One major Manchester headline was Manchester Airport being designated an enterprise zone in the government’s 2011 Budget, but the BBC’s move to Salford has also generated plenty of debate. There’s been plenty of criticism of the move in the media and a number of big names have resigned, causing commentators to wonder whether Manchester can possibly have as much to offer as London, both for businesses and for residents.

In fact, anyone already living in Manchester would agree that the city has a great deal to offer both. The city is a major centre of the creative industries in the north of England and boasts theatres, restaurants, art galleries and bars to rival anything that the capital has to offer. Furthermore, the 2009 Cushman & Wakefield European Cities Monitor ranked Manchester as one of the best cities in Europe to locate a business.

The BBC’s decision to move some of its operations to Salford can only increase business investment in Greater Manchester. During this time of change, a great number of business visitors will be heading to the area, whether they’re working on short-term projects or looking for somewhere to stay while they seek somewhere more permanent. For these visitors, the serviced apartments Manchester has to offer provide an ideal accommodation option.

The BBC will be based in the MediaCityUK development in Salford Quays, which developers are hoping will turn into a vital regional media hub. And as it will also be home to ITV, Coronation Street and the University of Salford, this particular hope is highly likely to become a reality. The area will be well connected by transport to the city centre and will be the site of a number of residential developments which are likely to include serviced apartments. There are already numerous serviced apartments Manchester in the area, particularly around Salford Quays and MediaCityUK can only make the area more attractive to business travellers.

MediaCityUK is just one development in an urban area that, like many northern cities, is seeing remnants of its industrial past (from canals to old warehouses) converted into contemporary living and working spaces. Another large-scale development is the Spinningfields development in central Manchester. The centre aims to become a business centre to rival Canary Wharf, while a number of shops and restaurants will give business visitors plenty to do in their leisure time. Again, residential developments will no doubt increase the range of serviced apartments there, and there are already plenty of serviced apartments Manchester in the canal-side Deansgate area, around a five minute walk away.

There is another major benefit of moving to Greater Manchester: property prices and living costs are much lower than in London. Furthermore, the serviced apartments Manchester has to offer provide a more cost-effective stay than other corporate accommodation options. In serviced apartments, guests can be relatively self-sufficient, meaning that there are fewer extra services to pay for, from laundry to room service. Serviced apartment rates also tend to be all-inclusive, which means that it’s easy to calculate and manage costs.