Today I attended a talk by Claire Lowe, the partenership manager for 'The Corridor Manchester'. The 'Corridor' runs from St.Peter's Square, through the city and down to and past the Whitworth Art Gallery, the heart of the corridor being Oxford Road. The area covers 243 hectares and employs 18% of the city's total workforce.
The Corridor is a unique business location which links three of the main educational centres in Manchester:
Manchester Metropolitan University
The University of Manchester
Central Manchester University Hospitals NHS foundation Trust
The Commonwealth Games and the move of part of the BBC to Oxford Road (Manchester) in 2002-6 made way and kickstarted the partnership. In 2007 the Manchester City South Partenership was formed and in 2008 the name was changed to 'The Corridor Manchester'.
The main aim of 'the Corridor' is to be 'the leading UK location for knowledge-based businesses, research & development and learning and knowledge'. Their vision is to be CREATIVE, ORIGINAL and SMART and they are currently working on 5 main themes throughout their business:
1.SENSE OF PLACE
2.TRANSPORT
3.ENVIRONMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE
4.RESEARCH AND INNOVATION
5.EMPLOYMENT, BUSINESS AND SKILLS
One fundemental project they are working on at the moment is the Cross City Bus Package which is going to involve a bus route that travels up and down the Corridor and allows tourists and workers to visit and get to places along the corridor without a need for and transport changes. This should make the Corridor more accessible and more well known.
Another project the partenership is working on is the Public Realm. In this they aim to regenerate and to develop streets and areas which surround the Corridor through art and new technology. One area where this can already be seen is the Grosvenor Square.
They are also very interested in 'green' spaces and travelling.
Other members of the partenership are:
Cornerhouse
Bruntwood
Manchester City Council
Manchester Science Parks LTD
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