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Ministerial Group on regeneration of East Manchester

Communities Secretary Hazel Blears chaired the first meeting of the Regeneration of East Manchester Ministerial Group today to help Manchester City Council and its partners identify and develop a range of regeneration alternatives to regional casino led regeneration for the benefit of East Manchester.

The group was established following the Government's decision not to proceed with a regional casino and includes the Secretaries of State from seven Government departments as well as the Leader of Manchester City Council and Chair of the North West Development Agency.

Its aim is to develop a shared goal for the regeneration of East Manchester between Manchester City Council, the Urban Regeneration Company, the Regional Development Agency, and Government (and other partners) that will deliver long term sustainable regeneration in East Manchester and replicate an equivalent number of jobs as the regional casino would have delivered, in line with the conclusions of the Communities and Local Government Review of alternative approaches to regional casino-led regeneration published on 26 February.

Hazel Blears said:

"This group will help Manchester City Council and its partners to drive forward new jobs, more skills and better transport for our communities. The Government is fully committed to continue the successful regeneration of Manchester well into the future."

Specific projects that the group will consider and drive forward are:

• The development of Sportcity by unlocking development land and the potential for new jobs through new capital projects;
• The potential to transform rail capacity in Manchester and across the North by investigating the opportunity for capacity improvements;
• The Higher Education Funding Council for England study into the demand for higher and further education in Manchester;
• Greater Manchester plans for a Multi-Area Agreement to be signed this summer to boost jobs, transport, investment and housing through greater co-operation.

The Group will report progress on the strategic package to the Cabinet.

Membership of the group includes:

• Communities Secretary, Hazel Blears (Chair)
• Culture Media and Sport Secretary, Andy Burnham
• Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary, John Denham
• Transport Secretary, Ruth Kelly
• Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell
• Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Secretary, John Hutton
• Health Secretary, Alan Johnson; and
• Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council
• Bryan Gray, Chair of the North West Regional Development Agency.

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