Bennetts to design Mayfield ‘Whitehall’ campus

Architectural practice Bennetts Associates has been chosen to draw up plans for a 700,000 sq ft office campus on the site of the former Mayfield station, which would bring together civil servants from across Greater Manchester and attract jobs from London.

The practice has already come up with initial ideas for the civil service campus next to Piccadilly Station, which could eventually house more than 5,000 civil servants by 2014 as part of the Civil Service in the English Regions initiative.

Currently going through feasibility studies, the development is being hailed as a 'super-green' office project and has been set the target of achieving BREEAM 'outstanding' and a rating of 'A' on the Energy Performance Certificate.

Proposals include linking the development with Piccadilly Station possibly by high-level bridges.

Bennetts Associates was part of the team, including independent engineering and environmental consultant Gifford and Wilkinson Eyre Architects, chosen to design the bridge which will link Media City UK on the North Quay in Salford with developments on the South Quay in Trafford, including Imperial War Museum North last October.