Liverpool Biennial 2010 This Year’S Liverpool Biennial Proved Once Again to Be One the UK’S Leading Public Art Exhibitions
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Issue Two January 2011 erdfnw.co.uk BTHE MAGAZINE FOR THE EUROPEAN REGIONALO DEVELOPMENST FUND IN ENGLAND’ST NORTHWEST Sharp Project is One-of-a-Kind Digital Media Hub As the Sharp Project moves into its third and final phase, Manchester’s digital and creative sector thrives. A Review in Pictures: Liverpool Biennial 2010 This year’s Liverpool Biennial proved once again to be one the UK’s leading public art exhibitions. Managed by January 2011 Issue 2 02–03 04–05 06–07 EU funding is helping to unlock Foreword News The Sharp Project David Malpass, Director of the ERDF Latest news on the progress and As the Sharp Project moves into its the Northwest’s potential Programme in the Northwest reflects successes of ERDF projects. third and final phase, Manchester’s on £400 million of ERDF investments. digital and creative sector thrives. Key projects approved include: • Chester Innovation Economy Centre (£2.9m ERDF) • Higher Education Enterprise Champions (£585,000 ERDF) • Media Enterprise Centre @ MediaCityUK (£4.2m ERDF) • Social Enterprise Networking & Collaboration (£323,000) 08–09 10–13 • Unite with Business (£3.9m ERDF) • Waterfront Business Park Barrow Access Road (£4.9m ERDF) A Review in Pictures: Shining Stars Get in touch • Women's International Centre for Economic Development (£2.4m ERDF) Liverpool Biennial 2010 A look at some of the companies To find out more about the ERDF in who have benefited from ERDF the Northwest visit: This year’s Liverpool Biennial proved funded projects. once again to be one of the UK’s leading erdfnw.co.uk public art exhibitions. European Programme Executive, Managed by Northwest Regional Development Agency, Renaissance House, Centre Park, Warrington, WA1 1QN Tel: +44 (0) 1925 400 100 Email: [email protected] erdfnw.co.uk erdfnw.co.uk 1 Issue Two January 2011 Since our last edition of Boost the ERDF team has been taking the opportunity to promote the difference European funding is making to the Northwest. e recently held our European Showcase event, which provided a great opportunity to W demonstrate how European funding continues to be a vital source of investment, boosting economic development across the region. Through a combination of presentations and site visits, the event showcased a selection of the varied and valuable projects, which would not have happened without European funding. In September, we celebrated two years of ERDF funding since the first ERDF-funded project, improvements around Lime Street Gateway, was announced. Since then, almost £400 million of ERDF funding has been provided to 130 projects or programmes across the Northwest. Our venture capital and loan fund – The North West Fund – is now also open for business. The £185 million fund is the largest public fund of its kind in the UK and will support Welcome small and medium-sized enterprises to start-up and grow. Find out more at thenorthwestfund.co.uk It has recently been confirmed that from 1 July 2011 ERDF Programmes will be managed by CLG (The Department for to Boost Communities and Local Government). My team and I are working tirelessly to ensure a smooth transition from our current home at the NWDA and I will keep you updated on developments with this going forward. This issue of Boost truly demonstrates the hugely positive impact ERDF is having in the Northwest. I hope you enjoy reading about some of our great projects and the companies they have supported. David Malpass Director of European Programme, Northwest Regional Development Agency £4 0 million ERDF funding invested in 130 programmes and projects across the Northwest. Photography: Tony West 2 erdfnw.co.uk erdfnw.co.uk 3 Issue Two January 2011 amilies in Greater Manchester have won £10 million for a £10 million boost to help homes go green F and save money. News The multi-million pound investment will provide low families to go carbon improvements, including solar energy, wood chip fuel and thermal cladding to almost 3,000 homes in five social housing projects. green and save The insulation and biomass heating will slash Jodrell Bank householders’ bills by over £20 million, according to energy saving experts. It will support more than 122 money: Low jobs in the low carbon industry, and will cut carbon Discovery Centre — emissions by 100,000 tonnes over the lifetime of carbon facelift the project. £5 million in ERDF is being matched by investment from Ground Breaking for 3,000 homes utility companies and other private sector investors. cientists, Builders and Architects gathered at Jodrell Bank in September 2010 to S celebrate the beginning of construction of a new ‘Live Science’ Discovery Centre at the site. The new Centre, set to attract thousands of extra visitors to the Observatory every year, includes a new entrance building – the Planet Pavilion – and a new Space Pavilion for exhibitions and events. The project also includes a stylish glass-walled café with spectacular views of the iconic Lovell telescope, an education space and landscaping of the Arboretum to create a new Galaxy Maze. The project’s main aim is to inspire young scientists and connect them to cutting-edge research ‘as it happens’. The new Centre, which is set to launch in summer 2011, has received a £1 million investment from the ERDF. 50:50 Joint Venture between Centric Crown Business Property Group and Barnfield Construction A has acquired 18 acres of land in Rochdale, Greater Manchester to develop a 260,000 sq ft Awards success Park to generate business park. The development, which received £3.2 million in ERDF, is expected to bring in excess of 350 jobs to the area. for Lime Street he ERDF-funded upgrade to Liverpool Lime hundreds of jobs The land, positioned next to the M62, was acquired Street Station has been rewarded at the from Fortis Bank and already has planning permission T National Rail Awards 2010 with the station for 90,000 sq ft of offices and 170,000 sq ft of being named Overall Station of the Year. The station for Rochdale industrial space. also won the Large Station of the Year award. The acquisition was completed at the end of August Merseytravel worked with partners Virgin, Northern 2010 and construction has already commenced on Rail and Network Rail on the upgrade which has seen the first phase of the speculative development, the construction of a new, first class lounge and which will see 20,000 sq ft offices and 30,000 sq ft the refurbishment of the travel centre. The station’s of industrial space completed by summer 2011. entrance and exterior has also been improved. 4 erdfnw.co.uk/news erdfnw.co.uk/news 5 Issue Two January 2011 Project: Simply Project: Simply is a full service digital marketing group with expertise in search engine optimisation (SEO), design and social media. Project: Simply was the first business to move into the Sharp building in May 2010. Christian, SEO Consultant, commented: “We chose the Sharp building because it offered excellent value for money and, unlike other locations, we were told that there wouldn’t be any direct competitors within the building, so we’re the only company doing what we do here. “This location was also recommended by a friend, and after visiting and seeing it for myself, I thought this would be a great location.” To date, operating out of the Sharp building has had significant benefits for the company. The business community aspect has helped Project: Simply to form some really useful relationships. This year they were encouraged to enter the EnterPrize Awards 2010 where they were shortlisted to the final five for the East Manchester Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award, something they wouldn’t The Sharp edge have been aware of. While there are other locations that the company could have chosen, the Sharp Building had more desirable benefits for Project: Simply. of Business Christian added: “The people running Sharp have been really helpful and I’m not sure that we would have received the same level of support anywhere else. This is also a really great building to bring clients to. We provide potential clients with a tour of the building and they’re wowed by every aspect. The former Sharp European Distribution Centre on Thorp Road “The final phase of the build is almost complete now and it’s been exciting for in East Manchester is in the final stages of a major refurbishment us to see businesses, within our sector, moving in. I look forward to forming new programme to create a digital content production complex, relationships with our neighbours in the future.” providing a range of sound stages, office and production space, combined with a world-class infrastructure for digital companies. he European Regional so being able to flex up and down converted shipping containers that a gigabit of connectivity and can Projected GVA, when the project Although the build is not yet Development Fund (ERDF) without incurring penalties is vital. companies can rent on a month-by- connect tenants to the Internet via is complete and taking into account fully complete, approximately 30 T provided almost £3 million They send data files across the globe month basis; our transit provider. We manage the the impact on the supply chain, is businesses are already onsite. (Northwest Regional Development so they need big pipes and affordable operation of the bandwidth onsite estimated at £56 million. Once the Demand for business space has also contemporary office space that Agency (NWDA) also provided £3.3 connectivity to do this. so tenants do not have to go through project is completed, it is estimated been high. allows companies more privacy but million) in funding to overhaul and a traditional ISP.