Bruntwood SciTech lines up 264,000 sq ft No. 3 Circle Square

The developer will next week open consultation on updated plans for a third office at its Oxford Road tech hub.

Bruntwood SciTech, a 50:50 joint venture between the Manchester offices powerhouse and Legal & General, will invite members of the public, neighbouring businesses and other interested parties to view plans on Wednesday 11 May at No. 1 Circle Square.

The proposed No.3 Circle Square, which has an estimated development value of £87m, will offer office space over 14 storeys.

The plans expand upon those approved in February 2020, when a building designed by Feilden Clegg Bradley was approved for what is known as Plot 12 in the Circle Square masterplan.

That proposal was for 215,000 sq ft of offices and 6,300 sq ft of retail& leisure, billed at a value of £56m.

Professionals now working on the project include Bridge Architects, landscape architect Planit-IE, structural engineer Curtins, M&E engineer Crookes Walker Consulting, and principal designer and QS Richard Boothroyd & Associates.

Work could start this autumn, with practical completion following in December 2024, should a refreshed planning approval be secured.

According to outline plans, the ground floor will combine a welcome area with retail and leisure amenities that open out onto “Symphony Gardens,” a new landscaped green space opposite the development’s Symphony Park.

The building will include cycle and shower facilities to encourage green travel and a top floor communal lounge and event space.

Incoming occupiers at Circle Square would join a roster of tenants that now includes firms such as Roku, Autocab, Octopus Energy, Bosch, and Hilti.

Bruntwood SciTech is targeting Net Zero embodied carbon during construction, BREEAM Excellent status, a NABERS 5 Star rating and an EPC A rating once operational.

Bradley Topps, commercial director at Bruntwood SciTech, said: “This is a significant milestone as we realise the ultimate vision for Circle Square which has, from conception, been to create a must-see and must-be-in destination that would bolster Manchester’s knowledge economy. With No.1 and No.2 now fully occupied, this vision is firmly taking shape.

“We believe these plans will complement and build on the existing success of Circle Square and provide a further boost to what is already a hotbed of science and technology excellence along the Oxford Road Corridor.”

Details of the proposals will be on display at the consultation, which will run from 3pm to 7pm on Wednesday 11 May. Members of the development team will be on hand to provide insight into the design. The plans can also be viewed on the project website.