Channel 4 moves headquarters to Leeds

Leeds has been chosen as the location for Channel 4's new national headquarters while Bristol and Glasgow will host the new creative hubs.

The city has been chosen over Birmingham and Manchester for the new base.

Channel 4 announced its intention to move staff out of London to three new bases after the Government said the broadcaster will remain publicly owned, but faced being relocated.

TV bosses have said that 300 Channel 4 jobs, including key creative decision-makers with significant spending power, will be based in hubs outside of the capital in the biggest change to its structure in its 35-year history, but it will still keep its Horseferry Road headquarters in London.

The decision to make Leeds the new national headquarters for Channel 4 will be a game changer'' for the city, Kay Mellor has said.

Leeds-born Mellor, best known for penning series including Fat Friends, The Syndicate and Girlfriends, said: It's absolutely the right decision, every indie got behind the campaign and we've got the right result.

Leeds is the perfect fit in terms of location and talent and we'll all be there with open arms to welcome them to our wonderful city. It's a game changer for Leeds, putting us firmly on the media map. I am so proud.'

Jon Snow, who has presented Channel 4 News since 1989, tweeted: Delight Channel's 4's new HQ to locate in Leeds...having grown up a few miles further North I know the potential our moving there can unleash! Great to have new hubs too in Bristol and Glasgow!''

Alex Mahon, chief executive of Channel 4, said: We undertook a rigorous process over the last seven months and the high calibre of all the pitches meant those were incredibly difficult decisions to make.

However, I know that Leeds, Bristol and Glasgow will best deliver our objectives to grow the production sector across the UK, build the pipeline of creative talent outside London and support our increased investment in programming produced across the nations and regions.

Leeds put forward a compelling and ambitious strategy for how they could work alongside Channel 4 to further build the strong independent production sector in the city and develop new diverse talent from across the region.

Locating our national HQ in Leeds enables us to capitalise on a strong and fast-growing independent production sector in cities across the North of England - and also has the potential to unlock growth in the North East and East of the country, an area without a major presence from other national broadcasters

A joint statement from Yorkshire leaders was sent to Channel 4 in June, claiming the move would bring huge benefits to the region.

The statement was signed by 19 out of 20 Yorkshire local council leaders or representatives, as well as Sheffield City Region mayor Dan Jarvis and the chairmen of the region’s local enterprise partnerships, which represent local authorities and businesses.