Siemens confirms Kier appointment
Siemens plc has confirmed that it has selected Kier Property as its preferred development partner to work up plans for its 20-acre Princess Road site in South Manchester.
Siemens employs 800 staff on the site and has plans to increase this to 1,200 people in three years via the development of offshore wind power transmission technologies. The investment and job creation is due to national and international investments in green infrastructure.
Siemens and Manchester City Council, working with Kier, will now bring forward a mixed-use scheme primarily for commercial use. The scheme will be anchored by a new 100,000 sq ft office building for use by Siemens whilst the in situ Sir William Siemens House will be refurbished.
The balance of the site will be developed in phases to provide new office, hotel and residential accommodation. In addition to Siemens’ growing anchor presence, the development will strive to harness Manchester’s market leading credentials in the fields of science and innovation; forging direct and indirect links with the region’s universities and knowledge-based businesses in the sustainable technology sector.
Siemens and Manchester City Council have recently secured cash from the Regional Growth Fund to aid delivery of the wider development and work will now begin on the development partnership to bring the scheme forward.
Juergen Maier, managing director of Siemens Industry in the UK & Ireland, said: “We have selected Kier as our preferred partner to support us in realising our ambitious plans to develop our Manchester site into a real centre for sustainable technology and innovation to support the city’s low carbon vision.
“The development will create a real focal point for the city and also help in attracting new business and engineering skills to the North West.”
Adam White, associate director at Jones Lang LaSalle, which is advising Siemens on the project, added: “Kier has promoted a vision which, over time, will see this strategically important gateway site transformed into a ‘best in class’ scheme.
“Its strong financial position will ensure that the scheme is able to gather early momentum.”
James Nicholson, senior development manager at Kier Property, added: “The Princess Road site will act as a showcase for Kier Property’s capabilities and will provide a platform for further development growth in the Manchester region.
“We are committed to delivering a scheme of the highest quality and one which complements and adds to Manchester’s innovation and technology focus.”
