More tenants sign up for the Sharp Project

THE refurbished Sharp Electronics warehouse in Manchester has welcomed its first tenants.

The venue on Oldham Road, in Newton Heath is undergoing a £16.5m redevelopment by urban regeneration company New East Manchester in conjunction with Manchester City Council, which owns the site.

The initiative, which has been named The Sharp Project, aims to create a 200,000 sq ft ‘digital content production complex’ on the site which will open fully next year.

This is the second phase of the development – the first tenants were welcomed to refurbished shipping containers converted into office accommodation in May.

Sue Woodward, director for the Sharp Project, said: “This office accommodation complements our shipping containers and adds to the range of environments we can offer our tenants. 

“What’s emerging is a community for digital production specialists. Tenants like SUNDE, who offer affordable technology services, play a vital part in supporting the other companies and are vision is for all our businesses to flourish under one roof.”

Among the first tenants to sign up to the refurbished 15,000 sq ft Sharp Electronics warehouse are SUNDE Technologies and Peddlers Cross Creative.

Steve Thorncroft, New East Manchester’s deputy chief executive, said: “It’s great to see this phase complete and businesses moving in.

“We are getting interest from companies that provide an important link in the supply chain and can service our other tenants on site which is really good news. 

“Not only are we filling this part of the building but we’re working hard to complete the other phases which will offer sound stages, production space, a music studio and a ‘winter garden’ communal space.”