BBC Salford Move Gets Go Ahead

The BBC has reached agreement with the developer Peel Holdings over its move to the mediacity:uk development at Salford Quays.

The BBC Trust has approved the terms of the deal which means that the BBC’s proposed move of five of its London-based departments to the North of England will now definitely go ahead.

The departments which will move to the new site are BBC Children’s and Children’s Learning, Five Live, Sport and parts of Future Media and Technology.

Mark Thompson, BBC director-general, said: “I’m delighted that the BBC’s vision for its expanded presence in the North of England is now firmly on the road to reality. I’m excited by the plans and believe they have a key part to play in the BBC’s future.

“The modern, multimedia broadcast and production centre in Salford will shift the BBC’s centre of gravity away from London, bringing a range of creative benefits to us and, I hope, helping us to better reflect and represent the whole of the UK.

“I’m glad that the BBC Trust agreed that this project represents value for money for licence fee payers and that we are now able to proceed.”

The BBC says that it expects preliminary work to begin at mediacity:uk in Salford Quays within days, followed by the start of construction works in September 2007.

Caroline Thomson, chief operating officer of the BBC, will be the executive director with responsibility for delivering the implementation of the BBC’s move to Salford.

She said: “I’m delighted that we have now finalised the terms for the BBC’s presence at the mediacity:uk development. This is a really exciting project for us all and I look forward to working with colleagues in Peel Holdings and the development consortium to turn the vision into a reality.”

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk