The BBC is narrowing its shortlist for its new Manchester centre, where it plans to relocate key departments from London to Greater Manchester in five years time.
Departments moving out from London are Children's BBC, including the TV channels CBBC and CBeebies, Children's Radio and Children's Learning; BBC Sport; BBC New Media and Reasearch & Developpment and radio stations Five Live and Five Live Sports Extra.
The BBC has announced a shortlist of two sites for the location of a Media Zone in the north of England. The proposed sites have been chosen from a shortlist of four, following a stringent evaluation process conducted by the BBC. The North West Development Agency following a parallel independent process came out in favour of the same two sites, one in Salford and one in Central Manchester.
Mark Thomas, Director of the BBC North Project, said: "The two sites, Quays Point at Salford Quays and Central Spine in Manchester, have been chosen as - within the required timeframe - they offer the greatest potential for a world-class Media Zone that realises all of the benefits of the BBC's investment.
"The BBC will continue to work with both Manchester City Council and Salford City Council in order to help them develop their remaining proposals so that they maximise the impact for audiences; for the creative industries in the north of England; and for the further regeneration of Salford and Manchester."
The concept of a Media Zone is a base for the BBC, independent producers, facilities suppliers and, potentially, other broadcasters, on a single site.
BBC Director of Nations and Regions, Pat Loughrey, will put forward a recommendation for a preferred site to the BBC's Executive and Board of Governors by the summer.The final decision, taken by the BBC's Governors will be based on value for money for licence payers and whether the proposal is affordable.
The plan to move BBC services to Greater Manchester - 'The BBC North Project', is part of the BBC's wider Out of London strategy which is a key component of the BBC's Building Public Value vision, announced in 2004.
The BBC Executive and the Board of Governors approved the Manchester plans in principle in December 2004.