315°EPICTHEATRELa Machine wows culture capital

Energy challengeHarnessing wind and tide

Carlisle renaissanceHistoric city chaseseconomic growth

Rave reviewsCulture capital wows 08 audiences

THE RDA MAGAZINE SEPT 2008 ISSUE 16

315-16 P32-01:ISSUE 16 P32-01 15/9/08 16:46 Page 2

THE THIRD DEGREE

Bryan Gray

BUSINESS

Corporate investors to support energy

innovators

Foreign companies step up investment

in NW PLC

Key projects expand science space

Helping more companies to make

the leap

New approach to financing

business growth

SKILLS AND EDUCATION

Academies a spur to young enterprise

Skills boost for key business sectors

PEOPLE AND JOBS

Historic city seeks economic revival

Taking rural life to new heights

Partnership to build corridor of power

Cities united by visionary developments

INFRASTRUCTURE

Aviation fund supports

responsible growth

QUALITY OF LIFE

Rave reviews for Liverpool 08

programme

Flying the flag for Cultural Olympiad

New life for Art Deco icon

REGULARS

People in the region

Event highlights

Getting in touch

20

15

27

26

21

18

13

12

10

8

22

24

16

14

31

30

28

6

4

2

CONTENTS HIGHLIGHTS

OUR VISION:

‘A dynamic, sustainableinternational economy whichcompetes on the basis ofknowledge, advancedtechnology and an excellentquality of life for all.’

CONTACTS

Editor Trevor Batest.bates948@btinternet.com

NWDARachel Ormandyemail: rachel.ormandy@nwda.co.uktel: 01925 400 237

visit www.nwda.co.uk &www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com

315°

ENERGY CHALLENGEMajor power companies havepledged their support for aunique hothouse facility whichaims to establish the Northwestas a lead player in low-carbonenergy technologies.

CARLISLE RENAISSANCECarlisle is poised for arenaissance that aims toexpand its economic fortunesand enhance its appeal forresidents and visitors alike.

6

16

24

THE RDA MAGAZINE SEPT 2008 ISSUE 16

RAVE REVIEWSAs Liverpool enters its finalquarter of Capital of Culture 2008,major events such as the uniqueLa Machine and the LiverpoolBiennial are generating significantvisitor numbers.

315-16 P2-3:315 MAG ISSUE 16 P2-3 22/9/08 09:30 Page 1

3

ensuring we support businesses in difficulttimes. This will often mean taking toughdecisions but the philosophy must be to keepworking together to get things done andtransform the regional economy.

The Government’s Sub-National Review,which is now taking shape, will mean newways of partnership working. The productionof a single Northwest Regional Strategy,bringing together the region’s spatial,economic and environmental and investmentplans, is a significant new development, andworking with 4NW and Government Office forthe North West, it provides a valuableopportunity to develop a single strategicinvestment framework.

We also welcome greater scrutiny andevaluation of our work, with the establishmentof Regional Select Committees. It is vital thatwe learn from what we do if we are tocontinue to achieve real and lasting change.

The region’s successes prove that greatthings can be achieved when everyone isworking towards the same vision and ambition.I have enjoyed my time as Chairman of theAgency and would like to thank you for yoursupport. The Northwest has every reason tobe proud. I look forward to playing my part inthe region’s continuing success.

Over the past 6 years, the achievements ofthe region have been remarkable. It is onlywhen we reflect on the progress we havemade during this time that the scale of theseachievements becomes clear. We have aworld-class reputation in scientific expertise,will soon be home to the largest media huboutside of London and have helped to createa new university for Cumbria. Meanwhile ourmajor cities have experiencedunprecedented growth and regeneration, wehave created 180,000 new jobs within theregion and have successfully hosted theworld’s largest multi-discipline sportingevent – the Commonwealth Games.

I firmly believe that none of this could havebeen achieved without the targeted supportand strategic leadership of the RDA. Sinceour inception we have consistently delivered,and often exceeded, targets set for us byGovernment. It is extremely important for usto be accountable in this way and to justifythe value we add. However I believe ourbiggest success has been our ability to bringpeople together, identify the priorities thatwill make the biggest impact on oureconomy and, above all, to deliver exactlywhat we set out to.

We have always been clear that while wecan celebrate great successes, we must notbe complacent. In the current globaleconomic climate, this has never been moretrue and it is evident that this will result intougher business conditions for the region.This is where the Agency’s strategicleadership will be all the more important.We must continue to deliver the RegionalEconomic Strategy while in the short-term

CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE

DELIVERINGREAL CHANGEThis edition of 315˚ marks my last as Chairman of the Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency.

Bryan Gray, Chairman,September 2008

315-16 P2-3:315 MAG ISSUE 16 P2-3 22/9/08 09:30 Page 2

4

THE THIRD DEGREE

“BOARD MEMBERS MAY BE DRAWNFROM DIFFERENT BACKGROUNDSBUT THEY ARE UNITED IN THEIRBELIEF THAT MONEY RAISEDFROM THE TAXPAYER MUST BESPENT WISELY.”

BRYAN GRAY CHAIRMAN

NWDA

Bryan Gray has built a formidabletrack record of service to manysectors of Northwest life, playingpivotal roles in business,regeneration, innovation, skills andeducation, culture and sport. He isa former Chair of CBI North West,currently Pro-Vice Chancellor ofthe University of Lancaster and asChairman of the NorthwestRegional Development Agency(NWDA) since April 2002 – a role herelinquishes later this year – hashad a significant influence in theregion. He was awarded an MBE in2001 for services to regeneration inPreston and in 2006 was awardedthe Prince of Wales’ AmbassadorAward for the North West.

315-16 P4-5:ISSUE 16 P4-5 22/9/08 09:31 Page 1

What are you especially proud of duringyour term of office?

Three things. First, that we have beenable to build on the foundations establishedby my predecessor Lord Thomas and createa strong and well-respected executiveorganisation. The quality of the people weattract is testament to that. Secondly,I’m particularly proud that we have led onproducing a robust economic strategy andan action plan based around the concept oftransformational actions to steer the regionto a more prosperous future. Thirdly, thedelivery of specific projects that would nothave happened if we had not been here,such as the substantial regeneration ofManchester and Liverpool, the investmentin rural communities and big developmentssuch as, Capital of Culture, MediaCityUKand the University of Cumbria.

The Agency has acquired new powers andresponsibilities since you took office.Does it need more to go on improving theNorthwest economy?

I think that there are areas that could bebetter managed. I have argued consistentlythat there should be a stronger regionalinput into investment in skills. That is toonationally focused. Another area is transport.The region has very successfully taken onprioritisation of investment in highways.The same should apply with rail and that’ssomething the Government is minded to do.I think we should have regional priorities forrail investments as well as roads.

Skills, higher education, investment inscience and the reorganisation of businesssupport have been high on your personalagenda. What other issues are youpassionate about?

I try to support people who have ideas,whether they’re big or small. The merger ofthe University of Manchester and UMIST wasa big idea that we helped to make happen.On the smaller projects I am pleased we didwork with the faith communities andpublished the first economic assessment ofthe impact of faith groups. I’m also happythat we’ve been able to support manyvoluntary and charitable organisationsbecause they can have a real impact onquality of life, something we have promotedstrongly. Quality of life is about creatingcommunities where people want to live andwork and where companies want to invest.That’s why I have been passionate aboutinvesting in tourism, heritage and culture.

Do you think the NWDA has engagedbusiness as effectively as it might havedone in social and economic renewal?

Yes I do. We have a business-led boardand we work very closely with a whole rangeof business organisations, such as the CBIand IoD as well as the trade unions andmany, many other bodies. We can’t toucheveryone’s life and some people may wellquestion what we have done for them.But it’s not for me to say how well we havesucceeded – it’s for others to give theiropinion. But in my view we have done ourbest to win the confidence and cooperationof businesses, large and small.

What do you regret most? Have there beenany lost opportunities?

I don’t have regrets. There are alwaysthings we could have done better. We alwayshave to strive to improve what we docontinuously, to be a learning organisationreflecting on what we do well and on thingsthat go less well. I can look at things I’d liketo happen. One is a joint football stadium forLiverpool and Everton. It’s still not too latefor that to happen. I think the RDA wouldhave a role to play here because it makesstrong economic sense.

What are the biggest challenges facing theregion in the next year or so?The three big challenges on which we haveto focus more effort are climate change,energy and wider resource issues. There is aheightened awareness nationally on theseissues because energy prices haveincreased so rapidly. But if it takes a rise inprices to make us address these problemsthen perhaps we will look back on thisperiod as a time when the wake-up call wasgiven. The challenge now is to respond tothat wake-up call.

What are your personal ambitions, postRDA? Are there any more mountains for youto climb?

Yes, there are. I am chairing CarlisleRenaissance, so that’s a chance for me tomake an impact on a very beautiful andimportant city in the region. I’m also chairingthe Lowther Castle and Gardens TrustProject. I want to use my skills where I can.

5

For further information:www.nwda.co.uk

The NWDA has earned Government praisefor once again exceeding its economictargets. This must be very satisfying for youas you bow out after nearly seven years asthe Agency’s Chairman?

Yes, I am very pleased. Creating nearly18,000 new jobs and generating almost 2,000new businesses in the region in the past yearis no mean feat. The Agency has made ahuge impact on the Northwest economysince it was established nine years ago.The work done on the Regional EconomicStrategies has given us a strongunderstanding of what makes the economytick and allowed us to focus our effortswhere we think there is going to be a bestreturn for public sector investment.

So the taxpayer had value for money out ofthe Agency over the past few years?

Absolutely. Board members may be drawnfrom different backgrounds but they areunited in their belief that money raised fromthe taxpayer must be spent wisely. If youlook at the Agency’s achievements over thepast seven years there are many significantthings that would not have happened withoutus. That’s a test I always use when wecommit investment. Would this havehappened if the RDA had not been there?

Your time in office has been marked by theemergence of important issues such asclimate change, the energy crisis and theeconomic slowdown. Can the RDAs have anymeaningful impact in these areas, many ofwhich require global rather than localsolutions?

The answer is a very firm yes we can.And we must. Take climate changespecifically. The Northwest is the first regionto publish a climate change action plan.It’s a very good piece of work, which talksabout the steps we need to take to mitigateclimate change but also about the businessopportunities emerging in the Northwestfrom technologies being developed tocombat climate change.

Governments and agencies like ours haveserious roles to play in areas of leadership,communication and information. However,climate change will only be solved by peopletaking their own actions, actions that whenput together collectively make a realdifference. We need to change our approachto using cars for small journeys, to energyefficiency and to the products we buy.Consumers will lead the revolution.

BRYAN GRAY

315-16 P4-5:ISSUE 16 P4-5 22/9/08 09:31 Page 2

BUSINESS

Over 700 business leaders havesigned up to attend The LiverpoolSummit, the primary business eventof Liverpool’sEuropean Capital ofCulture programme.Supported by theNWDA, the two-dayexpo has attracted anumber of influential speakersfrom business guru Michael Porter toKofi Annan.

Jennings Design Associates, aManchester-based architectural andsurveying company have become theNorthwest’s 1000th firm to registerfor CompeteFor, a programme thataims to match firms to the £6 billionof business opportunities supplyingLondon 2012 contractors.

Around 800 civil servants fromGovernment Office North West, theHighways Agency, and the Trainingand DevelopmentAgency for Schoolsare moving to a newhome nearManchester’sPiccadilly Stationfrom early 2010. The relocation willinvolve a transfer of 300 TDA stafffrom London.

Optasia Medical Ltd, based inCheadle, has been awarded a£217,000 research and developmentgrant by the NWDA to developpioneering medical software thatcould generate business worth£1.3 million in two years.

Advanced Medical Solutions inWinsford, which develops highperformancepolymers for thehealthcare market,has secured a£275,000 capitalinvestment grantfrom the NWDA thatwill help to fund a new phase ofgrowth in Cheshire including thecreation of 41 new jobs.

Bringing more disabledentrepreneurs into the business arenacould benefit the Northwest by£339 million, according to a new‘Wealth Bringers’ report sponsoredby the NWDA. The study suggeststhere are 14,000 prospective disabledentrepreneurs in the region.

NEWS

6

CORPORATE INVESTORS T

Home for bright ideas – Secure Electrans hasdeveloped a home hub to help consumers

manage their energy consumption

315-16 P6-7:ISSUE 16 P6-7 15/9/08 16:47 Page 1

Major power companies have pledged theirsupport for a unique hothouse facility,which aims to establish the Northwest as alead player in the development of new low-carbon energy technologies.

The first of these bright ideas, a highlynovel device that can help householders andsmall companies manage their energyconsumption, has been fully developed into amarket-ready product with internationalsales potential.

Secure Electrans has been able toaccelerate evolution of its multi-functionalhome hub since moving into the CapenhurstEnergy Innovation Centre, which was recentlyopened by Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks.

“The facilities and support we have hereare just what we need,“ explains ManagingDirector Mike Jarman. “They allow us toconcentrate on what we are really good atwhich is developing and launching asuccessful new product.”

NOVEL IDEASThe Centre is the brainchild of powerengineering specialist EA Technology, whichis hosting the facility at its Cheshireheadquarters and providing business andtechnical support.

It has been set up with £1.5 million ofinvestment from the Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency (NWDA) and isexpected to create 18 new companies,mainly in the energy efficiency and powerdistribution technologies fields, and 60 jobs.

Five companies are already lined up tobecome members of the Centre with SecureElectrans the first to take up residence.

One of the novel ideas underpinning theCentre is that financial support for membercompanies is allocated by a “Dragon’s Den”style investment forum, representing four ofBritain’s biggest electricity companies –Scottish and Southern Energy, Scottish

uranium enrichment plant at Capenhurstand the only UK facility for turning thaturanium into nuclear fuel rods at Springfield,near Preston, so we have quite considerableassets,” adds Flanagan.

GOOD PROSPECTSBusiness Secretary John Hutton announcedthe latest addition to this portfolio, aNational Nuclear Laboratory, when he visitedSellafield in July to launch the ‘EnergyCoast’ Masterplan, a £2 billion initiative toregenerate West Cumbria by building on thearea’s nuclear expertise.

The region is also positioning itself to cash inon the expected surge of investment in windpower. According to Government estimates,

meeting the UK’s green energy targets willrequire investment of £36 billion in offshorewind capacity and £13 billion onshore.

Gill Nowell, NWDA Sector Manager forEnergy and Environmental Technologies,says that alhough the region does not haveany wind turbine manufacturing capacitysupply chain prospects are good.

The Agency was able to draw on the expertiseof two local companies to help it install a 25-metre high wind turbine at its Warringtonheadquarters, a symbol of the NWDA’scommitment to reducing its carbon footprint.

Officially launched on World EnvironmentDay, the turbine uses advanced technologythat allows it to operate even in extremeweather conditions.

The Northern Way is currently engaged ina study of offshore wind supply chainpotential with a view to developing the Northof England as a supply hub. “We have to stepup our intervention if we are to capture theopportunities,” argues Nowell.

Power, CE Electric and Electricity North West.“The advantage of this approach,” explains

EA Technology Managing Director RobertDavis, “is that companies that are going touse and buy the new technologies aredirectly involved in choosing which ones toinvest in. That gives members a flying start.”

The Centre is just one of a number of newprojects and collaborative ventures that areunder way in the Northwest to help the regionmeet the climate change and energy challenge.

These range from wind turbine and tidalenergy schemes to fuel cell research,biomass and waste-to-energy investments,and building an advanced skills base andsupply chain networks for the looming

nuclear new build programme.The energy industry employs 50,000 and is

worth £5 billion a year to the regionaleconomy with strategic and businesssupport being provided by a number oforganisations including the NorthwestEnergy Council and Envirolink Northwest.

NUCLEAR COMPONENTSRecent Government announcements suggestthat the UK will need to invest £100 billion ifit is to meet a 2020 target of generating 15%of its energy needs from renewables. It’sestimated that 122,000 to 133,000 jobs willbe required to support that investment.

“The trick is to generate as many of thosejobs as possible in the Northwest,” says JoeFlanagan, Head of Energy and EnvironmentalTechnologies for the NWDA.

He cites supply chain work for the nuclearnew build programme as the region’sbiggest economic opportunity over the nextdecade or so. Among those gearing up fornew era is BAE Systems, which has alreadypublicly stated an interest in building nuclearcomponents at its Barrow yard.

“We have half of the UK’s civil nuclearworkforce in this region, the only UK

7

TO SUPPORT ENERGY INNOVATORS

For more information:www.nwda.co.ukwww.energyinnovationcentre.co.uk

Tidal energy is emerging as a possiblenew source of power generation,expertise and employment for theNorthwest with three projects at theconcept or very early planning stage.

Peel Holdings is undertaking furtherwork on a possible scheme to harness thepower of estuarial tides in the Mersey.Two other tidal barrage schemes areplanned in the region at Morecambe Bayand Solway Firth.

More details of the projects will be givenat a one-day conference to launch the newlyestablished North West Tidal Energy Groupat Lancaster University on December 17.

Its members include the NWDA, PeelHoldings, potential developers andacademic researchers. “The group’s aim isposition England’s Northwest as a globalleader in the exploitation of tidal energy,”says NWTEG Chair Joe Flanagan.

Spoilt for choice - planners looked atseveral locations on the Mersey for a

tidal energy schemeTIDAL ENERGY CONFERENCE

315-16 P6-7:ISSUE 16 P6-7 15/9/08 16:47 Page 2

8

BUSINESS

FOREIGN COMPANIES STEP

Hi-tech manufacturing – A new coatingsfacility will allow Pilkington to makephotovoltaic glass for the solar energy market

Overseas companies have given theNorthwest a morale-boosting vote ofconfidence by investing a massive £10 billionin a regional economy increasingly reliant ontechnology and high workforce skills.

The inflow of corporate projects in thepast year, many related to advancedmanufacturing and R&D, had a big impacton employment with over 14,600 jobs createdor safeguarded, double the numbergenerated the previous year.

Total Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) lastyear jumped to £10.3 billion, dwarfing the£1.3 billion secured in 2006-07. Newinvestments accounted for 43 of the projects(against 56 last year), expansions 72 (58) andacquisitions 41 (39).

There was a 13% increase in the numberof projects secured by the region in 2007-08– 156 compared to 138. Nearly 100 had someform of public support or intervention,although only 17 received grant aid.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE“These figures reflect the tremendous

efforts that the Agency, our sub-regionalpartners and UK Trade and Investment(UKTI) have put in to maximise our potentialin a very competitive marketplace – it’s veryimportant that we continue to worktogether,” commented John Cunliffe, Headof Investment Services at the Northwest

Regional Development Agency (NWDA).The NWDA shares four offices in the US

and has representation in Canada with OneNorthEast and partners Yorkshire Forwardwith an office in Tokyo.

It also has representation in Australia,access to dedicated resources with UKTI inMumbai and is looking at how to put moreresources into China.

“The latest figures demonstrate the realvalue added of these offices,” says Cunliffe.“I firmly believe that the role of our overseasoffices is key to us being successful inattracting foreign companies.”

Forty six per cent of projects are

expansions by existing companies –“an important vote of confidence in theregion’s workforce and its appeal as acompetitive location for global businesses.”

The NWDA and its partners concentratetheir marketing and business support effortson the region’s priority business sectors.Three sectors, advanced engineering,business and professional services andcreative and digital, accounted for 70% ofFDI last year.

Cunliffe believes that energy andenvironmental technologies will start to yieldmore investments as the UK moves into anew era of nuclear new build and there will

Shanghai skyline – China is a targetmarket for international trade

315-16 P8-9:ISSUE 16 P8-9 22/9/08 09:30 Page 1

Senior figures from business and theuniversity and research sectors arethrowing their expertise and experience ininternational business behind a new driveby the NWDA to capture a larger slice ofForeign Direct Investment (FDI) and byUKTI’s regional team to increase exportsfrom the Northwest.

Chaired by former NWDA boardmember Anil Ruia, the NorthwestInternational Business Forum, whosemembers represent companies such asJaguar, United Utilities, Peel andRenovo, played a lead role in developingthe Internationalisation Strategy andAction Plan.

This has led to a significantincrease in resources beingdeployed to attract investmentinto the region’s prioritysectors. The results from 2007-08 are confirmation ofthe bold strategic directiontaken by the forum onbehalf of the region.

BUSINESS FORUMSHAPESINVESTMENT POLICY

9

UP INVESTMENT IN NW PLC

“I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT THE ROLEOF OUR OVERSEAS OFFICES ISKEY TO US BEING AS SUCCESSFULAS WE ARE IN ATTRACTINGFOREIGN COMPANIES.”

JOHN CUNLIFFEHEAD OF INVESTMENT

SERVICESNWDA

New Freelander – overseas companieshave invested heavily in the region’sautomotive industry

be further investment in renewable projects.The Japanese NSG group, which acquired

innovation-led Pilkington in 2006, reaffirmedits faith in the company’s ability to keepdeveloping new technologies by investingnearly £40 million in a new coatings facilityat St. Helens in Merseyside.

Due to be commissioned in early 2009, thefacility will help the company exploit oppor -tuni ties in the emerging solar energy market.

“This is very high technology for a matureindustry,” explained Tom Hughes, OperationsManager at the Greengate factory where theequipment is being installed. “It’s a brand newprocess that will allow us to create 30 newjobs and go a long way to protecting more.

NEW TECHNOLOGY“The equipment will allow us to apply

special coatings in the middle of theproduction process while the glass is stillhot. It’s a very flexible system that will allowus to make a range of advanced products.”

Its main job, however, will be to supplyphotovoltaic glass. Solar power is one of thekey technologies in the renewables energymarket and is part of Pilkington’s futuregrowth strategy.

Pilkington has been at the forefront ofinnovation in glass-making for decades. Inkeeping with that tradition the company hasdeveloped a coatings process that allows the

glass to be part of the photovoltaic cell itself.The project, insists Hughes, could easily

have gone to a sister plant in Germany but a£3 million Selective Finance for Investmentin England (SFI) grant, via the NWDA, helpedthe St. Helens factory clinch the deal.

“It was pivotal in making that investmentcome to the UK,” insists Hughes.

An updated report by DTZ has revealedthat although overseas companies representonly 1% of the Northwest business base theycontribute 17.5% of GVA and employ over11% of the workforce.

For further information:www.enw.co.uk/invest

315-16 P8-9:ISSUE 16 P8-9 22/9/08 09:30 Page 2

BUSINESS

10

Two new cutting-edge science facilities areto be established at the Daresbury Scienceand Innovation Campus, Cheshire, givingfurther impetus to a £600 millionmasterplan for the site.A £65 million capital contribution from theGovernment’s Large Facilities Capital Fund(LFCF) will finance the Hartree Centre(computational modelling) and the DetectorSystems Centre (sensor development) whichwill be shared with Harwell.

The centres will work closely with theNorthwest Regional Development Agency(NWDA), the academic community andbusinesses to commercialise their findingsin areas such as drug design, securitysystems and bio-medical imaging.

News of the latest projects, which areexpected to attract more key scientists

to the Northwest, comes in a periodof buoyant investment in theregion’s science and hightechnology infrastructure.

New funding has secured thefuture of the Jodrell Bank RadioTelescope facility and theGovernment has given the go-ahead for the establishment of theNational Nuclear Laboratory at

Sellafield in Cumbria.Dr. George Baxter, the NWDA’s

Director of Science and Innovation, believesscience investment has a crucial role to playin making the Northwest more competitive.

“There is evidence that companies thatdeal with knowledge resources such asuniversities deliver a better performancethan those that don’t. We are trying toestablish a strong base of new technologiesto raise the region’s economy to a muchhigher level than in the past.”

The NWDA will be investing approximately£80 million year in science and innovationprojects over the next three years and this isexpected to lever in three or four times asmuch again of direct investment.

The portfolio will shortly include aKnowledge Centre for Materials Chemistry,

a consortium project that

involves Daresbury and the Universities ofManchester, Liverpool and Bolton. It will be a£30 million investment spread over five years.

One of the Agency’s principal aims, alongwith its partners Halton Borough Council,the Science and Technology FacilitiesCouncil and the Universities of Liverpool,Manchester and Lancaster is to developDaresbury as a totally integrated campuswhere science and business can interact forthe benefit of UK plc.

PRIVATE SECTORThat ethos is already at work at the

Daresbury Innovation Centre, which hasattracted 75 companies in three years andthe Cockcroft Institute, a centre of excellencein accelerator science.

Some companies are expected to relocateto a new ‘grow-on’ building (Vanguard House),currently being constructed by science parkspecialist St Modwen as part of a £25 millionfirst phase of investment in the site.

The campus masterplan is expected toinvolve an investment of £600 million over20 years. Most of that will come from theprivate sector, but there has been a need

for some public sector funding, explainedDr Baxter.

“It’s a three-stage development. The firststage was the NWDA buying the land; thesecond stage was proving the site had acommercial future, securing St, Modwen asa development partner and getting theresearch councils to invest in the site.

“The third phase is the £600million investment plan.

We’re currently standingon the second range ofhills and can see theAlps in the distance. Thetrick now is mapping outa route to get there.”

“WE ARE TRYING TO ESTABLISH ASTRONG BASE OF NEWTECHNOLOGIES TO RAISE THEREGION’S ECONOMY TO A MUCHHIGHER LEVEL THAN IN THE PAST.”

GEORGE BAXTERDIRECTOR OF SCIENCE

AND INNOVATIONNWDA

State-of-the-art – the Centre forMaterials Discovery, Liverpool

KEY PROJECTS EXPAND SCIENC

New frontier – nestling below the iconic Daresbury Towerthis is what the Detector Systems Centre might look like

315-16 P10-11:ISSUE 16 p10-11 15/9/08 16:48 Page 1

University of Manchester that will provide aservice for SMEs.

The links between academia and industryhave been furthered strengthened by the£8.2 million Centre for Materials Discoveryat Liverpool, which had its official openingin April.

Established with NWDA funding support of£1.9 million, the facility gives businessesaccess to state-of-the-art High-Throughput(HT) technology with the aim of bringing newproducts to market more quickly.

Business Development Manager Simon

11

With the 25-year-old synchrotron facility atDaresbury Laboratory facing planned closurethis year the two new centres will provide awelcome input of scientists and technicalexpertise on to the site. The multi-millioninvestments comprise:

Hartree Centre: a £50 million nationalcentre for computational science.Computational modelling is becomingincreasingly important in many areas fromweather forecasting and measuringinsurance risk to drug design. It is likely tobe a new build project on the DaresburyLaboratory site.

Detector Systems Centre: a £30 millionfacility shared equally between Daresburyand Harwell. It is seen as having massivecommercial potential in areas such as nextgeneration security devices.

The NWDA is providing funding support fora number of other projects that arecompleted or in the pipeline.

They include a Virtual Engineering Centreat Daresbury, which has the support of allthe major aerospace companies and will berun by the University of Liverpool, and aComposites Certification facility based at the

BUILD UP OFNUCLEAR

EXPERTISE

Longden says the centre‘s experimental staffwork with companies on developing newmaterials for applications in a rangeof sectors from pharmaceuticals toconsumer products.

“One client in the home and personalcare market has been able to achieve in twoweeks something that would have taken 12-16 months using manual labour” he says.

NCE SPACE

to secure the facility for the Northwest. The NNL will bring together staff in Nexia

Solutions and facilities owned by theNuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA),including the Sellafield Technology Centre.It will have a crucial role in cleaning up theUK’s nuclear waste legacy, and incontributing to the new build programme.

Dr. Paul Haworth, Director of Research atthe University of Manchester’s DaltonNuclear Institute, described the NNL asfurther confirmation that the Northwest isthe home of the nuclear industry. “It willalso encourage more young people to seeka career in nuclear.” The university’s role asan important provider of professionals intothe nuclear industry will be furtherstrengthened by its decision to establish theCentre in Nuclear Energy Technology(CNET), an anticipated investment of£25 million over the next five years, whichincludes £4 million from the NorthwestScience Council.

Westinghouse Electric Company has giventhe project a major boost by providingfunding support for the appointment ofProfessor Tim Abram as the new Chair inNuclear Fuel Technology. His aim is to builda world-class capability in reactor relatedskills to support nuclear new build.

For further information:www.nwda.co.ukwww.materialsdiscovery.com

Testing time – a Sellafield technicianruns a safety check

Computational powerhouse – a visualisationof the proposed Hartree Centre

The Northwest continues to build a criticalmass of nuclear ‘know-how’, paving theway for greater supply-chain collaborationwith global companies involved in bothdecommissioning and the design andconstruction of new nuclear power stations.

Business Secretary John Hutton recentlyconfirmed that the National NuclearLaboratory (NNL) would be established atSellafield in Cumbria in 2009 with satelliteoperations in Preston and other areas. Acompetition is being launched to choose amanaging contractor.

The announcement was the result ofsignificant work by the NWDA and partners

315-16 P10-11:ISSUE 16 p10-11 15/9/08 16:48 Page 2

BUSINESS

12

Business Link Northwest (BLNW) is steppingup its efforts to help businesses weatherthe current economic climate as access tofinance and managing finance emerge askey priorities for regional companies.

“We have to be fleet of foot and react tocustomer demand as the market changes,”reports Managing Director Peter Watson.“The focus for many businesses has switchedmore heavily towards managing their costs.

“There is tremendous pressure on themparticularly at the smaller end of the marketand we are having to deploy different skills tohelp them.”

BLNW is currently recruiting a number ofexperienced finance brokers and will shortlylaunch ‘Access to Finance’ as anotherspecialist arm of the organisation.

“We are also making sure all of our brokersare able to be more effective in helpingbusiness understand the financial issuesthey face, and we are targeting businesseswith information on the wider financialsupport available to them,” adds Watson.

His comments came as BLNW releasedfigures for its first year of operation showingthat businesses using the new streamlined,more responsive service added an estimated£390 million to the wealth of the Northwesteconomy. Over 86,000 businesses used the24/7 service in 2007-08, a 6% increase on the

previous year. Companies receiving intensivesupport from Business Link’s 180 specialistand target brokers jumped 23% to 5,525.

This has been achieved against a backdropof 90% customer satisfaction and a growingrecognition of the service amongstbusinesses, with 71% of local firms nowaware of the service.

According to the figures, the top issue withcompanies is workforce skills accounting for37% of inquiries and leading to 9,575employers working with a skills broker toaccess free training for staff. This wasfollowed by 23% of businesses seekingadvice on how to grow their operations.

FRUITFUL RELATIONSHIPS“We’re delighted with our achievements in

our first year but our greatest success has beenthe difference we have made to the companieswe have worked with,” explains Watson.

The Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre atTarporley in Cheshire has had a very fruitfulrelationship with Business Link since fatherand son team Robin and Phil Lathomdecided to diversify their existing dairy farm.

The family was able to get the venture offthe round after meeting Business LinkNorthwest broker and horse enthusiastHilary Centeleghe at Nantwich Show. Shewas able to help them access grant fundingunder a ‘Saddle Up’ rural diversification

scheme in Cheshire.“Once we secured the first grant

everything moved so quickly and we haven’tlooked back, not least because we haven’thad time to.” says Phil.

IMPARTIAL SERVICEKelsall Hill has quickly established itself

as a destination of choice for leisure andcompetition riders and has its sights set onbuilding an indoor-school to enhance itsyear-round appeal.

It had cause to celebrate recently afterbeing selected as one of just six Northwestvenues than can host an Olympic EquestrianTraining Camp in 2012.

Established in 2007 as an impartialbusiness support and information serviceBusiness Link Northwest receives £18 millionof funding annually from the NorthwestRegional Development Agency (NWDA).

Operating with 250 staff from a main basein Preston and working out of 25 other partnerlocations around the region, it runs auniversal web-based email and telephonecontact service for all businesses as wellas a targeted service where brokers work ona one-to-one basis with businesses whowant to grow.

For further information:www. businesslink.gov.uk/northwest

HELPING MORECOMPANIES TOMAKE THE LEAP

Clearing the hurdles – business support ishelping Kelsall Hill Equestrian Centre expand

315-16 P12-13:ISSUE 16 p12-13 22/9/08 09:32 Page 1

13

NEW APPROACH TO FINANCINGBUSINESS GROWTH

Fresh efforts are underway across theNorthwest to stimulate business growth bymaking it easier for finance-hungry start-ups and growth minded small and mediumsize businesses to access support fundingappropriate to their needs.

Companies finding it difficult to raise riskcapital through the commercial marketsare being offered a single, simplified routeinto a range of affordable funding optionsfollowing the launch of a new action planby the Northwest Regional DevelopmentAgency (NWDA).

Developed by the Agency after wideconsultation, the Finance for Business (FFB)

strategy will focus public sector support onproviding intervention to address specificareas of market failure, acting only when theprivate sector cannot or will not help.

“It’s a particularly apt time to be puttingthis in place given the current credit crunch,”commented David Read, NWDA Head ofFinance for Business.

Launched in parallel with the Agency-ledEnterprise Action Plan, the FFB strategy isset to expand the provision of start-up andgrowth capital within the region.

Business Link Northwest (BLNW), which hasenjoyed a successful first year in operation,will expand its services by becoming theprimary gateway for accessing finance.

Other new elements in the restructuringwill include a Venture Capital Loan Fund(VCLF), underpinned with £70 million fromthe latest ERDF programme to support highgrowth SMEs including early stagetechnology enterprises with the provision ofseed, venture and mezzanine finance.

The Agency is also investing £5 million ina £10 million small business loan schemeadministered regionally by CommunityDevelopment Finance Institutions (CDFI) with

banks contributing a similar amount forsupporting loans between £3,000 and £30,000.

Poor ‘investment readiness’ is the mainbarrier quoted by financial institutions,venture capital and business angels to SMEsand early-stage businesses accessing finance.

To address this failure BLNW isrecruiting a number of specialist brokers towork with companies so that the widestrange of SMEs can access, use and benefitfrom both the financial products and thesupport they need to increase their

productivity and competitiveness.Access to finance is recognised by the

EU, the UK Government and the RegionalEconomic Strategy as one of the biggestbarriers to the formation, survival andgrowth rate of businesses.

PACKAGE OF OPTIONSKey themes in the FFB strategy include

raising awareness of different types offinance available to fund business growth,changing the cultural aversion to equityfinance and support for the development ofnew financial products and services thataddress current and future market gaps.

“What we are trying to do is simplify thewhole process of raising finance by creatinga single point of access. The previousstructure was slightly confusing forbusinesses,” explains David Read.

“The key point is to provide businessfinance where there are areas of marketfailure, especially between the equity gaps of£250,000 to £2 million. We want to ensurethat we can pull together a package of optionsto ensure business can start-up and grow.”

A key objective of the new policy is to helpbusinesses reduce their environmentalimpact. This could mean prioritisinginvestment applications that contribute to theregion developing a low-carbon economy.

The FFB strategy complements the workcurrently being undertaken as part of theGovernment’s Business SupportSimplification Programme on Access toFinance and ensures national products onfinance and investment readiness, debt andrisk capital align with the regional need.

For further information: www.nwdabusinessfinance.co.uk

Measure of excellence – laboratory testingat flooring manufacturer Flowcrete, aflourishing Cheshire-based business

315-16 P12-13:ISSUE 16 p12-13 22/9/08 09:32 Page 2

NEWS

New pathways into employment in themedia industry will be created by theUniversity of Salford and the BBCfollowing a partnership agreementbetween the two organisations thatwill lead to new joint courses,enterprise training and studentplacements within the BBC.

Over 250 new and emergingbusinesses are being nurtured in theUniversity of Central Lancashire’sMedia Factoryincubator, enablingUCLan to comesecond nationallyand top regionallyin the latest HigherEducation – Business and CommunityInteraction survey.

Funding of £90 million is in place tofacilitate the relocation of Blackpooland Fylde College to a site within theSecond Gate area of the town centre.Phase one of the development will becompleted in September 2009.

Manchester University has improvedits world ranking in the respectedleague tables published by ShanghaiJiao Tong University.Since the merger ofthe VictoriaUniversity andUMIST in 2004Manchester hasclimbed from 53rd to 40th place. Inthe past year it has also risen to sixthin Europe, a rise of three places.

Lancaster University’s income fromcollaborative research with businessrose from £7 million to £11.5 millionin 2006-07 moving the university intothe top tier of Higher Educationinstitutions in the UK generatingwealth through working withbusiness.

Enterprise Champions will beestablished at a further fourNorthwest universities – Liverpool,Salford, Cumbriaand ManchesterMetropolitan withthe help of£930,000 fundingfrom the NWDA.The funding will also be used tosupport a similar ongoing project atLiverpool John Moores University.

14

SKILLS AND EDUCATION

The region’s first enterprise academy wasopened in Knowsley two years ago, and is setto be joined by a second academy developedby the entrepreneur Peter Jones, betterknown as a judge on the popular TVprogramme Dragons’ Den.

Based at the North Mersey Business Centre,the Knowsley Enterprise Academy, whichhas received £2.3 million of funding from theNorthwest Regional Development Agency(NWDA), has proved a huge success, with6,500 16-19-year-olds having passed throughits door.

The Academy’s Chief Executive SteveDumbell says the project has revitalised anarea hit hard by economic decline. “What weare trying to do is encourage young people todream about owning a business in the futurebut concentrate for the time being onacquiring employability skills,” he says.

But crucially, he adds, the Academy threadscitizenship through everything it does, whichhelps to turn the young people into goodcitizens, as well as good entrepreneurs.

A second strand to the Academy’s work isoffering incubator space to start-upbusinesses, which have historically found ithard to flourish in the area. This too hasproved successful, with the Academy set toexpand on to the nearby derelict Kodak sitein order to offer more incubator units.

The Northwest Academy will offer mentoring,master classes and incubation support to

ACADEMIES SPURYOUNG ENTERPRISE

Making a difference – the KnowsleyEnterprise Academy aims to developa new generation of entrepreneurs.

help young people from all educationalbackgrounds get their ideas off the ground.

Peter Jones’ team is also working with theCurriculum Qualification Authority to developa new award in enterprise. This will meanyoung people will be able to choose betweenfollowing a theoretical route, possibly leadingto higher education, or a practical route,allowing them to get straight on withdeveloping their ideas.

Ewan Rowland, NWDA Enterprise andInnovation Policy Manager, believes bothacademies have a crucial role to play inhelping the region to move up the UK’senterprise league table.

ENTERPRISE JOURNEY “There is a strong body of evidence to say

that skills in the workplace will release thepotential of workers to be innovative andmore enterprising.”

The Agency is also creating a new‘enterprise journey’ that will introducechildren to the concept of enterprise inprimary school, and offer them a clearentrepreneurial route that they can followthrough to university.

To help achieve this, the NWDA isinvesting £2.5 million in a Further EducationEnterprise Hub, which will work with clustersof primary and secondary schools to helpembed enterprise within the curriculum.

For further information: www.nwda.co.uk

A new generation of entrepreneurs is being nurtured in the Northwest thanks to a seriesof programmes, which are encouraging young people from an early age to start thinkingseriously about enterprise as a career option.

315-16 P14-15:ISSUE 16 p14-15 15/9/08 16:49 Page 1

15

A collaborative programme designed toupskill the higher echelons of the Northwest’sworkforce has been so successful that it isbeing rolled out to another three of theregion’s key industry sectors.

The Higher Education Pathfinder Projectwas launched as a three-year pilot inOctober 2006 with £4 million funding supportfrom the Higher Education Funding Councilfor England (HEFCE).

Embracing the region’s universities andFurther Education (FE) colleges, its aim wasto improve the provision of higher skillslevels in four key sectors – advancedengineering and materials, business andprofessional services, construction, andcreative and digital industries.

Such has been the impact of the pilot thatthe Northwest Regional Development Agency

(NWDA) is providing funding to allow thepriority sectors of food and drink, energy andenvironmental technologies, and bio-medicalto join the scheme.

The pathfinder is being delivered by theNorth West Universities Association (NWUA),which represents the region’s 14 highereducation institutions, in partnership withother key players.

Assistant Director Dr. Celia Brigg explains:“It’s about building more links betweenhigher education and businesses. This willlead to more courses that are ‘demand-led’,with employers actually saying what theywant the content of the course to be and howthey want it to be delivered.”

MORE INCLUSIVEThe NWUA has worked closely with the

Sector Skills Councils (SSCs) to identify gapsin the current higher education.

Rob Wellman, Operations Manager atSummitSkills, the SSC for building servicesengineering, was worried that those coursesthat were available were often too generic,and not accessible or relevant to businesses.

“We have a large number of small companiesand some of them don’t necessarily needpeople with a full degree,” he explains.“So one of the things we’ve asked theuniversities to do is make sure the degreeitself is available in bite-sized bits.”

Thanks to the Pathfinder, this is now beingreflected at the University of CentralLancashire (UCLan) and Liverpool JohnMoores University, both of which have

developed modular Foundation Degrees inbuilding services engineering.

UCLan has also developed a new acontinuous professional development(CPD) course in the Science and Technologyof Nuclear Waste, with units coveringspecific elements of waste management.As well as being shorter than manypostgraduate qualifications, it is alsocheaper and more inclusive.

The course is the direct result of a skillsgap highlighted by companies working in thesector, who were concerned that, with moresites being decommissioned, there was apressing need for experienced engineers andproject managers with the latest skillsneeded to manage nuclear waste.

HIGH-LEVEL TRAININGThe Pathfinder initiative has also led to a

unique partnership between the FE and HEsectors, with Liverpool Community Collegeand Wigan and Leigh College teaming upwith Manchester Metropolitan University todevelop Furthering Fashion, a new high-leveltraining programme.

The Sector Skills Council Skillfast-UKhelped to develop the partnership and ChiefExecutive Linda Florance says: “For manyyears employers have been crying out forhigher-level technical training that can bedelivered to fit in and around workresponsibilities and it now looks like we willsoon have that in the Northwest.”

The partnership has encouraged severalhousehold names to participate indeveloping the courses, including Reebokand Marks and Spencer.

Dr. Brigg adds: “The ultimate aim is to pumpprime this kind of activity, and stimulate theinterest within universities and businessesfor this kind of work. Then, when this projectfinishes, the work will hopefully carry onbecause all partners will have seen thebenefits of working more closely together.”

“WHEN THIS PROJECT FINISHESTHE WORK WILL HOPEFULLYCARRY ON BECAUSE ALLPARTNERS WILL HAVE SEEN THEBENEFITS OF WORKING MORECLOSELY TOGETHER.”

DR CELIA BRIGGASSISTANT DIRECTOR

NORTH WEST UNIVERSITIESASSOCIATION

SKILLS BOOSTFOR KEY BUSINESS SECTORS

For further information:www.nwua.ac.uk/pathfinder

Shaping up – Manchester Metropolitan University is workingon a training programme for fashion industry professionals

315-16 P14-15:ISSUE 16 p14-15 15/9/08 16:49 Page 2

Carlisle is a city on a mission. The onceimportant Roman fortress is now poised fora renaissance, a revival to expand itseconomic fortunes and enhance its appeal toresidents and visitors alike.

The city has already made significantprogress since it was affected by floods in2005, an event that proved to be the catalystfor regeneration and economic development.

Ian McNichol, the recently-appointedProgramme Director of Carlisle Renaissance,says: “We have done the spade work, now wehave reached a new beginning. This is wherethe hard work starts.”

Mr McNichol, who moved to the City Councilon secondment from English Partnerships in2005, goes on: “This is something new forCarlisle which has never had a formaleconomic strategy nor a masterplan for thecity centre. Developing them has been a goodexercise for the city, because it’s fresh and new.”

Driving the change will be the 12-strong,private sector-led Carlisle Renaissance Board,agreed as the best means of moving fromstrategy to delivery after research intodifferent models of city regeneration.

Chaired by Bryan Gray, who will step down

after six years as Chairman of the NorthwestRegional Development Agency (NWDA) laterthis year, the Board includes representativesof Carlisle City and Cumbria County councils,Cumbria Vision, the NWDA, the University ofCumbria and major local businesses.

Mr Gray acknowledges: “This is atremendous challenge, to lead the city throughsuch an exciting period of change, building ona great deal of progress which has alreadybeen made.”

HISTORIC CITY SEEKS E

16

NEWS

New government figures show that theNWDA exceeded itstargets for 2007-08by creating orsafeguarding 17,749jobs, assisting 6,748into employmentand helping 25,805people with their skills needs.

Government Office for the North West(GONW) has published the firstprogress report on recommendations ofthe Blackpool Task Force. Among theinvestments highlighted by RegionalDirector Liz Meek is the £200 millionBlackpool North Railway Stationdevelopment and an £85 millionupgrade of the tram system.

Greater Manchester has signed a Multi-Area Agreement (MAA) to boosteconomic prosperity.The partnership of10 councils hascommitted toincrease annual VATregistrations,provide bettereducation and skills for 14-19 year oldsand reduce the number out of work.

Experts led by Sir Tom McKillop,Chairman, Royal Bank of Scotland, areconducting a rigorous assessment ofthe economic potential of theManchester City Region. The£1.35 million Manchester IndependentEconomic Review, which is part fundedby the NWDA, is the first of its kind forany UK city. Findings will be availableat the end of 2008.

Preservation work has beencompleted on three historicalbuildings inAncoats, EastManchester, pavingthe way for furtherdevelop ment of theformer industrialquarter as anurban village. The NWDA is investing£68 million to regenerate the area.

Poor health is costing the regionaleconomy up to £3 billion a year, accordingto a new report by the strategic healthauthority. The report sets out a visionfor health and healthcare services forthe region, for the next 10 years.

PEOPLE AND JOBS

Architectural legacy - Carlisle’s Old Town Hall

Spellbinding exhibit – the Cursing Stoneat Tullie House Museum

315-16 P16-17:ISSUE 16 p16-17 15/9/08 16:49 Page 1

S ECONOMIC REVIVAL

Members of the Renaissance Board, whobelieve Carlisle should boast about itsheritage, say there is no reason why the citycannot join destinations like York and Bathon the ‘must see’ lists of overseas visitors.

American tourists, particularly keen toinclude a historic city trail in their stay,could be drawn to Carlisle if they weremore aware of what it has to offer.

On the agenda would be the 900-year-oldCarlisle Castle, once the temporaryaddress of Mary Queen of Scots, built tocommand the western end of the Anglo-Scottish border, originally defined byRoman Emperor Hadrian.

The Country Bus service which takesvisitors the length of the 73-mile Hadrian’sWall, now a World Heritage Site, has stopsin Carlisle, which is around ten miles fromits nearest visible remains at Brampton.

A lifesize replica of a section of the Walltogether with material found duringexcava tions of Roman forts are on show atthe Tullie House Museum and Art Gallery,which has a comprehensive Roman collection.

Opened in 1893, the Museum was asilver award winner this year (2008) at theNational Enjoy England Awards – the

HITTING THE HERITAGE TRAIL

17

Already the Board has agreed its prioritiesafter the process was kick-started inDecember 2006 with the help of £1 million ofNWDA funding. Recently the Agency approveda further £3 million for a number of feasibilitystudies and to fund the Programme Director’steam, along with the City and County Councils.

Priorities focus on developing the heart ofthe city, where a new university campus is tobe built on a Caldew Riverside site, andtargeting strategic employment sites.

McNicol stresses the importance of havinga strong university presence in the city.“We want the university to be visible, on thedoorstep and linked to the city centre.”

There are also plans to “vigorously polish”the city’s cultural and heritage quarter,which includes the cathedral, castle, TullieHouse Museum and Art Gallery and its linkswith Hadrian’s Wall, all of which could behighlighted more aggressively to attract visitors.

The ‘renaissance’ will include thedevelopment of the city’s commercial heart,looking at the potential for new offices, leisureand retail outlets, boosted in June 2006 withthe opening of Hoopers on Castle Street,formerly Bulloughs department store, a fixturein the city for 96 years.

RETAIL RENAISSANCERenaissance Board member Victoria Farley,

General Manager of Hoopers, says: “Therewas some scepticism in the city aboutbringing both designer and strong fashionlabels to Carlisle, but now we are here, we aremaking a difference to the retail offer.

“Before we opened, people who wantedcertain labels had to travel up to two hoursto Manchester or Newcastle. Part of therenaissance is to add to the shoppingexperience by attracting more niche andartisan boutiques, where people can browse.”

Traditionally the city’s sector strengths haveincluded logistics – with its world brand of

Eddie Stobart heading the list – distribution,food processing and some manufacturing,including Italian tyre company Pirelli, whichinvested £11 million in its Cumbria factory.

LONG TERM VISIONFormer Pirelli director John Nixon, now

Chief Executive of Carlisle United FootballClub and another Renaissance Board member,suggests that because industry is now global,it would be naïve to pin the Board’s hopes onattracting new major employers.

“We must concentrate on retaining theindustry and business we already have andbuilding new smaller ones. We have to providethe right environment and employment sitesto meet the 21st century needs of business.”

He also believes the University of Cumbriais of vital importance, attracting students fromacross the UK as well as from the local area,encouraging the city to retain as manygraduates as possible.

“These are our aspirations, but it is a longterm vision of 20 to 25 years,” says McNichol.

For further information: www.carlisle.gov.ukwww.nwda.co.uk

Spiritual enclave – Carlisle Cathedral precinct

‘tourism Oscars’ – in the category for largevisitor attractions.

Among the treasures at the city’sCathedral, founded in 1122 and one of thecountry’s smallest, is the east window with14th century stained glass and a 16thcentury carved Flemish altarpiece.

Renaissance Board member VictoriaFarley, says: “If Americans come here theirheritage trail can include Roman, theJacobean rebellion, mediaeval, the IndustrialRevolution and Georgian architecture.”

Heritage treasure – the 900-year-oldCarlisle Castle

315-16 P16-17:ISSUE 16 p16-17 15/9/08 16:50 Page 2

TAKING RURALLIFE TO NEWHEIGHTS

18

Rural areas in the Northwest are to receivea £75 million boost to improve quality oflife, diversify the economy and supportfarming, forestry and local action groups.

Over the next five years, the aim is toincrease skills and knowledge, supportbusinesses and enhance opportunities tocreate a vibrant economy and secure asustainable future.

The funding comes from the RuralDevelopment Programme for England(RDPE), which has divided the initiative intofour parts, three of which will be managedby the Northwest Regional DevelopmentAgency (NWDA). The fourth will be theresponsibility of the Forestry Commission andNatural England.

Peter White, Executive Director ofDevelopment at the NWDA, says: “This will bethe largest rural programme in the regionover the next five years with the fundingpower to radically improve our rural areas.”

RURAL GROWTHThe money will be split: £38 million for

improving the competitiveness of farming andforestry sectors and £37 million for improvingquality of life and diversifying the economy.Around £25 million of those funds will beused for delivery through local action groups,known as LEADER groups.

The announcement comes as the results ofthe NWDA’s £100 million five-year RuralRenaissance initiative, which helped marshall

PEOPLE AND JOBS

funding streams totalling £390 million, arebeing evaluated.

The Agency, the catalyst for the creation ofsub-regional rural partnerships, whichhelped to deliver the Renaissanceprogrammes, says the programme hascreated 9,000 jobs, 1,800 businesses and240,000 square metres of new businessspace. Around 17,000 businesses benefitedfrom a range of advice.

The initiative invested £14 million in newtourism facilities and attracted £8 million ofadditional public investment and over£13 million of investment from theprivate sector.

David Hunter, the NWDA’s Head of RuralAffairs, says: “The countryside in theNorthwest is not just a picturesque backdrop,

but a living part of our community, animportant part of the make-up of the region.

“Our focus has always been on ruralgrowth. Growth is at the heart of sustainablerural communities and is vital if we are tosupport the significant contribution, whichrural areas make to the region as a whole.These areas cannot stand still.”

Research in 2004 revealed that 40% of theNorthwest’s businesses are based in ruralareas and they account for 23% of theregion’s Gross Value Added (GVA) and 25% ofits employment.

Hunter says the focus was to get ruraleconomies “back on track” after the 2001

315-16 P18-19:ISSUE 16 P18-19 15/9/08 16:50 Page 1

19

New pastures – these business premises inCheshire, were formerly two cowsheds

Going up in the world – a rural granthas helped Entre-Prises, makers of

artificial climbing walls, expand

outbreak of foot and mouth disease exposed“traditional rural economies” as vulnerable toeconomic shock and deep rural areas ashaving a lack of diversity and capacity to dealwith serious problems.

Now, he says, after a great deal ofinvestment and work at local level, ruralbusinesses tend to be more diverse andresilient and have succeeded in finding newmarkets and opportunities.

Rural Renaissance was tackled differentlyin the region’s three counties. The LancashireRural Recovery Action Plan (LRRAP)concentrated on broadening the economicbase by enhancing the growth of existingbusinesses, in particular by using thesuccessful Rural Grant Fund and RuralBusiness Facilitation Service.

SUCCESS STORYIt was with the help of a rural grant, that

local company Entre-Prises, leaders in theconstruction of artificial climbing walls, wereable to expand.

Based at Barnoldswick’s Eden Worksindustrial estate, the company, which hasfitted over 5,000 structures in locationsaround the world, acquired a new high-techmanufacturing space and office.

Estate owner Michael Wolfenden, says:“The rural grant helped me to transform aunit into a valuable space to enable Entre-

Prises to expand and hopefully become aneven greater success story.”

Stephen Brown, Head of ProgrammeManagement at Lancashire EconomicPartnership which managed the LLRAPsays: “The Action Plan made an impact onthe local economy and well-being ofcommunities through a variety of initiativessupporting business development, local foodproduction, tourism, the environment andcommunities.”

In Cheshire, where pockets of deprivationexist in the south of the county, RuralRenaissance was delivered by CheshireRural Partnership. It adopted “a novelapproach”, including projects entitledKerching! to support retail development andthe marketing of local products, ‘Saddle up’,to improve equine-related businesses andGreen Fingers aimed at increasing visitornumbers to garden attractions.

David Hunter says: “By tackling areasof new activity, Cheshire enjoyed a quicktake-up. For every £1 of Agency funding,they attracted £4 from other public andprivate sector sources which is testamentto their approach.”

For further information:www.nwda.co.uk/rdpewww.crea.co.uk

PLANNINGSERVICESUCCESSA planning advice service in Cumbria –where £54 million of the ‘ruralrenaissance’ budget was invested –has been shortlisted for a Royal TownPlanning Institute national award.

The Rural Planning FacilitationService (RPFS) supports ruralbusinesses keen to expand or diversifyand operates throughout theNorthwest. It was established toovercome difficulties surroundingplanning applications, “one of thestumbling blocks in the ruraleconomy”, according to David Hunter.

In Cumbria, where the Service isdelivered by Cumbria Rural EnterpriseAgency (CREA), it provides up to oneand a half days free advice wortharound £600, to give applicants thebest chance of success.

The RPFS is to continue throughoutthis year and 2009 with more fundingfrom the NWDA.

The county also established theUK’s first rural regeneration company- Rural Regeneration Cumbria (RRC) –in April 2003 which managed a£39 million programme of NWDAfunding and £6.2 million of Europeanfunding. After three years RRCreported that the number of jobs andbusinesses created, the skillsdevelopment provided and thebusiness performance were all inexcess of their target.

Cutting red tape – specialist help canspeed up the rural planning process

For further information:www.ruralcumbria.co.uk

315-16 P18-19:ISSUE 16 P18-19 15/9/08 16:50 Page 2

20

PEOPLE AND JOBS

Manchester’s Oxford Road corridor is to betransformed into a new entrepreneurialhub for the city-region.

The Manchester City South Partnershipwas launched earlier this year to driveforward the knowledge economy and unlockthe true economic potential of an under-performing part of the city.

With Oxford Road as its spine, the corridorbegins at the steps of the Central Library andstretches down to Whitworth Park, taking inover 240ha.

As well as bringing together keyinstitutions based along the corridor, such asthe NHS Trust, BBC and two universities, thepartnership will be looking at ways to attractthe private businesses that the corridor reallyneeds to flourish.

PILOT PROJECTSThe partnership also has the backing of

Manchester City Council and the NorthwestRegional Development Agency (NWDA), andChief Executive Jackie Potter believes thearea is unique in having so many keyinstitutions located so close together, and sonear to the city centre. But, she says, it isnow time to bring them even closer together.

The universities and NHS Trust arecurrently carrying out investmentprogrammes in excess of £1.5 billion and arole of City South, says Potter, will be to

ensure that these investments start toconnect and offer maximum benefit forManchester and the Northwest.

City South will also be working to transformOxford Road, the busiest bus route in Europe,into something far more user-friendly. Thepartnership has made a successful bid to theTransport Innovation Fund, and a postalreferendum across Manchester this autumnwill decide whether the proposed Bus RapidTransport System gets the green light.

The NWDA is investing in a number ofstudies and pilot projects designed to attractprivate investors and create an ‘innovationecosystem’ that nurtures the exchange ofideas between businesses and academia.

“What’s missing are the businesses thatare going to take the ideas and put them towork, making wealth for the city,” explainsDave Sanderson, Science Policy Manager atthe NWDA. “From the Agency’s point of viewit’s about making the area attract and retainhighly innovative businesses.”

Projects include trialling a new way toprovide very high, next generation broadband,as well as a pilot of i-tree, a programme thatinvolves planting trees with special censorsand display screens that show the public thepositive effect trees can have on amicroclimates. “We’re not just improving thepublic realm but we’re being innovative in the

way we do it,” says Sanderson.The NWDA will also be involved with

marketing the corridor and developing amore unified approach to the way in whichOxford Road’s many cultural assetspromote themselves.

COMMUNITY LINKSAnother series of projects will look at

enterprise and employment, includingbuilding stronger links between localbusinesses and the area’s major institutions.Work will also be carried out to dispel someof the misunderstandings that exist betweenlocal people and the important potentialemployers on their doorsteps.

“We need to build more links withneighbouring communities, especially themore disadvantaged ones, and try and givethem a stake in what’s going on,” addsSanderson.

Potter agrees: “Traditionally the institutionshave been very separate but they have allnow have signed up to the need to be moreoutward facing and to make sure that thereare job opportunities for the communities,and that they play a part in increasingly theaspirations and skill levels of young people.”

For further information:www.manchestercitysouth.com

PARTNERSHIP TO BUILDCORRIDOR OF POWER

Route to prosperity – Manchester’sOxford Road is destined to become

an entrepreneurial hub

315-16 P20-21:ISSUE 16 p20_21 15/9/08 16:50 Page 1

CITIES UNITEDBY VISIONARYDEVELOPMENTS

The physical bonds that unite closeneighbours Manchester and Salford are setto strengthen thanks to a series ofvisionary new developments that willcreate thousands of jobs.

Projects such as Greengate, ChapelStreet/Salford Central Station and Irwell CityPark are part of a masterplan designed tomaximise the benefits from connectingManchester’s vibrant city centre andSalford’s buoyant Quays.

The NWDA is a founder member of theCentral Salford Urban RegenerationCompany (URC), which is leading on muchof the work, in partnership with SalfordCity Council, English Partnerships andprivate companies including Bruntwoodand Ask Developments.

Further evidence of how the futuredevelopment of the city-region is entwined isreflected in its Board directors, which includeSir Richard Leese, Leader of ManchesterCity Council, and Councillors John Merry,Leader of Salford City Council, and SusanWilliams, Leader of Trafford Council.

In addition to the NWDA’s separateinvestment in MediaCityUK, the Agency hasso far invested over £19.5 million throughthe URC’s activity. This has helped to fund amixture of feasibility work, infrastructureimprovements and strategic land andproperty acquisitions.

The first new link between the two citieswill be Exchange Greengate, a derelict 13-hectare site a few minutes walk fromManchester’s Exchange Square, which is tobe transformed into a new urban quarterbetween the two cities.

It’s also an opportunity to extend theeconomic success of Manchester across the(River) Irwell and into Salford. “That’s whywe think this western side of the regionalcentre has some real potential,“ says MikeHollows, Senior Development Executive atthe NWDA.

“It has good existing public transportinfrastructure for which furtherimprovements are planned, and whichenables greater accessibility to a significantproportion of the Greater Manchester city-region’s population.”

The project involves three distinct areas: theUrban Cove, which will help bring the Irwellback to life, with a new bridge and waterfeatures; Greengate Link, a new pedestrianroute linking the two cities, and GreengateSquare, the area’s new green heart.

The project is expected to attract over£600 million of private sector investment,creating 4,000 new jobs and 2,500 newhomes, with work set to begin next year.

The development is also seen as acatalyst, explains Chris Farrow, ChiefExecutive at Central Salford URC. “It willhave wider impacts, opening the doorway to

the revival of Chapel Street and the re-birthof the River Irwell as a waterside publiccorridor linking Manchester to Salford.”

Ultimately Chapel Street will become anew city centre for Salford, with muchstronger connections to Manchester. Thereare plans to reinvigorate many of thearchitecturally important buildings that nowlie derelict too, with an emphasis on shops,bars and recreation facilities, as well as1,600 new homes. The project will create12,000 new jobs.

But Karen Hirst, the URC’s DevelopmentDirector knows that more than a quick fixsolution is needed. “Delivering on the visionof this area will take at least twenty years tocomplete and around £700 million ofinvestment,” she says.

A third major project is Irwell City Park,which will celebrate Salford’s often over-looked natural environment by completing anew 8km route of walkways and cyclewaysthrough Central Salford and straight into theheart of Salford Quays.

Shape of things to come – a new public square is akey feature of the Greengate development, Salford

For further information:www.centralsalford.com

21

315-16 P20-21:ISSUE 16 p20_21 15/9/08 16:50 Page 2

22

It has been a landmark year for the region’sairports. Both Manchester and Liverpoolhave celebrated key anniversaries withsubstantial new investment and newowners have taken over at Blackpool.

This mixture of public and privateinvestment, increased capacity and newcarriers is good news for the region too,says Andrew Davis, the Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency’s (NWDA) SectorDevelopment Manager for Aviation andAerospace, given the role that aviation playsin promoting the Northwest, as well asboosting its economic performance.

“The region’s international airports makea vital economic contribution,” he explains.“Good connections to internationalgateways are a critical factor for businessand inward investment in the North, and forbringing in tourism.”

Part of the NWDA’s support for the sectoris the £6.5 million Air Services DevelopmentFund (ASDF) to pump prime key projects thatwould support growth, attract new carriersand improve efficiency at the region’s airports.

It was also designed to complement otherAgency programmes such as investment inLiverpool 08, as well as Gateway Marketing.By providing funds to Marketing Manchester,The Mersey Partnership and Lancashire and

Blackpool Tourist Board, the ASDF isencouraging them to work more closelywith the airports to develop and promoteinbound tourism.

And now some of the projects are comingto fruition. Liverpool John Lennon, whichcelebrated its 75th anniversary this year, hasgrown significantly on the back of low costairlines and now handles over five millionpassengers a year.

ASDF has helped to enhance the overallpassenger experience at the airport byimproving safety and security and helpingdevelop a training programme for the airport’soperational and customer facing staff.

It has also led to improved aircraft landingfacilities at the airport, including technologythat now allows Liverpool to receive aircraftin bad weather.

GOOD REPUTATIONThe project is also helping to raise the

airport’s reputation as an internationalgateway, and complements work beingcarried out by owners Peel Airports. Thisincludes upgrading the runway for long haulservices, and developing a new hotel andmulti-storey car park.

Neil Pakey, Managing Director of LiverpoolJohn Lennon Airport explains: “WhenLiverpool won the European Capital of

NEWS

INFRASTRUCTURE

Sections of the M6, M60, M62 and M56around Manchesteras well as theM6 junctions fromNorth ofBirmingham toKnutsford are beingconsidered for hardshoulder running as part of a £6 billionpackage of improvements to strategicnational roads up to 2014.

Plans are moving ahead to market theDerwent Forest former munitions siteat Broughton Moor, Cumbria, as aworld-class leisure attraction todevelopers following agreement by theNWDA and local councils to acquire thesite from the Ministry of Defence.

International architects and publicrealm designers are being invited tocome forward with concepts forinspirational public spaces in sixPennine Lancashire town centres.More than 300 design practices haveregistered an interest in the NWDA-supported initiative.

Regeneration funding of £1.78 millionfrom the NWDA and its partners isbeing used to create new communitywoodland to the South East ofSouthport’s towncentre as part ofthe £59 millionNewlands project.The work isexpected tocontribute to theprotection of the area’s red squirrelcolony.

Grant funding of £4.9 million has beenapproved by the NWDA for remediationwork on the former United Glass site inSt. Helens that will enable constructionto start on a new 18,000-seater stadiumfor St. Helens Rugby League team, anew supermarket, access road andpedestrian plaza.

Production is to start on another 106carriages for the high speed tiltingPendolino trains on the West Coast Mainline followingagreement betweenthe Department ofTransport andAlstom. They willdeliver over 7,420additional seats byDecember 2012 in addition to the 45%increase in long distance services dueon the line in December.

AVIATION FUNDSUPPORTSRESPONSIBLEGROWTH

315-16 P22-23:ISSUE 16 P22-23 15/9/08 16:51 Page 1

23

Culture award we decided that the airportneeded to improve in terms of the actualwelcome people receive when they arrive.

“The airport has enjoyed rapid growth inrecent years and with the help of ASDF we’vebeen able to ensure that improvements tothe customer experience have kept pace withthis change. Importantly, that’s helped tomaintain our good reputation.”

MORE CREDIBILITYManchester Airport, which has now been

operating for 70 years, is just embarking ona three year 'Destination Marketing'programme supported by ASDF, designed tostimulate long haul connections to India andWest Coast US.

As well as new tourist routes theconnections could also lead to new businessopportunities, such as improving links betweenMediaCityUK and Bollywood, and the region’sbio-chemical sector with new US markets.

The funding again complements otherinvestment, this time from the Northern Wayinto a new £10 million third railway platformat the airport, while other key developmentsat Manchester include new routes to Chinaand the opening of a new Concorde hangar.

One clear beneficiary of the ASDF isBlackpool Airport, where the fund has financedadditional aircraft apron standing facilities,

which has helped secure the airline Jet2 as a‘home-based’ carrier and create 30 new jobs.

The investment has given the airport morecredibility, says Davis, and encouraged newowners Balfour Beatty to step in. Thecompany already owns Exeter Airport, andthere are now plans to grow passengernumbers in the next couple of years.

The work is also complementingsignificant investment by ReBlackpool andthe Government into the resort, its transportinfrastructure and leisure facilities.

As David Kershaw, Chief Executive Officerat Blackpool Airport adds: “We will continueto work very closely with the NWDA,ReBlackpool and our regional stakeholders.With their continued support, BlackpoolAirport looks forward to further developmentand growth in order to attract new airlines,new routes and passengers travelling to andfrom Blackpool, Lancashire and the LakeDistrict.”

FUEL COSTSThe NWDA is also lobbying central

Government to help the industry in otherareas, particularly over the effects of risingfuel costs, difficult economic conditions andgreater European competition.

Finding ways to offset the negative impactof the new Aviation Duty is also high on the

agenda. The legislation will replace airpassenger duty with a new duty payable perplane, and is designed to ensure thataviation makes a greater contribution tocovering its environmental costs.

It’s an area which Davis realises can throwup a conflict of interest, especially given theAgency’s own climate change agenda.

“We need to have economic growth but weneed to do it in a responsible way,” he says.“So any airports receiving funding from usmust make efforts towards introducingenvironmental measures that theythemselves can control.”

Among these are new wind turbines atLiverpool, where they have also introducedsoftware that can monitor and control thepower usage in their retail units. AtManchester the airport owners are lookingat ways in which aircraft can be betterhandled and manoeuvred on the ground.

“Improving the region’s transportinfrastructure remains an investment,planning and lobbying priority for NWDA,”explains Davis.

“After all, the better connected globallywe are, the better for tourism, and the betterfor business.”

For further information:www.nwda.co.uk

“ANY AIRPORTS RECEIVINGFUNDING FROM US MUST MAKEEFFORTS TOWARDS INTRODUCINGENVIRONMENTAL MEASURES THATTHEY THEMSELVES CAN CONTROL.”

ANDREW DAVISSECTOR DEVELOPMENT

MANAGER, AVIATIONAND AEROSPACE

NWDA

Well connected – Manchester Airport is targetingnew routes to China, India and West Coast USA

315-16 P22-23:ISSUE 16 P22-23 15/9/08 16:51 Page 2

They’re MADE UP in Liverpool. That’s thetitle of the International exhibition of the2008 Biennial, which opened this month(Sept 20) – and it’s how organisers,sponsors and visitors are feeling after asuccessful first six months of the EuropeanCapital of Culture.

As the city moved into the final quarter ofLiverpool 08, both visitor figures and the year’spredicted economic impact are impressive.

At the half way stage almost five millionpeople had attended a cultural event orattraction and the economic impact of£100 million predicted by the NorthwestRegional Development Agency (NWDA) isnow seen as conservative.

Lewis Biggs, Director of the LiverpoolBiennial, which is celebrating its tenthanniversary, explains: “MADE UP is a desireto celebrate the point the city has reachedsince its successful bid for European Capitalof Culture status.

“The underlying implication is havingvision - that you imagine where you want tobe and you try to reach that point. The visionthe city developed eight years ago has beenrealised, which is a fantastic measure of

24

London 2012’s Pre-Games TrainingCamp Guide for Paralympic sportsfeatures 25Northwest sportingvenues rangingfrom hockey throughto basketball andaquatics. Manchesterleads the way with eight and Liverpoolhas six. The Games will be used toinspire people with disabilities.

Blackpool Council has been awarded£4 million from the Sea Changeprogramme towards the £11 millionTower Festival Headland project whichwill provide a new outdoor performancearea between North and Central Piers,helping the resort in its ambition tobecome the UK’s ‘capital of dance’.

Tate Liverpool’s hosting of the TurnerPrize 2007 generated over £10 millionfor the Merseysideeconomy according toa new reportcommissioned by theNWDA and the Tate.Over 71,800 peoplevisited the exhibition and 3.6 millionwatched coverage on Channel 4.

Manchester and Liverpool are to stagethe European BadmintonChampionships with support from theNWDA and other partners. The eventwill be split between the Echo Arena,Liverpool (European TeamChampionships) in February 2009 andManchester’s MEN Arena (EuropeanIndividual Championships) in April 2010.

Ness Botanic Gardens, Wirral (LargeVisitor Attraction) and Mersey FerriesManchester Ship Canal Cruises(Small VisitorAttraction) wereamong 14 winnersin The MerseysidePartnership (TMP)Annual TourismAwards held at theBT Convention Centre, Liverpool.

Grant funding of £250,000 is beingmade available by the NWDA to helpoutdoor organisations in Cumbriacreate more high quality adventureexperiences for visitors. Administeredby Cumbria Tourism the scheme will beused to stage new outdoor festivals, setup new activities and test new ideas.

NEWS

QUALITY OF LIFE

hope for the future.”MADE UP, with works that explore “the

ecology of the artistic imagination” fromartists across the world, will be presented atTate Liverpool, the Bluecoat, FACT and OpenEye Gallery with half the exhibition sited inpublic spaces across the city centre.

Lewis Biggs says that visitors to the ten-week Biennial will enjoy an “absolutely hugearts offer” as the 08 programme continues.

Artichoke, the company that brought partsof London to a standstill when itsspectacular Sultan's Elephant paradedthrough the streets in May 2006, has againworked its magic – this time in Liverpool.

Earlier this month a gigantic mechanicalspider, the work of French companyLa Machine, journeyed through the city’slandmarks in five days of the mostspectacular piece of free streettheatre the city had ever seen.

HARD WORKThousands of peopleturned out to see the 37-tonne, 50ft creature,which started its journeyby clinging to the side of the ConcourseTower before travelling around the city.Commissioned by the Liverpool CultureCompany, it instantly became one of thehighlights of the European Capital ofCulture year.

In July – 08’s busiest month to date, whichincluded golf’s Open Championship at RoyalBirkdale - thousands thronged thewaterfront to watch the biggest gathering ofTall Ships in Europe when a fleet of more than70 vessels filled the city’s quayside and docks.

Nick Brooks-Sykes, Head of TourismMarketing at the NWDA, says: “There’s nodoubt that Liverpool 08 has confounded its

Golfing triumph – this year’s OpenChampionship was staged at Royal Birkdale

Tate coup – part of theGustav Klimt exhibition

RAVE REVIEWS FOR

Pivotal exhibit – Richard Wilson’singenious art work at Cross Keys House

315-16 P24-25:ISSUE 16 p24-25 16/9/08 11:07 Page 1

“THE VISION THE CITY DEVELOPEDEIGHT YEARS AGO HAS BEENREALISED, WHICH IS A FANTASTICMEASURE OF HOPE FOR THEFUTURE.”

LEWIS BIGGSLIVERPOOL BIENNIAL

25

early critics – organisers and visitors alikeare absolutely delighted with its progressand the press coverage has been fantastic.

“It’s great to see that all the hard work andplanning is now delivering tangible results.

“And this is not a one-hit wonder. There’s alot of hard work going on behind the scenesaround legacy planning to make sureLiverpool benefits in the long-term from thisbrilliant year.”

RARE MEMORABILIALiverpool will be on show to wider audiencestwice in the next two months when majorevents at the city’s Arena and ConventionCentre are televised.

The Royal Institute of British Architects(RIBA) Stirling Prize – the Oscars forarchitecture – will be announced on October11 and the event broadcast on Channel 4 thenext day and the 15th annual MTV EuropeMusic Awards will be broadcast live onNovember 6.

“It is only natural that Liverpool should hostthe Awards,” says Richard Godfrey, SeniorVice President Content & Music, MTVNetworks International. “Not only is itEuropean Capital of Culture but the influence

of its rich music heritage is still felt today.”Joining art and music on the agenda is

literature with Liverpool University staging aone-off weekend literary festival entitledShipping Lines in November (8/9).

The event, part of the University’scontribution to Liverpool 08, has attracted

authors including Monica Ali,children’s writer Philip Pullman, SimonArmitage, Carol Ann Duffy and Liverpool

poets Paul Farley and Roger McGough.Future projects include a £35 million plan

to redevelop and refurbish the city’sEveryman and Playhouse theatres withsupport from the NWDA which has agreed toinvest £1.7 million.

European culture can also be seenthrough the lens of football when a five-month UEFA exhibition called Only a Gameopens at World Museum Liverpool next

LIVERPOOL 08 PROGRAMMEMaritime heritage – Liverpool hosted thebiggest gathering of Tall Ships in Europe

Charity auction – a sell off of nearly70 superlambananas at St. George’s Hallraised over £500,000

Shock and awe –this 35-tonnemechanicalspider thrilledthousands

month (Oct). It will look at the face of footballfrom the 1950s to the modern era andfeature rare memorabilia from legendarymatches and star players.

Liverpool and England midfielder StevenGerrard says: “It’s great that we are havingthe exhibition as part of Liverpool 08 as thereis no city in Europe where football meansmore than it does to the people of Liverpool.”

Bryan Gray, Chairman of both the NWDAand the Liverpool 08 board, says: “I believeculture is fundamental to the economy andhence to regeneration.”

He admits that regeneration in Liverpoolhas been “a long journey” but investmentlike Capital of Culture has produced manypositive gains including the revival of the citycentre population in newly-built andconverted apartments.

“People now are very mobile and can choosewhere to live and work and places which havea good quality of life, enhanced by culture inthe widest sense, are more attractive.”

For further information:www.liverpool08.comwww.biennial.com

Cultural highlight – the MTV Europe MusicAwards are being held in Liverpool

315-16 P24-25:ISSUE 16 p24-25 16/9/08 11:07 Page 2

26

QUALITY OF LIFE

The UK-wide Cultural Olympiad, a four-yearperiod of cultural activity designed tocelebrate the Olympic spirit in the build-upto the Games, will be launched onSeptember 26-28, based on the theme“Open Weekend”.

The two venues are the sites of NeonAttractors - specially curated visual artworksby Culture Northwest and the Northwest’sfirst project to be granted the London 2012Inspire mark as part of the CulturalOlympiad. It is awarded to “outstanding,surprising, exciting and brand new culturalprojects inspired by London 2012 andrecognised as helping to deliver the Games’lasting legacy.”

TORCHLIGHT WALKSNeon Attractors combines two speciallycurated light installations: ‘Rabbit’ byLiverpool Biennial in Toxteth and‘ThickSpace_FRED’ near Coniston in Cumbria.

‘Rabbit’ was created from a line drawingby a pupil at Vincent de Paul Primary Schoolin Liverpool as part of Ron Haselden’s‘Animal’ project. The drawing has beentransformed into a coloured neon lightartwork and is located on the north façade ofSt James’ Church in Toxteth.

‘ThickSpace_FRED’ is large fibre opticcube which the public can enter into by

FLYING THE FLAG FORCULTURAL OLYMPIADinternational artists Laura Belevica, Aaron JRobin and Feng Gouchaun. The installationwill be suspended from trees in NationalTrust woodland near Coniston, Cumbria, andwill be accessible by footpaths.

DISTINCTIVE EVENTSDebbi Lander, Creative Programmer for theCultural Olympiad in the Northwest says:“We are developing a global programme fora global event. The Cultural Olympiad is anopportunity for disciplines to converge andcommunities to connect.

“Our exciting and legacy-orientated planswill drive cross-sector development, explorethe artistic and cultural capacities of youngpeople in the region and develop newrelationships and collaborations across andbeyond the Northwest.”

The two installations which combine toform Neon Attractors also feature as part ofother cultural events occurring throughoutthe region to celebrate Open Weekend.‘Rabbit’ will feature as part of a series ofNeon light installations throughout Liverpoolnamed ‘Winter Lights’ as part of the 2008Liverpool Biennial.

‘ThickSpace_FRED’ will be a centralfeature of the Coniston Walking Festival inthe Lake District, a new style walking festivalcombining physical and cultural activity.

The launch of the Cultural Olympiadfollows the August 24 Handover celebrationson the day the Olympic flag passed toLondon at the end of the Beijing Games.

Over 30 local authorities across theNorthwest joined the nationwide ‘Flying theFlag’ project by raising a specially-designedOlympic Handover flag in a variety of settings.

The most prominent was the flag carriedby legendary climber Sir Chris Bonington tothe top of Scafell Pike in Cumbria, thehighest mountain in England at 978 metres.

For further information:www.london2012.com www.beinspired.com

“WE ARE DEVELOPING A GLOBALPROGRAMME FOR A GLOBAL EVENTAND WE WANT ALL DISCIPLINESTO CONVERGE ON A SINGLE THEMEOF PLAY.”

DEBBI LANDERCREATIVE PROGRAMMER

CULTURAL OLYMPIAD NORTHWEST

What do a Coniston woodland and aLiverpool church tower have incommon? Answer – both are venuesfor the launch of the CulturalOlympiad leading up to the London2012 Olympic Games and ParalympicGames in London.

Standard-bearer – legendary climberSir Chris Bonington raises the Olympichandover flag on top of Scafell Pike, Cumbria

315-16 P26-27:ISSUE 16 p26-27 15/9/08 16:51 Page 1

NEW LIFE FOR ART DECO ICONthis icon of the Northwest coast returned toits former glory. Its redevelopment is a crucialpart of the masterplan to breathe new lifeinto Morecambe which we hope will act as amajor catalyst for further investment.”

Other major regeneration projects areunderway, boosted by the TransportSecretary’s decision to approve plans for anM6/Heysham link road, a £138 millionscheme that would greatly improve accessto the coastal town.

Lancaster City Council is also planningan application to the Sea Change fundingprogramme, set up by the Department ofCulture Media and Sport, to kick starteconomic regeneration in coastal areasthrough specific investment in cultureand heritage.

The bid will focus on the restoration of thefamous Winter Gardens theatre Grade II*listed building, which is also subject to a bidto the HLF for its £12 million restoration.The NWDA has provided £300,000 of fundingtowards a feasibility study and pre-development work on the bid.

Lancaster City Councillor Evelyn Archer,chair of the Winter Gardens Theatre Trustand portfolio holder for the regeneration of

“WE SEE THE POTENTIAL OFMORECAMBE AS A PLACE TO LIVE,WORK AND VISIT WHICH IS WHY WEARE LOOKING AT OTHER PROJECTSIN THE TOWN.”

IAN WHITTAKERPOLICY AND PARTNERSHIP MANAGER FOR

LANCASHIRENWDA

Morecambe says: “The restoration of theMidland is wonderful and now we hope thesame will happen for the Winter Gardens.Both are key to the regeneration of the town,which must now look forwards and not backto its previous heyday.”

NEW HOMESA further part of Morecambe’s regenerationis to be seen in the town’s West End, whichin the last five years has receivedinvestments of more than £30 million, wheremulti-occupancy properties are beingreturned to single houses and more 100 newhomes are being built.

Ian Whittaker, NWDA Policy andPartnership Manager for Lancashire, says:“We see the potential of Morecambe as aplace to live, work and visit which is why weare looking at other projects in the town.

“It benefits from its proximity toLancaster, a growth centre in the Northwestwith its environment, heritage and universityand the construction of an M6 link roadwould improve access enormously.”

For further information:www.morecambe.co.ukwww.midlandhotelmorecambe.co.uk

Rebirth of an icon – the Midland Hotel, Morecambe,has been restored to its former glory

Think Morecambe, think Eric. ThinkMorecambe, think Midland. Since earlysummer the Victorian seaside resort hasboasted a second icon along itspromenade with the newly-restoredGrade II* listed Midland Hotel joining thelife-size bronze statue of John EricBartholomew, one half of the reveredMorecambe and Wise comic duo.

Built in the 1930s and once a favouritehaunt of stars like Coco Chanel andSir Laurence Olivier, the Art Deco hotel re-opened on June 1 after standing emptyfor ten years.

GRANT SUPPORTBought by award-winning regeneration

specialists Urban Splash, partners in aplanned new mixed-use development on anadjacent site, the 44-room hotel overlookingMorecambe Bay has undergone an£11 million restoration.

The project was supported by a grant of£4 million from the Northwest RegionalDevelopment Agency (NWDA) by LancasterCity Council, the Heritage Lottery Fund(HLF) and English Heritage.

James Berresford, Director of Tourism atthe NWDA, says: “We are delighted to see

27

315-16 P26-27:ISSUE 16 p26-27 15/9/08 16:51 Page 2

28

NOTEBOOK

PEOPLEIN THEREGION

Property developer Tom Bloxham hasbeen elected the new Chancellor of theUniversity of Manchester after a ballot ofUniversity staff, alumni and GeneralAssembly members. His tenure willbegin in the autumn and he will hold theoffice for seven years.

He is Chairman and co-founder ofUrban Splash, the innovative propertydeveloper that is responsible forregeneration projects in Manchester andLiverpool. To date the company hasreceived 237 awards for architecture,design and business success,

Bloxham, 44, graduated in 1986 inpolitics and modern history and in 2007received an Honorary Doctorate from theUniversity of Manchester. He chairs ArtsCouncil (North West), sits on the ArtsCouncil England and in 1998 was awardedan MBE for services to architecture andurban regeneration.

BloxhamelectedChancellor

ReBlackpool’s drive to deliver aprogramme of comprehensive regenerationthat will give the town a year-roundeconomy has been given a boost by theappointment of Sir Howard Bernstein asthe new Chair of the urban regenerationcompany (URC).

As Chief Executive of Manchester CityCouncil since 1998 he has built animpressive track record in urban renewal.He was awarded a knighthood in 2003 forservices to the reconstruction of Manchesterand the XVII Commonwealth Games.

Sir Howard steps down as a member ofthe Board of the Olympic Delivery Body(ODA) – the body responsible for the facilitiesand infrastructure for the 2012 LondonOlympic Games and Paralympic Games –following his new part-time appointment.

Bernstein todrive resortmasterplan

Phil Redmond, best known for his work intelevision drama but more recently for hisrole as Creative Director and Deputy Chairof the Board of The Liverpool CultureCompany, is the new Chairman of NationalMuseums Liverpool, which is responsiblefor eight museums in the city.

He has written extensively for radio,television and stage and made his mark bycreating three of Britain’s longest-runningdrama programmes, Grange Hill (30 years),Brookside (21 years) and Hollyoaks (11 years).

Phil became ‘Professor’ Redmond whenhe was awarded the Honorary Chair ofMedia at Liverpool John Moores University in1989 and since 1993 has also been a Fellowand Member of the Board of Trustees. He isa Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and wasawarded a CBE in 2004 for services to drama.

Museumsrole forRedmond

Design expert Heather Emery takes up anew challenge as Ambassador for thenewly established Northwest HeritageSkills Hub. The venture is being hosted bythe Centre for Construction Innovation atSalford University and funded by EnglishHeritage and Construction Skills.

During her four years at the NWDA shewas Head of Design and Built Environmentand was instrumental in setting up theNorthwest Design Review Panel, which nowoperates as part of the successful PlacesMatter! Programme.

Fresh challengefor Emery

315-16 P28-29:ISSUE 16 P28-29 15/9/08 16:52 Page 1

29

Rachel Hoyle, 21, an aerospace engineer at BAE Systems inLancashire, has been named as Advanced Apprentice of the Year bythe Learning and Skills Council. She received her award from‘Britain’s Got Talent’ presenter Amanda Holden in London.

Rachel started her apprenticeship at 16 straight from Ashton-on-Ribble High School. She carried out an ONC and HNC in AerospaceEngineering and in 2007 enrolled at Manchester MetropolitanUniversity for a part-time degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Rachel’s duties at BAE Systems involve engineering work on theEurofighter Typhoon, one of the world’s most advanced aircraft, at thecompany’s Warton plant.

Rachel is top apprentice

Deborah Brownlee, Deputy Director ofChildren and Young People’s Servicesat Wigan MBC, is joining GovernmentOffice North West (GONW) as Directorfor Children and Learners. She willtake over from Nigel Burke when heretires later this year.

She has worked in a range of roleswith children and young people over25 years. Originally from Salford, sheinitially trained as a Careers Adviserbefore undertaking a range ofmanagement roles with the public andprivate sector.

Her previous jobs have included ChiefExecutive of Wigan Careers Service,Positives Futures Ltd and Acting CEO ofWigan Chamber of Commerce. Shewas appointed Assistant Director ofChildren and Young People’s Services inWigan in 2006 rising to become DeputyDirector in 2007.

Steven Gerrard, Liverpool FC’sinspirational Captain, added anotheraward to his growing collection when hewas made an Honorary Fellow ofLiverpool John Moores University inrecognition of his services to sport.

He joined Liverpool as a schoolboy agednine and during his career has won severaltitles including PFA Young Player of theYear and UEFA’s Most Valuable Player.

Born at Whiston, Merseyside, he hascaptained England, making his debut forthe national team in May 2000. In 2006 hewas awarded an MBE for services to sport.He received his Fellowship at one ofLJMU’s graduation ceremonies inLiverpool’s Anglican Cathedral.

Joseph Dwek, Chairman of Envirolink and one of the region’smost prominent business leaders, is the Northwest’sEnvironmental Champion of the Year. He received the accolade atthe Northwest Business Environment Awards.

A Board member of the NWDA, he was Executive Chairman andChief Executive of Bodycote International Plc from 1972 until hisretirement in 1998 and still holds a number of executive positions

and directorships with UK companies.He was formerly Chairman of the Mersey Basin

Campaign and the Healthy Waterways Trust and wasawarded a CBE in 1997 for services to industry and the

CBI Northwest.

GONW postfor Wiganexecutive

Cap andgown forGerrard

Dwek is environment champion

315-16 P28-29:ISSUE 16 P28-29 15/9/08 16:52 Page 2

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBERNOVEMBER

LIVERPOOL BIENNIAL

The UK’s only festival of contemporary artVarious venues

EVENTS

EVENT HIGHLIGHTS

30

For further information www.nwda.co.uk/events

THE LIVERPOOL SUMMIT

An unrivalled executive learning opportunity BT Convention Centre, Liverpool

1-2OCT

THE MEDIA FESTIVAL

Exchanging ideas, building partnerships Midland Hotel and Radisson Edwardian,Manchester

26-28NOV

LABOUR PARTY CONFERENCE

The serious business of politics Manchester Central

20-24SEPT

RIBA STIRLING PRIZE

Oscars for architectureBT Convention Centre, Liverpool

11OCT

MANCHESTER FOOD & DRINKFESTIVAL AWARDS

Spotlight on the kings and queens of flavourPalace Hotel, Manchester

13OCT

MTV EUROPE MUSIC AWARDS

Pop music coming homeEcho Arena, Liverpool

6NOV

EUROPEAN SENIOR BOXINGCHAMPIONSHIPS

The first major post-Beijing OlympicstournamentEcho Arena, Liverpool

6-15NOV

KENDAL MOUNTAIN FESTIVAL

Films, literature and an audience withclimbing legend Reinhold MessnerVarious venues, Kendal

20-23NOV

WATERFRONT EXPO 08

The world’s largest waterfront regenerationeventLiverpool Echo Arena and BT ConventionCentre

3-5NOV

DECEMBER

CBI NW BUSINESS AWARDS

The business world honours its heroesMidland Hotel, Manchester

5DEC

BBC SPORTS PERSONALITY OFTHE YEAR

An old favourite in a new settingEcho Arena, Liverpool

14DEC

NORTHWEST TOURISM AWARDS

Accolades for the region’s top tourismbusinessesSt George’s Hall, Liverpool

22OCT

HI-TEC WORLD SQUASHCHAMPIONSHIPS

Top players compete for the sport’s top awardsNational Squash Centre, Manchester

11-19OCT

20SEPT-30NOV

LE CORBUSIER EXHIBITION

The art of architectureThe Crypt, Metropolitan Cathedral, Liverpool

2OCT-17JAN

Pivotal work – engineering anBiennial tour-de-force

Echo Arena – venue for the BBC SportsPersonality of the Year

315-16 P30-31:ISSUE 16 P30-31 15/9/08 16:52 Page 1

31

GETTING IN TOUCHAt the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA),we value your views and feedback.

Visit www.nwda.co.uk & www.visitenglandsnorthwest.com

KEY CONTACTS

Des

igne

d an

d pr

oduc

ed b

y K

alei

dosc

ope

ADM

, Liv

erpo

ol. w

ww

.kad

m.c

o.uk

NW

DA

KAD

M 0

9/08

211

72

HEAD OFFICE PO Box 37, Renaissance House,Centre Park, Warrington WA1 1XBTel: +44 (0)1925 400 100Fax: +44 (0)1925 400 400e-mail: information@nwda.co.uk

The NWDA manages alloperations from itsHeadquarters at:

HEAD OFFICE

PRINT STOCK:Cover: Challenger Laser Matt is totally chlorine free and acquired only fromsuppliers operating sustainable forest reserves.

Text: Cyclus offset is manufactured using only 100% recycled post consumer waste.

The NWDA’s ExecutiveTeam are based at itsHeadquarters inWarrington.

STEVEN BROOMHEADChief ExecutiveTel: 01925 400 133Email: Steven.Broomhead@nwda.co.uk

BERNICE LAWChief Operating Officer,(currently on secondment at theLiverpool Culture Company)Tel: 01925 400 532 Email: Bernice.Law@nwda.co.uk

IAN HAYTHORNTHWAITEExecutive Director,ResourcesTel: 01925 400 116Email: Ian.Haythornthwaite@nwda.co.uk

MARK HUGHESExecutive Director,Enterprise and SkillsTel: 01925 400 531Email: Mark.Hughes@nwda.co.uk

PETER WHITEExecutive Director, DevelopmentTel: 01925 400 299Email: Peter.White@nwda.co.uk

JAMES BERRESFORDDirector of Tourism Tel: 01925 400 472Email: James.Berresford@nwda.co.uk

PETER MEARNSExecutive Director, Marketing and CommunicationsTel: 01925 400 212Email: Peter.Mearns@nwda.co.uk

FIONA MILLSDirector of Human PerformanceTel: 01925 644 422Email: Fiona.Mills@nwda.co.uk

PATRICK WHITEExecutive Director, Policy Tel: 01925 400 274Email: Patrick.White@nwda.co.uk

315-16 P30-31:ISSUE 16 P30-31 15/9/08 16:52 Page 2

Join us for the 5th editionof the UK’s biennial ofcontemporary art.

For further information visitwww.biennial.comor phone the Visitor Centre0845 220 2800

315-16 P32-01:ISSUE 16 P32-01 15/9/08 16:46 Page 1