Construction works has commenced at one of the UK's largest entertainment arenas in Manchester.

The building work started a wave of economic activity and job creation across Greater Manchester. Co-op Live is being built by Salford-based BAM construction, who has revealed that almost £150million of the construction orders have already been placed with local firms.

OVG, the developer, is investing over £350m to create one of the best and most sustainable live entertainment arenas in Europe. The construction project is one of the biggest to commence nationally since the onset of Covid and will provide a much-needed boost for the local construction industry at a critical time for economic recovery after the pandemic.

At its peak, Co-op Live's construction site will see some 400 people working on it daily. BAM estimates that more than 2,000 people will work on the site over its three-year construction phase, comprising the majority of the 3,350 total jobs the project will support from now to 2023.

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OVG has forecast that Co-op Live will create a further 1,000 jobs when operational.

The team behind Co-op Live are committed to local procurement, and a range of businesses across Greater Manchester and the wider North West region are being used to help create the venue, with a dozen firms for the region already engaged in the project.

9,000 tons of steelwork will be provided from a depot in Bolton, while a huge order for mechanical and electrical works has been placed with a firm based on Altrincham Road in Manchester, SES. The striking façade and roof are being delivered by a firm in Cheadle.

Other services that will be provided by local companies include concrete, grouting, and lifts, plus smaller contracts for hoardings, welfare, catering, and security.

An apprenticeship programme is set to be announced as the construction programme accelerates. Inclusion and diversity are embedded into BAM’s workforce goals, around gender parity, and diversity (as an example at least 15% of employees from ethnic minority backgrounds), at least 5% of employees who identify as LGBTQ+ and employees who live with disabilities are appropriately supported.

Work has started, with millions of pounds of bulk excavation and remediation work underway that will provide work for the region’s hauliers and plant companies.