneration projects in the United Kingdom after the closure of the dockyards in 1982.[2] It forms part of an area known as The Quays, a joint tourism initiative between the two local authorities here. The Quays also encompass Trafford Wharf and Old Trafford, on the Manchester side of the ship canal. As well as Salford Quays, The Quays development includes The Lowry Arts Centre and the Imperial War Museum North.[3]

A total of 200 acres of land have been earmarked for the development of MediaCityUK.[4] The first phase of MediaCityUK's development was primarily focused on a 36-acre site at Pier 9 of Salford Quays.[5] In 2010 it was announced that an ITV production centre would be built on Trafford Wharf opposite.[6]

Development

Construction activity, December 2008

In 2003 reports emerged that, as part of the plans for the renewal of its Royal Charter, the BBC was considering moving whole channels or strands of production from London to Manchester.[7] Early discussions involved a plan where the BBC would move to a new media village proposed by Granada Television at its Bonded Warehouse site at Granada Studios in the city.[8][9]

Construction started in 2007 with the site owner, Peel Group as developer and Bovis Lend Lease as contractor.[10] The media facilities opened in stages from 2007. The first facility being the Pie Factory, which was located in a refurbished bakery. It featured three large sound stages suitable for drama productions and commercials.[11][12] In January 2011 Peel Media received planning permission to convert on-site offices used by Bovis Lend Lease during the construction of the first phase into the Greenhouse.[13]

The coming of the BBC

Proposals to relocate 1800 jobs to Manchester were unveiled by BBC Director General, Mark Thompson, in December 2004. The BBC justified the move as its spending per head was low in Manchester, it had low approval ratings in the north and its facilities at New Broadcasting House needed replacing.[14][15]

An initial list of 18 sites was narrowed to a short-list of four during 2005, two in Manchester – one at Quay Street, close to Granada Studios, and one on Whitworth Street and two in Salford – one close to the Manchester Arena and one at Pier 9 on Salford Quays.[16] The site at Salford Quays was chosen in June 2006 and the move north was conditional on a satisfactory licence fee settlement from Parliament.[17]

The chosen site was the last undeveloped site at Manchester Docks, an area that had been subject to considerable investment and was emerging as a tourist destination, residential and commercial centre. The vision of the developers Peel Group, Salford City Council, the Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company and the Northwest Regional Development Agency was to create a significant new media city capable of competing on a global scale with developments in Copenhagen and Singapore.[4]

The first trial show took place in November 2010 in Studio HQ2.[18] The half-hour test show featured a power failure and a fire drill, which involved a full evacuation of the audience and crew.[18] The first programme filmed at MediaCityUK was Don't Scare the Hare in February 2011, and the first to transfer was A Question of Sport, the same month.[19] BBC employees started transferring to the development in May 2011, a process that will take 36 weeks. BBC Director General Mark Thompson confirmed that up to a further 1000 jobs could be created or transferred to the site.[20][21]

The BBC has stated that either BBC One or BBC Two could move to MediaCityUK by 2015 if the confirmed moves are successful.[22]

Others

Granada television has relocated to MediaCityUK. Channel 4 has expressed an interest in moving some activities here too.[23]

Satellite Information Services has occupied an office at The Pie Factory since 2006. In 2010 SIS formed a joint venture with Peel to manage the studios: as part of the deal its production and engineering operations will move from London between 2011 and 2013.[24][25] In 2011 SIS announced it would move its headquarters from London.

The University of Salford moved its media-related teaching and research to the MediaCityUK site in October 2011.[26]

There is a diverse mix of about 40 service companies, along with small companies offering ancillary services such as casting and camera hire, occupying The Pie Factory and The Greenhouse.[11][27]

Oasis Academy MediaCityUK is an evangelical Christian organisation, formerly called Oasis Community Learning.[28] It was renamed when taking its new premises in Salford Quays, on the edge of the MediaCityUK site.[29]

Buildings and facilities

Traditional street names are not used in the development. The main thoroughfares are styled blue, white, pink, yellow, orange, purple and green where street furniture and coloured ambient lighting will be colour-coded to match. A stylised map of the site has been devised. Landscape architects, Gillespies regenerated the brownfield site to create public spaces.[30] The focal point is a piazza and landscaped park, which stretches to the ship canal around which the buildings are located. The piazza's two distinct areas, The Green and The Stage are capable of holding events for up to 6500 people.[31] In front of The Studios there is a free-standing big screen, which is viewable from the piazza.[32]

The BBC occupy three buildings: Bridge House, Dock House, and Quay House, all designed by architects Wilkinson Eyre. With simple forms intended to harmonise with their waterfront settings, the buildings provide 450,000 square feet of accommodation.[33]

The Piazza at night
  • Quay House is the BBC's 135,000-square foot main building from where BBC Breakfast, Match of the Day, BBC Radio 5 Live, North West Tonight and BBC Radio Manchester are broadcast.[34]
  • Bridge House is where Blue Peter, Mastermind, Dragons Den and BBC Bitesize are produced.[34]
  • Dock House contains the BBC's Research and Religion and Ethics departments.[34] In November 2011 BBC Radio 6 Music teams moved from New Broadcasting House into Dock House, where some programmes for BBC Radio 4 are made.[35]
  • Orange is an 11-storey building, designed by architects Sheppard Robson. It is a glazed structure with four types of cladding, including one made of folded aluminium in a diamond pattern. It houses departments from the University of Salford on three floors and on seven floors, staff from ITV Granada.[36][37]
  • The Studios on Broadway,[38] contain seven high-definition studios, claimed by Peel Media to be the largest such facility in Europe.[39] The largest has an area of 12,500 square feet, making it one of the biggest in western Europe.[10] Fitting began in 2010 at a cost of £22 million, in time for the BBC's move in summer 2011.[40] The seven studios vary in size; the large studios are on the ground floor, and the smaller studios on the first floor. The larger of two audio studios, sitting on hydraulic jacks to insulate it from noise generated in the surrounding studios, is dedicated to the BBC Philharmonic Orchestra.[25] The studio block contains offices and the glass-fronted, 16-storey Holiday Inn hotel.[41]
  • The Pie Factory occupies the former Freshbake factory, which after closing in 2006, was converted by Peel Media into a TV, film and commercial production facility. The bakery's facilities were renovated into three sound stages, anxilliary and office space. It opened in 2007 and was the first working studio complex at MediaCityUK.[25][42]
  • The Greenhouse designed by architects Stephenson Bell, is a refurbished three-storey office block that has been converted into small, flexible office suites for small companies in the media and creative industries.[13]
  • TheHeart and NumberOne are the residential elements of the development, providing 378 apartments in two tower blocks. TheHeart is a 22-storey apartment building on the quayside and NumberOne, another 22-storey building, is next to the studio facilities.[25]

Footbridge

The MediaCityUK footbridge at Salford Quays

The opening swing footbridge at Salford Quays links MediaCityUK with Trafford Wharf on the southern bank of the ship canal. It was designed by Wilkinson Eyre in association with Gifford]]. The bridge's main span is 213 feet when open and provides a 157-foot wide navigation channel accommodating ships' superstructures up to 66 feet in height.

The developers specified the bridge to be "a unique and memorable landmark". Its visibility is created by a curved bridge deck with an offset pivot mast and array of supporting cables in a fan or sail shape. It has seating benches and is lit at night.[43][44]

The bridge is the final link in a circular walking route connecting the development with The Lowry and Imperial War Museum North. It was officially opened by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York, Rowan Williams and John Sentamu, and was opened to the public in May 2011 after landscaping works were completed.[45]

Power generation

The development is powered by a gas-powered trigeneration energy plant producing electricity for cooling and heating using water from the ship canal. It is more than twice as efficient as conventional grid electricity and helped the development gain BREEAM sustainable community status.[32] The communications network is one of the most advanced in the world, with more than 20 million metres of fibre optic cable capable of delivering the internet speeds required for media production.[46]

Criticism

The architecture at MediaCity has been criticised by the editor of Building Design magazine, Ellis Woodman, who describes it as "a crazed accumulation of development in which every aimlessly gesticulating building sports at least three different cladding treatments. The overriding sense is one of extreme anxiety on the part of the architect. Quite how the BBC has stooped this low is hard to fathom."[47] The development was awarded the Carbuncle Cup by Building Design magazine for the worst new building in 2011.[48] Owen Hatherley writing in The Guardian criticised the development as "an enclave, easily closed off from the life of the rest of the city".[49]

Transport

The MediacityUK Metrolink station

The MediaCityUK Metrolink station opened on 20 September 2010,[1] part of the Metrolink light-rail system serving the Manchester conurbation. It lies at the end of a quarter-mile spur from the Eccles line, which was built as part of Phase 3 of the Metrolink expansion project. Trams run to Cornbrook via Harbour City.

Vehicular access to The Quays has been improved by the construction of Broadway Link Road, which links the site to the M602 motorway at junction 2, and by the provision of car parking. The high-rise 2,116-space multi-storey car park was completed in August 2009. It is a pre-cast curved structure clad in a mixture of aluminium mesh panels and shaded aluminium tiles, comprising 11 floors of parking above the development's energy centre and commercial units.[50]

A high-frequency bus service links MediaCityUK to East Didsbury, Manchester city centre, Salford Central and Salford Crescent railway stations, the University of Salford and Salford Shopping Centre.[51]

Footpaths and cycleways to Manchester city centre and 300 cycle racks will encourage healthy and green ways of accessing the site.[52]

Outside links

 ("Wikimedia Commons" has material
about MediaCityUK)

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Metrolink trams pull in to MediaCityUK station for first time", Manchester Evening News, 20 September 2010, http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/transport/public_transport/s/1328314_metrolink_trams_pull_in_to_mediacityuk_station_for_first_time, retrieved 25 September 2010 
  2. ↑ Salford Quays Milestones: The Story of Salford Quays - Salford City Council
  3. ↑ [Welcome to The Quays - Quays Partnership]
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 (PDF) Media City Planning Guidance 2007, Salford Council, http://www.salford.gov.uk/d/mediacity-planning-guidance-17-01-07amended2a.pdf, retrieved 3 October 2011 
  5. ↑ MediaCityUK, Salford City Council, http://www.salford.gov.uk/mediacityuk.htm, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  6. ↑ "Council welcomes ITV plans to move Coronation Street to Trafford Wharf", trafford.gov.uk, 16 December 2010, http://www.trafford.gov.uk/news/press/details.asp?ID=2208 
  7. ↑ Snoddy, Raymond (21 November 2003), "BBC may switch channel to North", The Times, http://docs.newsbank.com/openurl?ctx_ver=z39.88-2004&rft_id=info:sid/iw.newsbank.com:AWNB:LTIB&rft_val_format=info:ofi/fmt:kev:mtx:ctx&rft_dat=0FEFBBA2CBFCA10E&svc_dat=InfoWeb:aggregated5&req_dat=1054640702C8DBC0, retrieved 7 October 2011  Subscription or UK public library membership required
  8. ↑ Brown, Maggie (10 May 2004), "ITV fears for shared Manchester studios", The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2004/may/10/broadcasting.bbc?INTCMP=SRCH, retrieved 7 October 2011 
  9. ↑ Ottewell, David (19 November 2003), "Granada moving, but only next door", Manchester Evening News, http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/73/73449_granada_moving_but_only_next_door.html, retrieved 7 October 2011 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "Media City, Salford: This is the BBC", building.co.uk, 18 September 2009, http://www.building.co.uk/media-city-salford-this-is-the-bbc/3148736.article, retrieved 20 July 2011 
  11. ↑ 11.0 11.1 Thoroughly Satisfying Welcome to the Pie Factory at MediaCityUK, The Pie Factory, http://www.thepiefactory.co.uk/, retrieved 5 August 2011 
  12. ↑ Donohue, Simon (15 January 2007), "Give pie regards to Broadway...", Manchester Evening News, http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/233280_give_pie_regards_to_broadway, retrieved 7 October 2011 
  13. ↑ 13.0 13.1 Green Light for the Greenhouse, The Peel Group, http://www.peel.co.uk/news/greenlightforthegreenhousemediacityuk, retrieved 7 October 2011 
  14. ↑ Breen, Rozina (7 December 2004), "BBC plans for Manchester move", BBC News, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/4072649.stm, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  15. ↑ "Thompson says BBC 'must keep up'", BBC News, 8 December 2004, http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4077355.stm, retrieved 7 October 2011 
  16. ↑ Gibson, Owen (22 October 2005), "BBC a step closer to Manchester move", The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2005/oct/22/broadcasting.bbc?INTCMP=SRCH, retrieved 7 October 2011 
  17. ↑ Deans, Jason (15 June 2006), BBC: It's Salford! Maybe..., Guardian News and Media, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/organgrinder/2006/jun/15/bbcmanchestermoveitssalfor, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Cowan, Katy (3 December 2010), "MediaCityUK produces first show from new studio complex", creativeboom.co.uk, http://www.creativeboom.co.uk/north-west/news/mediacityuk-produces-first-show-from-new-studio-complex/ 
  19. ↑ Linton, Deborah (4 February 2011), "What happened next? BBC favourite A Question of Sport starts new era at MediaCity", Manchester Evening News, http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1407245_what_happened_next_bbc_favourite_a_question_of_sport_starts_new_era_at_mediacity 
  20. ↑ Turner, Ben (11 May 2011), "BBC director general Mark Thompson says MediaCity to become 'magnet' to stars as 150 staff move in", Manchester Evening News, http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/s/1420309_bbc-director-general-mark-thompson-says-mediacity-to-become-magnet-to-stars-as-150-staff-move-in 
  21. ↑ Carter, Helen (11 May 2011), "BBC prepares for move to Salford", guardian.co.uk (Guardian News and Media), http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/the-northerner/2011/may/11/salford-mediacity-bbc-staff-move 
  22. ↑ Conlan, Tara (10 May 2011), BBC could move another channel to Salford, Guardian News and Media, http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2011/may/10/bbc-salford-mark-thompson 
  23. ↑ "mediacity:uk – Channel 4 doesn't rule out involvement", How-Do, 27 March 2007, http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/mediacity%3Auk-%E2%80%93-channel-4-doesn%E2%80%99t-rule-out-involvement-20070327193 
  24. ↑ Peel toasts 'extraordinary year' at Media City, Place North West, 22 December 2010, http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/7963-peel-toasts-extraordinary-year-at-media-city.html, retrieved 13 October 2012 
  25. ↑ 25.0 25.1 25.2 25.3 "MediaCityUK background briefing", MediaCityUK, http://www.bcsc.org.uk/conference/bcsc2011/pdf/MediaCityUKBackgroundBriefing2011.pdf, retrieved 6 August 2011 
  26. ↑ "University of Salford opens at MediaCityUK". BBC News. 4 October 2011. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-15166950. Retrieved 6 October2011. 
  27. ↑ "The Greenhouse", MediaCityUK, http://thegreenhouse.mediacityuk.co.uk/, retrieved 5 August 2011 
  28. ↑ Salford Oasis Academy MediaCityUK, , Salford Star, 10 February 2010, http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=474, retrieved 11 January 2011 
  29. ↑ "Academy reaches new heights!", Oasis Academy MediaCityUK, http://www.oasisacademymediacityuk.org/academy-life/news/view/item92227/, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  30. ↑ Case studies mediaCityUK, The Landscape Institute, http://www.landscapeinstitute.org/casestudies/casestudy.php?id=119, retrieved 10 October 2011 
  31. ↑ MediaCityUK: where the streets have no name in Salford, BBC News, 24 September 2010, http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/manchester/hi/people_and_places/newsid_9032000/9032134.stm, retrieved 25 September 2010 
  32. ↑ 32.0 32.1 Site visit: Inside Media City UK, Place Northwest, http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/6749-site-visit-inside-media-city-uk.html, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  33. ↑ "BBC North", Wilkinson Eyre.Architects, http://www.wilkinsoneyre.com/projects/bbc-north.aspx?category=europe-and-russia, retrieved 3 October 2011 
  34. ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 Salmon, Peter (17 September 2010). "MediaCityUK – there's a lot in a name". BBC Blogs. http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/aboutthebbc/2010/09/-canals-are-very-under-ratedth.shtml. 
  35. ↑ BBC 6 Music moves to MediaCityUK, How-do, 6 March 2012, http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/bbc-6-music-moves-to-mediacityuk-20111114100955902 
  36. ↑ Pritchard, Owen (19 October 2010), "First Look Sheppard Robson's Mediacity masterpiece", Architects Journal, http://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/daily-news/first-look-sheppard-robsons-mediacity-centrepiece/5207414.article, retrieved 3 October 2011 
  37. ↑ "ITV Granada move to MediaCityUK confirmed, Corrie off to Salford", How-Do North West, 16 December 2010, http://www.how-do.co.uk/north-west-media-news/north-west-broadcasting/itv-granada-move-to-mediacityuk-confirmed,-corrie-off-to-salford-201012169852/ 
  38. ↑ "The Studios, MediaCityUK", BBC, http://www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtours/shows/venues/media_city, retrieved 6 ;August 2011 
  39. ↑ "Studios", mediacityuk.co.uk, http://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/studios, retrieved 19cJuly 2011 
  40. ↑ "Peel Media secures £22m funding for MediaCityUK studios", Manchester Evening News, 16 February 2011, http://menmedia.co.uk/manchestereveningnews/news/business/s/1408368_peel_media_secures_22m_funding_for_mediacityuk_studios, retrieved 6 August 2011 
  41. ↑ Manchester MediaCityUK, http://www.holidayinn.com/hotels/gb/en/manchester/mchmc/hoteldetail, retrieved 10 August 2011 
  42. ↑ The Pie Factory, MediaCityUK, http://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/studios/the-pie-factory, retrieved 9 October 2011 
  43. ↑ Media City Footbridge, Wilkinson Eyre.Architects, http://www.wilkinsoneyre.com/projects/media-city-footbridge.aspx?category=bridges, retrieved 3 October 2011 
  44. ↑ MediaCity Footbridge, Gifford UK, http://www.gifford.uk.com/services/bridge-engineering/project/mediacity-footbridge/, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  45. ↑ Archbishops first to step onto MediaCityUK bridge, North West Development Agency, http://www.nwda.co.uk/news--events/press-releases/201101/archbishops-first-to-step-onto.aspx, retrieved 9 October 2011 
  46. ↑ "Technology", MediaCityUK, http://www.mediacityuk.co.uk/our-community/technology, retrieved 9 October 2011 
  47. ↑ Merrick, Jay (2 September 2011), "BBC's new home is named worst building in UK", The Independent, http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/architecture/bbcs-new-home-is-named-worst-building-in-uk-2347839.html, retrieved 9 October 2011 
  48. ↑ Glancey, Jonathan (1 September 2011), Carbuncle Cup 2011: MediaCityUK is crowned Britain's ugliest new building, Guardian News and Media, http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/sep/01/carbuncle-cup-2011-mediacityuk-bbc, retrieved 11 October 2011 
  49. ↑ Hatherley, Owen (20 July 2012), "The story of the BBC, as told by its buildings", The Guardian, http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jul/20/story-bbc-buildings-broadcasting-house, retrieved 25 September 2012 
  50. ↑ MediaCity Salford Quays, S.C.C., http://www.sccltd.co.uk/mediacity.html, retrieved 6 October 2011 
  51. ↑ "City Connect 50", Stagecoach Bus, http://www.stagecoachbus.com/CityConnect-50.aspx, retrieved 4 September 2012 
  52. ↑ "MediaCityUK", Salford Council, http://www.salford.gov.uk/mediacityuk.htm, retrieved 5 August 2011 
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