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The Factory Manchester £110m arts venue discussed The Factory Manchester £110m arts venue approved
(35 minutes later)
Plans for a new £110m theatre and arts venue at the former site of Granada TV studios in Manchester will be discussed by the city's council later. Plans for a new £110m theatre and arts venue at the site of the former Granada TV studios in Manchester have been approved by the city council.
The Chancellor George Osborne pledged £78m for The Factory Manchester in the 2014 Autumn Statement as part of the northern powerhouse scheme. Chancellor George Osborne pledged £78m for The Factory Manchester in last year's Autumn Statement as part of the Northern Powerhouse project.
The 5,000-capacity venue is scheduled to open by summer 2019, but needs £32m from the local authority. The 5,000-capacity venue is scheduled to open by summer 2019 but needed to secure a £32m council contribution.
Councillors have been recommended to endorse the proposal. Council leader Sir Richard Leese said the project was "very exciting indeed".
The council said culture would be a "key ingredient" in making Manchester the most visited city in England outside London. It is hoped the economic benefits of The Factory will not be limited to increased visitor numbers.
Leader of Manchester City Council, Sir Richard Leese, said: "The significance of The Factory cannot be overstated. The council said Manchester's creative economy was also increasingly important and a new, large-scale arts centre is seen as the next critical piece of infrastructure to support the area's "creative eco-system".
"It will be internationally significant, the cultural anchor for the next phase of economic and cultural regeneration in Manchester, Greater Manchester and beyond.
"It will help power Manchester and the wider region towards becoming a genuine cultural and economic counterbalance to London."
Analysis: Ian Youngs, BBC arts reporterAnalysis: Ian Youngs, BBC arts reporter
The Factory is designed to be in a different league to Manchester's other arts venues. It is intended to be a major global venue that happens to be in Manchester instead of London or New York or Berlin. The Factory is designed to be in a different league to Manchester's other arts venues. It is intended to be a major global venue that happens to be in Manchester instead of London, New York or Berlin.
It is also hoped it will boost the local economy, create jobs, bolster the so-called northern powerhouse and provide training. It is also hoped it will boost the local economy, create jobs, bolster the so-called Northern Powerhouse and provide training.
But the required money would be a huge amount in any financial climate. It will need £10m a year of public money to run. Where will that come from? But the required council contribution is a huge amount in any financial climate, and it will need £10m a year of public money to run. Where will that come from?
Will there be the audience to fill a 5,000-capacity building night in, night out? And will it appeal beyond the culture vultures to the majority of Manchester?Will there be the audience to fill a 5,000-capacity building night in, night out? And will it appeal beyond the culture vultures to the majority of Manchester?
These things will determine whether it becomes a cultural powerhouse or a white elephant.These things will determine whether it becomes a cultural powerhouse or a white elephant.
It will be located in a new area, St John's, which includes the former Granada Studios site in Manchester city centre.It will be located in a new area, St John's, which includes the former Granada Studios site in Manchester city centre.
The former Coronation Street set, which has been hosting visitor tours since April 2014, will be removed in early 2016 before the site is returned to developer Allied London.The former Coronation Street set, which has been hosting visitor tours since April 2014, will be removed in early 2016 before the site is returned to developer Allied London.