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Half of all senior managers whose roles are in scope to move to the new centre for ´óÏó´«Ã½ North at MediaCityUK in Salford have decided to go. This is substantially more than was expected based on previous moves at the ´óÏó´«Ã½ and in other companies.

The deadline for decisions was 30 April and 15 of the 32 managers have now told the ´óÏó´«Ã½ they want to make the move to join the senior management team to be led by Peter Salmon, the Director of ´óÏó´«Ã½ North.

Commenting after the decision deadline had passed Peter Salmon said: "I am pleased by the response we have had and the calibre of the people who will be coming on the journey to ´óÏó´«Ã½ North.

"The acceptance rate is higher than had initially been planned and I am told by the relocation experts that 47% is a high percentage for a move of this size.

"I also completely sympathise with some colleagues who have not been able to make the decision because I understand just what an enormous individual decision it is, particularly where partners' careers, children's schooling, and sometimes caring responsibilities are involved."

Senior ´óÏó´«Ã½ managers who will be working from ´óÏó´«Ã½ North in 2011 include Ben Gallop and Philip Bernie from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport, Rhian Roberts from ´óÏó´«Ã½ Radio 5 Live and Michael Carrington and Joe Godwin from Children's.

Ben Gallop, who is Head of Interactive and Formula 1 for ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport, said: "While it has been a big decision to relocate my family, I'm really looking forward to the challenges ahead to take ´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport into a fully-digital, multi-platform future.

"We've seen the way audiences and technology have been changing in recent years and I'm excited by the opportunity that our new home in ´óÏó´«Ã½ North will offer."

Notes to Editors

The ´óÏó´«Ã½ is expected to begin moving into the new ´óÏó´«Ã½ North in a phased way during 2011, from around Easter onwards.

Other ´óÏó´«Ã½ staff whose roles are relocating to ´óÏó´«Ã½ North in 2011 will make their individual decisions during the course of 2009.

Departments relocating to ´óÏó´«Ã½ North at MediaCityUK in Salford are Children's, Sport, 5 Live, Learning and parts of Future, Media and Technology.

An estimated 1,400 roles will relocate from London. Around 800 staff currently based at ´óÏó´«Ã½ Manchester will also move to the new ´óÏó´«Ã½ North in 2011.

Peter Salmon starts his role as ´óÏó´«Ã½ Director North full time from 1 June 2009, while Richard Deverell, Head of Children's, has already been announced as the Chief Operating Officer for ´óÏó´«Ã½ North.

Michael Carrington is Controller of CBeebies; Joe Godwin is Head of News, Factual and Entertainment, ´óÏó´«Ã½ Children's; Rhian Roberts is Head of Development, Radio 5 Live; Philip Bernie is Head of ´óÏó´«Ã½ TV Sport.

Early indications, including the results from senior managers, show that a higher number of people than expected will decide to move to Salford.

Extensive efforts will be made by the ´óÏó´«Ã½ to redeploy staff who are not able to make the move. In the event that redeployment is not possible, the individual may be offered redundancy when the move is finally made.

´óÏó´«Ã½ Press Office