Plans For Major City Centre Digital Campus In Manchester
A prime development in an upcoming area near Manchester city centre is one step closer as plans for a digital campus are set to be approved. Place Northwest reports the sale of the former Central Retail Park on Great Ancoats Street is shortly to be signed off. This will pave the way for the plans by the Government Property Agency (GPA).
The 10.5-acre site will be redeveloped into an 800,000 sq ft civil service hub and digital campus, with open green spaces and access through to Cotton Field Park. It is part of the government’s wider plans to move services outside of London under the Levelling Up agenda.
The plans will see the creation of new walking and cycling routes from the Northern Quarter to the city centre, and will be in sympathy with the wider £30m of public redevelopments that are taking place across the Ancoats area. This includes affordable housing schemes as well as new open spaces and amenities.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “We have big ambitions for this site. It has the potential to accommodate thousands of jobs, create a new green public space and gateway through to Cotton Field Park for the first time.”
“This is great news for Manchester, and we are working closely with the GPA to bring these proposals forward. In them, we have found a development partner that shares our vision for the site, which supports the continued growth of Manchester through sustainable, high-quality development.”
Craig added: “It is very welcome that we can finally bring this long-term brownfield piece of land back into active use and marks the beginning of the end for the 20 year regeneration story that has transformed this corner of our city centre.”
Elsewhere, planning permission has been granted to convert the upper floors of the Royal Buildings in central Manchester into a hotel. The 187-bed hotel will be the first Zedwell Hotel outside of London, and will see the conversion of the landmark 1909 building on the corner of Mosley Street that overlooks the Piccadilly Gardens.
Jay Patel, planning director at Savills, said: “The addition of a high quality and affordable hotel is welcome news for Manchester and its ever-growing tourism economy. In keeping with the concept of the brand’s other four existing sites in London, the new hotel will focus on promoting quality sleep, positive health and holistic wellbeing.”
“With a very different focus to Manchester’s current hotel offering, Zedwell Hotels use a nature-inspired décor with calming colours, natural or recycled materials, and no TVs in cocoon-like rooms to promote deep rest.”
The ground floor of the building is used for prime retail space, while the upper floors are currently largely empty. The new hotel facility is scheduled to open in early 2026.
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