News

Manchester is OFFICIALLY in the running to host Eurovision

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 12th August 2022

The potential host cities for Eurovision 2023 have been announced this morning – and Manchester is officially in with a chance.

The UK has stepped in to host the global singing contest in place of this year’s winners, Ukraine.

As our nation was runner-up this year with Sam Ryder’s Spaceman giving us our biggest success in years, it’s over to the UK to welcome all the countries taking part.

Cities have been announcing their bids for several weeks, with 20 expressions of interest to host sent in.

Sam Ryder came second in last year’s Eurovision. Credit: BBC

But it’s a complicated event, so those who wish to host need to actually have a suitable venue and the financial contribution too, and demonstrate that they will celebrate and honour Ukrainian culture and artists.

ADVERTISEMENT

The shortlist of seven cities has just been announced live on BBC Radio Two, on Zoe Ball’s breakfast show.

The full shortlist for the cities that may host Eurovision in 2023:

Birmingham

ADVERTISEMENT

Glasgow

Leeds

Liverpool

ADVERTISEMENT

Manchester

Newcastle

Sheffield

If Manchester is successful, Eurovision will take place at the AO Arena in the city centre, Manchester City Council leader Bev Craig has announced.

She said: “We are thrilled to have made it through to the next stage to become the 2023 Eurovision host city.

ADVERTISEMENT

“Manchester stands ready to put on the biggest party in the UK at the city’s AO Arena, taking our place in Eurovision’s unique history.

Read more: The Eurovision Song Contest will officially be held in the UK in 2023

“We have a large and proud Ukrainian community in Manchester. It would be our privilege to host this iconic celebration on their behalf and we will do everything we can to honour them throughout.”

“We’re exceptionally grateful that the BBC has accepted to stage the Eurovision Song Contest in the UK in 2023,” said Martin Österdahl, the Eurovision Song Contest’s Executive Supervisor.

“The BBC has taken on hosting duties for other winning countries on four previous occasions. Continuing in this tradition of solidarity, we know that next year’s Contest will showcase the creativity and skill of one of Europe’s most experienced public broadcasters whilst ensuring this year’s winners, Ukraine, are celebrated and represented throughout the event.”

ADVERTISEMENT

The final decision will be based on scoring criteria from the BBC and the EBU.

It’s expected that the host city will officially be announced in the autumn.

Featured image: EBU / Corinne Cumming

News

Plans submitted for new £250 million mixed residential neighbourhood in Stockport

Danny Jones Danny Jones New Stockport 8 neighbourhood planning permission

Plans have officially been submitted for a brand-new £250 million neighbourhood in the heart of Stockport town centre.

The new mixed residential mini-village simply dubbed, ‘Stockport 8’, has been put forward by the local LLP of the same name, set up as part of a partnership between Stockport Council and ECF (English Cities Fund – itself a joint venture between Homes England, Legal & General, and Muse).

Set to cost a quarter of a million, the proposed neighbourhood is just the latest step of the ever-growing Stockport Mayor Development Corporation (MDC) masterplan, a wider £500m scheme to transform the specific Stockport Town Centre West area into the most sustainable, liveable town centre in the UK.

With a planning application now submitted, we’ve also been given another look at what the new Stockport neighbourhood would look like if green-lit.

when is Stockport 8 due to be finished?

We first heard reports of the new Stockport 8 neighbourhood back in January after CGIs of what the developers envisioned were shared with the public, alongside how it fit into the West blueprints.

The overall goal of the development is to create a high-quality, green neighbourhood featuring a mix of housing tenures to suit existing and new homeowners and tenants.

Aiming to build a grand total of 1,300 high-quality, energy-efficient homes all told as part of a whipping £1bn investment in Stockport town centre, there will also be room for businesses and community spaces on the ground floor level to knit into the existing centre and its community.

There’s also an insistence from those behind the project to create different atmospheres, creating new environments for people to meet, socialise, relax and enjoy, such as residential courtyards and green roofs, as well as the usual modern amenities re: parking, vehicle charging, bike storage etc.

All told, the council and their development partners – which include chief designers, shedkm, and landscape architects, Planit – are hoping to contribute nearly a third of the homes in Stockport MDC masterplan, which is hoping to surpass 4,000 homes over a total of 130 acres.

stockport 8 neighbourhood
stockport town centre masterplan

As well as helping contribute to the busy and vital road network that is continuing to be redeveloped, the goal is to create a safe and sustainable travel environment too, with a pedestrian-only street running through the centre of the scheme.

With one big road (Cook Street) running throughout the neighbourhood, the new builds will also look to knit into Stockport’s existing structure, celebrating the area’s rich heritage and character by even reintroducing historic street patterns and street names.

If you’re interested in the skyline-changing new project, you can find out more HERE.

Planning permission applications in Manchester can sometimes take upwards of 13 weeks due to the various individual stages and processes, so we’re still a while of way from knowing if/when Stockport 8 will begin work but with a summer 2027 completion date, it could be a huge moment for the town.

Read more:

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Supplied

News

Hidden drug den full of cannabis plants worth £100k exposed by police in Bury

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Police in Bury have exposed a drug den worth an estimated £100,000 hidden behind closed doors during early morning warrants.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) explained, earlier this week (9 December), officers from the Radcliffe and Elton and Church Neighbourhood Teams were joined by Bury’s newest district commander, Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver, to conduct a warrant at an address on Mitchell Street.

The warrant was conducted by acting on intelligence that was gathered from members of the public within the community.

Officers the address, where they forced entry and discovered what has been described as a “sophisticated cannabis farm” within the property.

A hidden drug den full of cannabis plants worth £100k has been exposed by police in Bury / Credit: GMP

The set-up was spread across two floors, and according to police, resulted in around 300 plants being seized overall – with half of them being at the beginning of their growth-cycle, and 100 which had been harvested.

All the plants seized have a combined street value of an estimated £100,000, it is believed.

On top of this, a vehicle was also seized after officers found it suspiciously parked outside the premises, and following further inspection, it was discovered to be outstanding as stolen and had false registration plates.

No arrests have been made at this time.

Police believe that the warrant could be linked with West Balkan’s Organized Crime Groups, and are investigating additional lines of enquiry.

Chief Superintendent Kirsty Oliver, Bury’s new district commander, thanked the public for their help in yesterday’s warrant.

“We received information sent in by concerned members of the community who wanted to create a safer environment,” Chief Superintendent Oliver explained.

Read more:

“Communities are essential to preventing and solving crime, and I encourage you to continue to report any criminal acts or suspicious behaviour to us and let us know what is happening in your area.”

Featured Image – GMP

More News

Manchester City FFP charges go from 115 to 130

News

Manchester City’s alleged charges have been increased to 130

Boroughs

Manchester Airport trains cancelled more than any other UK airport during Christmas season

Snoop Dogg wants to join MasterChef UK

Music

Snoop Dogg says he wants to replace Gregg Wallace on MasterChef – and so do we

Audio

Clint Boon takes us around Manchester's iconic Deaf Institute

Eats

We go meatballs deep with Mira's traditional Neapolitan sandwiches