Jodrell Bank Observatory, in Cheshire East, has been declared a Unesco World Heritage Site.
The site, dominated by the iconic Lovell Telescope, has been at the forefront of astronomical research since it began here in 1945 when Sir Bernard Lovell, a physicist, came to the University of Manchester,
Work at this site has been innovative and wide-ranging. The telescope was used to track US and Russian craft during the space race, pioneered the then new science of radio astronomy and most recently to host the headquarters of the Square Kilometre Array, an international project to create the world's largest radio telescope by linking thousands of dishes across the world.
Jodrell Bank has a unique history and is ideally positioned as part of Cheshire East’s strong science economy. In 2015, the Conservative-led Council invested £1m as part of a support package to keep Jodrell Bank at the forefront of global scientific research by retaining the headquarters of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) observatory.
In addition to its scientific and education contributions, this investment has also reaped tremendous benefits for Cheshire East and its residents as Jodrell Bank, with its discovery centre, gardens and arboretum, has created a unique destination point as part of Cheshire East’s strong tourism offer - a visitor economy that today is already worth £921m. This recognition will further put Cheshire East on the global tourism map.
