This is taken from Broadcast:

Cities vie to host BBC northern centre
by Leigh Holmwood
11 April 2006 12:01


Detailed rival bids from the neighbouring cities of Manchester and Salford to house the BBC's huge new northern broadcasting centre have now been submitted to the corporation.

The BBC is expected to decide over the summer whether the current Manchester Oxford Road site or a new base at Quays Point in Salford Quays will host re-located departments such as BBC Sport, Radio 5 Live and CBBC.

Manchester City Council last night (Monday) hosted a presentation for 400 business leaders and opinion formers to help further its case for the investment, saying its new Media Zone would help the media community in the city 'burst to life'.

Council chief executive Sir Howard Bernstein, who hosted the event at Manchester town hall along with council leader Richard Leese, said the development of the Oxford Road corridor was a key priority for the city's continued development.

He also announced a new task force to re-model Oxford Road, which is currently home to BBC Manchester.

Salford wants the BBC centre to further boost its Quays area, which already hosts the Imperial War Museum North and the Lowry centre.

It is thought Manchester is currently ahead in the bidding for the new centre, although Salford has put in a good case.

"Manchester is just trying to keep its bid in the public eye and keep up the momentum," one source said.

A BBC spokeswoman confirmed the two "very different" bids had been submitted on Friday (7 April), adding the executive board would look at the details and a revised budget for the project in May before they went to the governors in June.

The BBC governors have yet to formally sign off on the Manchester re-location plans, a key plank of director general Mark Thompson's bid to boost the regions and help cut costs.

Source:broadcastnow.co.uk