Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

OXFORD ROAD - MANCHESTERAN ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL POWERHOUSE

PETER FELL

DIRECTOR OF REGIONAL AND ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

THE UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER

JOHN HYATT

DIRECTOR OF MIRIAD

(MANCHESTER INSTITUTE FOR RESEARCH AND INNOVATION IN ART AND DESIGN)

MANCHESTER METROPOLITAN UNIVERSITY

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT

• 36,000 people employed

• 12% of City of Manchester workforce

• 4% of city stock of businesses

• Same size as biotech sector nationally

• 61% concentrated in health, education, culture and media

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

TURNOVER AND WEALTH GENERATION

• Education - £650 m

• Health - £396 m

• Culture - £28 m

• Media - £15 m (excludes BBC)

• GVA generated - £112 m

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

GREATEST “CONCENTRATION OF CULTURE”IN NORTH OF ENGLAND

• Whitworth Art Gallery

• City Art Gallery

• Arup Gallery

• Library Theatre

• Contact Theatre

• Capital Theatre

• Martin Harris Building

• John Rylands Library

• City Library

• Green Room

• Cornerhouse Cinema

• RNCM Arts Centre

• Manchester Museum

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

MATHS TOWER

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

OXFORD ROAD

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

VIEW FROM LIBRARY

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

KRO DOOR

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

AQUATICS CENTRE

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

PALACE

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

STATION – PALACE REFLECTION

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

CORNERHOUSE

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

CUBE - CARAVAN

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

WHITWORTH ART GALLERY

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

OLD AND NEW

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

CULTURAL CONTRIBUTION OFOXFORD ROAD is

• Home to cultural bodies

• Home to consumers (students, University/health staff)

• Generator of content

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSESAS A CULTURAL CENTRE

STRENGTHS

• Concentration of venues

• Proximity to Central Business District

• Rail transport

• Concentration of students

• Historical tradition

WEAKNESSES

• Little sense of place

• Traffic

• Environment

• Little quality public space

• No common marketing

• No ancillary services

• Seasonal

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT (i)

Cultural Corridor Consortium

• Ad hoc group of cultural leaders and stakeholders

• Set vision and agenda

• Identified strengths and weaknesses

• Kick started developments and activities

• Brought people together

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT (ii)

Manchester: Knowledge Capital

• Partnership Group of major stakeholders (City, Universities etc)

• Identified a knowledge based vision for the future

• Initiatives:

– Science City

– Green Revolution

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVEMENT (iii)

Stakeholder Activity

• £1bn investment programme for Oxford Road underway

• City Centre Management Company expanding southwards

• Manchester International Festival 2007

City led studies

• Oxford Road Corridor - Spatial and Economic Impact Analysis

• Oxford Road Corridor – Transport Strategy

Combining the strengths of UMIST andThe Victoria University of Manchester

NEXT STEPS

• Academic – Ambition of the Oxford Road institutions

• Development – activity will happen

• Institutional – Manchester: Knowledge Capital to subsume responsibility for Cultural Corridor Consortium

• and the cultural:

– work on sense of place marketing

– Ongoing physical improvements

– Raising the profile and quality

– arts/science cross over