Platform Post is in talks with MediaCityUK developer Peel Media about setting up a base in Manchester.

The Soho facility, which post produces CBBC series Horrible Histories, hopes to open a facility by March next year.

“We are looking at setting up something similar to what we have in London, which is Avid-based with Smoke,” said Platform Post director Simon Cruse.

Platform has also upgraded its London base, with a new Avid DS version 10.5 and Autodesk Smoke 2011, resulting in three HD online suites.

The upgrades are to help with tapeless acquisition and provide extra processing power for compositing and HD programmes.

“A lot of BBC shows are getting more ambitious, which is why we do a lot of long-form work on Smoke, because of the speed and the toolset,” Cruse said.