Corrie move possible as Peel talks reopen

Coronation Street may move to a new home after ITV re-entered talks with The Peel Group over a possible relocation to Salford's MediaCity UK development.

The proposal to move ITV's Manchester operations is now believed to be back on the table after previously being scrapped in March last year.

Coronation Street's current base is at Manchester's Quay Street, which was chosen as the location of a studio complex for Granada in the 1960s.

Bryan Gray, chairman of MediaCity UK's developers Peel, explained that the Weatherfield soap has a "pre-allocated" space next to Imperial War Museum North ahead of a possible move.

Speaking to The Guardian, he explained: "We've offered space to ITV. ITV have a particular requirement - ie, Coronation Street. We've offered them a package.

"We had some quite detailed discussions but they came to a halt with the management of ITV changing. Since the appointment of Archie Norman as chairman and John Cresswell as acting chief executive we've started discussions with ITV again."

Meanwhile, an ITV spokesperson confirmed that talks are taking place, but firmly denied suggestions that the current Quay Street set would be destroyed.

The representative this afternoon told DS: "The Peel Group has been in contact with ITV and discussions have taken place regarding media city."

Writing on the MediaGuardian website, a spokesperson for the commercial broadcaster also refuted reports that the Corrie set is to be "demolished". They wrote: "The bulldozers aren't rumbling down Quay Street because Coronation Street is not 'set to be demolished'. The Peel Group has been back in touch regarding the MediaCity project but no deal has been done which would result in any move."