£10m to support Airport City businesses
GREATER Manchester has been awarded £10m from the Regional Growth Fund (RGF) to create science jobs and support businesses moving to the Airport City enterprise zone.
The money is part of the £81m allocated to the North West in the fourth round of RGF funding.
The Greater Manchester Combined Authority will use the cash to help university and hospital spin-offs, and small and medium-sized businesses establish themselves at the airport enterprise zone, which also takes in parts of Wythenshawe.
Plans were approved in January for 1.2m sq ft of offices, 530,000 sq ft of manufacturing space and 1,300 hotel beds at a 65-acre site north of the airport. There are also plans to turn agricultural land to the south into a major logistics hub.
Manchester Airports Group is moving to appoint a development partner for Airport City North and it is understood a bid from Manchester-based Ask Developments is no longer in the running.
Last month Ask was said to have tabled a bid with a Chinese investor but MAG has now ruled out Ask’s involvement. A consortium of Argent, the Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund and Carillion is still thought to be the favourite. An announcement is expected soon.
