Bruntwood SciTech gets seal of approval for £6m Manchester refurb

Armed with planning permission, main contractor CubicWorks is set to begin upgrading the grade two-listed 117-119 Portland Street into a modern, multi-let workspace.

Manchester City Council signed off Bruntwood SciTech’s application for the £6m project on Friday. The developer, a joint venture between Bruntwood, Legal & General, and Greater Manchester Pension Fund, hopes to complete the project in spring 2025.

The goal is to refresh the 35,000 sq ft Victorian warehouse, creating a range of workspaces suitable for up to 80 employees. These would range from 1,200 sq ft to 6,200 sq ft.

Designs by architect AXI also include nine fully fitted workspaces, boasting a kitchen, meeting room, and breakout area.

AXI designed the revamped interiors for 117-119 Portland Street. Credit: via Citypress

Heading down to the ground and lower ground floors, Bruntwood SciTech is creating a series of common areas including an auditorium, various breakout spaces, lounge areas, a gym, and shower and changing facilities.

A series of energy efficiency improvements are also planned, including the installation of air source heat pumps, a new air conditioning system in the common areas, and LED lighting. The building will also utilise mixed-mode ventilation to help with energy efficiency. These measures are designed to have the building be net zero in operation within its common areas and to achieve a building-wide EPC of B.

Savills and Canning O’Neill are the agents for 117-119 Portland Street, which is targeting creative, tech, and media businesses.

Building amenities at 117-119 Portland Street are set to include a gym. Credit: via Citypress

117-119 Portland Street is not the only Bruntwood SciTech building in this part of Manchester. The developer also owns 113-115 Portland Street, 127 Portland Street, and Oxford Place. The three Portland Street buildings and Oxford Place make up Bruntwood SciTech’s West Village.

• Read more: Bruntwood SciTech begins £13m King’s House refurb

“Our cluster of buildings on Portland Street are uniquely positioned to become the connecting junction between the Oxford Road Corridor and our city centre innovation hubs, further supporting businesses to access a city-wide innovation ecosystem,” said Bruntwood SciTech associate director for asset management Richard Roper.

He continued: “This cornerstone of the city has been lacking investment into creating workspaces that galvanise collaboration, creativity, and ingenuity and offer like-minded communities to connect with, so we hope to deliver that at 117 Portland Street.”

The project team for the Portland Street project includes MEP expert Kaizen Consulting Engineers, planner Deloitte, and structural engineer DW Consulting. Also on the team: Sol Acoustics, Assent Building Control, and Bespoke Fire Engineering.

You can learn more about the project by searching application reference number 139763/FO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.