No growth for two years, says Manchester council chief

MANCHESTER can expect to see a “difficult couple of years” as the economic climate gets worse still, according to the chief executive of Manchester City Council.

But Sir Howard Bernstein added that the city’s economy is showing more resilience than it would have ten years ago, when a recession would have been “devastating”.

“We’ve not reached the bottom of the recession in my view – there is still a little way to go before we get to that point,” he said at a lunch for Greater Manchester Chamber’s building and development section on Friday.

“I don’t think we should assume that there will be any growth in the UK economy for at least two years.”

Instead, the city should use the climate as an opportunity to “take stock” and identify the next wave of major investment initiatives, ready for when the economy starts to recover, he said.

He made it clear that the airport would be pivotal to any future growth and development plans , with projects in the pipeline.

“It is absolutely fundamental, not just for Manchester but for the whole of the North West, that Manchester Airport achieves its potential. That is a big priority,” he said.

Sir Howard added that the Oxford Road corridor was another vital area for investment and development, calling it the “most important initiative in terms of GVA in the north of England”.

But Manchester, he said, should recognise that the delivery of its ambitions will now take longer than planned.

The failed Transport Innovation Fund bid should not mean compromise he said, adding:  “In reality, there is no plan B for public transport, certainly not one that involves £3bn.

 “We’ve got to take a very, very hard look at the responsiveness to national funding networks for transport.”