MediaCityUK

MediaCityUK will be Europe's first purpose-built creative & media development. It is an innovative complex designed to bring together companies from across the sector and establish an international centre for excellence in the digital media and creative industries. MediaCityUK is being developed and managed by Peel Media, a division of the Peel Group.

As well as being home to five BBC departments, MediaCityUK is expected to create more than 15,000 jobs; deliver £1 billion in additional net value to the Northwest's economy over five years, once complete; and provide workspace for more than 1,100 creative and related businesses.

As the UK’s largest construction project outside of the Olympic Park – and the third biggest in Europe – MediaCityUK is already making a significant impact on the local and regional economy providing jobs, skills and wider community benefits.

As a key driver of economic growth, the NWDA is investing directly into MediaCityUK. The NWDA is one of the key public sector partners in the development and is investing over £30 million towards the MediaCityUK Infrastructure Works project.

Infrastructure Works

The Infrastructure Works project includes:

• Pedestrian Link Bridge: a new bridge connecting MediaCityUK across the Ship Canal to the Trafford side and Imperial War Museum
• Main Piazza: the principal focus point for MediaCityUK which will be able to hold 4,000 people. The spectacular Piazza will be the centre piece of MediaCityUK, almost twice the size of Trafalgar Square, with landscaped gardens and seating areas, this WiFi enabled outdoor area will provide a natural meeting and networking point. A future venue for key outdoor events.
• Media Wall: a large scale video screen and other smaller scale video displays within the Media Zone.
• Canopies to main Piazza: a covered walkway providing all weather protection for workers, residents and visitors to the main piazza.
• Extension to Metrolink: (the Agency’s £7.2 million investment in this element is being provided to GMPTE to deliver the project) Key elements include 400m Metrolink rail spur to the heart of MediaCityUK and a new tram stop. This will provide a service every 6 minutes from Manchester to MediaCityUK and the wider Quays.

Media Enterprise Centre

Media Enterprise Centre – which will be located within the heart of MediaCityUK – will support skills development, stimulate and support research activities, provide access to specialist business services, offer business accelerator space for cohabiting businesses, offer a range of business centre services including flexible meeting/demo space, and provide a focal point for social networking. 

The NWDA is currently working in partnership with Salford City Council to develop an operational model and funding for the Media Enterprise Centre, and for a number of strategic projects and facilities that will be based there including:

• FIRM: a research framework and fund for the digital & creative sector, led by Salford University
• Digital Content Lab: a rapid prototyping environment bringing together talented individuals, innovative SME’s and major commissioners within the digital and creative sector
• MakeMedia: a grass roots and community media skills Centre of Excellence

Public Sector Partners Programme

An additional £1.5 million is being provided by the NWDA to support the MediaCityUK Public Sector Partners Programme. The Programme is a partnership between Salford City Council, Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company and the NWDA, setup to co-ordinate and deliver the public sector interventions necessary to support the transformational outcomes that MediaCityUK has the potential to produce across three main programme areas:

• Place: focusing on the physical development/regeneration of MediaCityUK and the surrounding area
• Sector & Economy: focusing on maximising the positive economic impact of MediaCityUK on the local, regional and northern Digital and Creative Industries sector
• People & Communities: focusing on delivering community benefits, educational and regeneration opportunities

Local Infrastructure

The NWDA is also investing in wider infrastructure works in the wider Salford area. This includes providing £2 million towards a £7.5 million project to upgrade the future electricity power capability for general benefit in the locality of Salford Quays.

Business Support

Northwest Vision + Media – whose role has been expanded to support all Creative & Digital companies in the region – is relocating on site in Autumn 09. Their role is to grow the Digital & Creative sector across the Northwest, helping companies to benefit from MediaCityUK.

The NorthernNET project, funded by The Northern Way, is a high speed telecommunications network connecting MediaCityUK to 18 industry hubs across the North of England, including Northwest Vision and Media’s new offices.  The technology will allow SMEs in the creative and digital sector to collaborate more effectively and share ideas.

MediaCityUK Images

The images shown below are drawn from Flickr and show the progress of the development of MediaCityUK in Salford; they are not under the control of the NWDA.