08 May 2006

London 2012 gets a lesson from New East Manchester

Paul Deighton, chief executive of the London Olympic Games Organising Committee (LOCOG), has paid a visit to Manchester to learn about staging a successful sporting event and how to build a lasting legacy of regeneration.

Taking a tour around Sportcity in east Manchester with Tom Russell, chief executive of New East Manchester, Paul was given an insight into the long-term benefits that hosting a large-scale event can bring to an area.

Paul Deighton, chief executive of LOCOG commented: "We can learn a lot from Manchester.  Had Manchester not put on such a spectacularly successful Commonwealth Games in 2002, the UK would not have got itself back on the map to win the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games in 2012.  We owe Manchester everything in that respect.  There are many lessons we can learn about staging a multi-sport event and the legacy it leaves behind for many years afterwards."

Tom Russell, chief executive for New East Manchester Ltd said:

"We are more than happy to share our experiences with the London 2012 team. Although there's still a lot to be done here, the Commonwealth Games had a tremendous effect on east Manchester, not only in terms of physical regeneration, but also creating 3,000 jobs and raising the profile of the area and how local people perceive it."

Peter Mearns, Director of Marketing at the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA), said:

"In England's Northwest, we are working hard to develop structures to support the delivery of London 2012, which could see huge benefits generated for sport and regeneration here in our region. The economic and social benefits that can be generated by hosting major international events are tremendous, as we have seen from the successful staging of the 2002 Commonwealth Games. We are extremely pleased that the region is being hailed as an exemplar in this area, and we look forward to continuing to share our considerable knowledge and experience with LOCOG."

New East Manchester is now in its sixth year of a massive regeneration programme that is transforming nearly 2,000 hectares of east Manchester.  In the last five years in excess of 500,000 sq ft of new business floor-space has been completed or is on site and over 3000 jobs created or safeguarded.  By the end of last year, 3,500 new homes had been completed or were under construction with 200 sold and a further 3,500 in the pipeline. 

Two new primary schools and improved retail has been delivered to the area along with a transport interchange with a state-of-the-art station that will accommodate the proposed Metrolink extension.  There is also a comprehensive improvement programme for the Ashton Canal Corridor.

For more information on New East Manchester visit www.neweastmanchester.com.

For further information contact Roz Hughes at New East Manchester on 0161 223 1155.

Notes to editors

New East Manchester Ltd (NEM) is an Urban Regeneration Company - a partnership between Manchester City Council, English Partnerships and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).  It is NEM"s role to implement the Regeneration Framework, secure the required public and private funding, lead on specific major development projects as well as co-ordinate the range of regeneration and renewal initiatives in the area.