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Work underway at former hospital site

Moston Valley Business Park, flagship project of North Manchester Regeneration, will be built on derelict land once home to Monsall Hospital.

The site will be transformed into 500,000 sq ft of new floor space for businesses and new investment.

It is part of a strategy to reclaim brownfield sites for new purposes seen as an important factor in the long-term regeneration of the area.

The Monsall Hospital site occupies a strategically important location close to the northern gateway to the Commonwealth Games complex.

Plans are already underway to make sure local people and communities benefit from the new work and training opportunities.

Employment, training and jobs advice centres have been opened up such as North Manchester Horizons in Harpurhey District Centre and the Cheetham Hill Jobshop.

They offer free services to residents to improve their job hopes or match them to vacancies now and when the first businesses start to move into the park in 2001.

Crumpsall councillor and Manchester City Council leader Richard Leese believes the scheme will lift the local economy and add to the businesses already established in the area.

He said: "Regeneration is about the renewal of areas to meet the needs of communities and this disused land is now going to have a new lease of life to do just that creating many employment and training opportunities.

"The development will have a major impact in attracting new investment and business into north Manchester."

Local councillor Joanne Green welcomed the beginning of a new era for the disused land.

She said: "It's great news for everyone who lives in the north Manchester area. Local residents have wanted to see this land put to good use for the long-term benefit of the community for some time and new jobs and a ?7m investment are certainly what is needed and gives us something to celebrate."