Under half BBC staff agree to move north

Fewer than half of the 924 BBC employees who were asked to relocate to the new BBC North headquarters in Salford have actually agreed to do so, it has emerged.

Although the first BBC employees are due to start transferring to the new MediaCity development in the New Year, only 46% of staff across five programming departments - sport, children's, Radio 5 Live, learning and future media and technology - have so far committed to relocation.

Sports teams have the highest takeup at 58%, followed by 56% of Radio 5 Live's morning division and 50% of the 5 Live News team, reports The Guardian.

However, only 45% of future media and technology staff, 31% of the children's department and 26% of the BBC Learning division have committed to leave London.

The move has apparently proved more agreeable for male staff, as only 30% of female employees have agreed to relocate.

The BBC is motivating employees to relocate with loans for up to 80% of the value of a new property, along with flexible packages to ease the resettling of families.

Any employees who chose not to relocate, though, will have a year to secure a different position within the BBC or have to take redundancy.

"BBC staff relocation levels at 46% are much higher than the average, helping to reduce overall redundancy costs whilst still providing several hundred new roles in the creative industries," said a BBC spokesman.

"This figure is higher than initial expectations and our independent relocation specialists estimate that a figure of over 40% is considered high for a move in either the private or public sectors.

"BBC North will deliver a huge boost to our creative economy in the North of England, and bring the BBC closer to our audiences."

Luke Crawley, representative from technicians' union BECTU, gave a "cautious welcome" to the number of BBC employees who are making the move.

He added: "It bodes well for Salford as production base that a considerable number of experienced staff will be going there."

Around 800 staff from the BBC's existing Manchester offices will also transfer to MediaCity by 2011.