Parks, labs and student flats will be core to Upper Brook Street development
More laboratory space for the universities and almost 2000 more student flats form the core of plans for Upper Brook Street, as part of the ‘Oxford Road Corridor’ to the south of Manchester city centre.
The development consortium behind the Upper Brook Street Masterplan in Manchester has also claimed the masterplan is set to create almost 6,000 jobs in construction and operations, with an initial investment of more than £450m from the construction alone.
Ahead of a second public consultation this week the consortium partners, Property Alliance Group (Alliance), McLaren Property, Moda Living and Kadans Science Partner have released new images showing more green space and towers.
Feedback from the first public consultation, and further collaboration with Manchester City Council and other key district stakeholders, has seen a shift in emphasis to a more mixed-use scheme of new purpose-built student accommodation, life science workspace and community amenities, to create a new city neighbourhood between Ardwick and the Corridor.
Manchester City Council has identified need for over 11,000 new bedspaces in the city for students to take them out of the mainstream housing market in Ardwick and Fallowfield.
The masterplan proposals also include 700,000 sq ft of life sciences workspace, and a wealth of community lifestyle design and amenities across the sites.
Dr David Lambrick, Deputy Pro-Vice Chancellor, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Manchester Metropolitan University, said the development of purpose-built, high quality laboratory research and development space on the Oxford Road Corridor is important to achieve the full potential of Manchester’s scientific economy, contributing to it being one of the top cities in the world for innovation.
“Manchester Metropolitan has ambitious research goals which will be supported by the provision of such space. Future occupiers will provide innovation employment opportunities to retain students and the local population, and work to address health inequalities, again to the benefit of the local community,” Lambrick said
The new details designed by architects Hawkins Brown, Sheppard Robson and SimpsonHaugh unveil dedicated ground floor facilities for the local community, including a convenience store, medical centre, community centre and café/shop space.
Public realm space, designed by Reform, has been expanded to almost three acres, incorporating two new public squares, with landscaping designs that create informal play and exercise areas, 150 new semi-mature trees, and a committed investment to the betterment of Gartside Gardens.
McLaren Property working alongside Kadans will deliver 740 student bedspaces and 215,616 sq ft of purpose built technical real estate respectively. The new sci tech floor space will be developed by Kadans’ in-house team whilst the student accommodation will be developed by McLaren Property.
Alliance and Moda Living will deliver 470,000 sq ft of life sciences and circa 1,100 student accommodation beds (200 affordable), along with complementary mixed-use space.
Avison Young is running the online public consultation until Monday 5 June, and the consortium will hold a second in-person public consultation on Friday 26 May, to be held at Brunswick Parish Church, Brunswick Street, Ardwick from 3pm until 8pm.
