Chinese ‘look at 1m sq ft’ Manchester scheme

THE Chinese Government is said to be weighing up a one million sq ft investment in central Manchester.

Estates Gazette has reported that China is looking at two potential sites in the city for a mixed-use scheme with offices, homes, a consultate and educational and cultural facilities.

These are the 13-acre former ITV Granada site on Quay Street and and three-acre former Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) business school site on Aytoun Street.

Estates Gazette said talks have been held with the city council and Allied London, which now owns the Granada site, but neither was willing to comment on the story.

A joint venture between Manchester developer Capital & Centric and Henry Boot has been picked to redevelop Aytoun Street which is still owned by the MMU. No one could be reached for comment.

Such a deal would follow Chinese involvement at Airport City where the state-owned Beijing Construction Engineering Group has taken a stake in the scheme.