Press Releases

September 20 2007

New East Manchester named Regeneration Agency of the Year

New East Manchester (NEM), has been named Regeneration Agency of the Year at the first Regeneration and Renewal Awards, organised by the regeneration industry's leading magazine, Regeneration and Renewal. At a ceremony held in London last night, east Manchester's urban regeneration company (URC) beat off stiff competition from the URCs for the cities of Liverpool and Sheffield to pick up the top award.

The regeneration agency also scooped the top award in the training category for the Regeneration Assistants project, which provides local people with the opportunity to access jobs in regeneration through a structured, accredited training programme combined with work based experience to gain skills, practical knowledge and relevant qualifications.

NEM was established in early 2000 with a remit is to bring together public agencies, voluntary and community organisations and the private sector to deliver the investment necessary to regenerate an area of 1900 hectares immediately east of Manchester City Centre. To date NEM's achievements include:

- Around 800,000 square feet of new business and retail floorspace completed and occupied to date, generating in excess of 3000 new or safeguarded jobs.

- NEM is on track to achieve its target to build 12,500 homes in its first 10 years, with more than 3,500 new homes already completed or on site and a further 6,000 in the pipeline.

- Significant progress has been made in raising educational attainment - in 1999 24.3% of pupils achieved 5 or more GCSEs at grades A to C. In 2006 49.4% of pupils reached this level of attainment. The equivalent figures for Manchester were 30.2% of pupils in 1999 and 46.5% of pupils in 2006. The 2007 figures look even more promising.

- Satisfaction levels of residents have improved significantly over the last seven years - within the NDC area in 1999 only 46% of residents were satisfied or very satisfied with their neighbourhood. The equivalent rate in 2005 was 68%. For the whole of East Manchester in 2005 the satisfaction rate was 69%.

Robert Hough, Chairman of New East Manchester Ltd said: "As this is the first Regeneration and Renewal Awards, it is particularly pleasing and even more significant to receive the top accolade. The judges had the whole field to choose from yet they chose Manchester as the first ever winner of this national award. New East Manchester is successfully delivering a long term strategic vision for physical, social and economic change. What has been achieved in a relatively short time period of time is quite remarkable and shows that our holistic approach is clearly working, and the close working relationship with local people and our partners is paying dividends. This award recognises the significant contributions of all stakeholders during that time. An average of £200 million a year is being invested by the public and private sector in this massive area that is six and a half times the size of Manchester City Centre. Vital investment needs to continue to guarantee a sustainable future for the area."

Picking up the accolade for New East Manchester, Tom Russell, the URCs Chief Executive commented: "It's an honour to be recognised by our own industry in this way. Six years on from successfully hosting the Commonwealth Games, a catalyst for the regeneration of this part of the city, the NEM team has driven forward the £2 billion regeneration programme with relentless energy and drive. Our work is not just about restructuring the housing market, building a new economic base, and improving transportation - all of which are vital to its success - but it is also about investing in the people who live in the area, ensuring that training and job opportunities are lasting and sustainable, as well as achieving significant improvements in the health and education of the local community. There is, however, still a great deal more to do to ensure we leave a lasting legacy for the communities who themselves have contributed so much."

On behalf of the judging panel, David Marlow, Chief Executive of East of England Regeneration Agency commenting on New East Manchester said: "One of the things we liked about New East Manchester is that it combines physical investment and physical change with community involvement and developing the social capital base of residents."

Commenting on the award-winning Regeneration Assistants Project, Sean McGonigle, east Manchester's New Deal for Communities Co-ordinator who heads up the scheme added: "It's great to get industry recognition for this pioneering project. The Regeneration Assistants have had a profound effect not just on their own career and prospects but on the social well being of the local community. Through their own success they have raised the aspirations of local people who can now see a progression route into regeneration careers as well as accreditation for their volunteering. With the shared experience of residency, Assistants act as a source of information on the regeneration of the area, providing a deeper knowledge and understanding of activities, dispelling rumours that maybe causing unrest within the community and promoting opportunities for local people to get involved. Individually each assistant has built their own self-esteem, confidence and capacity to develop a long-term career in regeneration."