Director of BBC North Alice Webb on the Impact of the BBC’s move to Greater Manchester

When the BBC moved a significant part of its national operation to the banks of Salford Quays, the outcry was deafening. The BBC had “lost its marbles”; “it’s grim up North” screamed the headlines.

Six years later, with more than 3,000 staff generating more than 35,000 hours of content each year, as well as a plethora of BBC apps and websites, BBC North is a huge success.

At the last count the BBC was putting more than £420m a year into the regional economy. We play a significant role in the creative and digital economies in Greater Manchester, and across the North of England, and more importantly, the content we create for the whole BBC, better reflects the lives, passions and concerns of licence fee payers who live outside the South East.

The London-based Centre for Cities claims the BBC’s move to Salford has had a “negligible” impact on the region’s economy. Did they ask anyone in Greater Manchester about that? Did they come see first-hand the difference our move, and others like it, have on the region - the regeneration that it has kick started?

Here it is widely acknowledged the BBC was a significant catalyst in the regeneration and growth of Salford and Greater Manchester. MediaCityUK is home to the BBC, ITV, Dock10 Studios, University of Salford, the UTC and City College, as well as more than 250 creative and digital SMEs - today more than 7,000 people work here. And that figure continues to grow. Indeed, the BBC itself has grown by more than 700 jobs since we moved here six years ago.

Earlier this year Salford was ranked in the top five hot spots for start-up companies - with over 1300 new companies launching new businesses between January and March, outstripping even London. In Greater Manchester, the digital sector has doubled its worth since 2010 to £3.1bn. Does that sound "negligible" to you?

And don’t just take my word for it. Sean Anstee, leader of Trafford Council and the councillor leading on employment and skills for the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, says: “The BBC’s move to Salford has benefited not just Salford, but Greater Manchester as a whole and indeed the entire North West. As well as the direct benefits of the thousands of people that are now employed across Greater Manchester as a result of the BBC’s relocation, the move North has been instrumental in sparking a creative and digital revolution in the city region”.

Business agree too. Mike Blackburn, Chair of the Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership, says: “Quite frankly a report that says the BBC has not had a positive impact on Greater Manchester is ridiculous. The BBC move to Manchester has been extraordinary, transformational and was the catalyst for a media and creative boom, creating the second largest cluster of digital and creative business in Europe.”

By any measure: economic, creative, cultural and more - our move has delivered benefits in spades. I’m proud to lead the BBC in the North I’m proud of what we’ve all achieved here.

Alice Webb Director of BBC North & BBC Children’s