Campfield creative campus spanning 130,000 sq ft set for June opening
Located in the St John’s district of Manchester, Allied London’s campus is billed as a central workspace for companies at the intersection of the creative and tech industries.
Campfield will provide 130,000 sq ft across two repurposed Victorian market halls and an office block on Liverpool Road when it opens in June.
Allied’s workspace provider Department will deliver the full operational infrastructure of the campus, offering facilities tailored to tech and creative needs in the form of flexible workspaces, mixed media studios, private offices, and meeting rooms.
Campfield is also set to host Exchange, a tech accelerator that will provide key resources, coaching, and professional assistance to grow the sector and encourage start-ups to thrive – areas covered include materials science, climate tech, and deep tech and AI.
Michael Ingall, chief executive of Allied London, said: “Campfield will provide creative, tech, and media businesses with the infrastructure facilities they need to grow and develop.
“Importantly, it will once again be open for social gatherings and for the public to enjoy.
“The project will see these historically significant buildings given a new life and fully equipped to play an integral part in the next generation of artistic and creative output from the city’s new creative district.”
The inside of Campfield House offers a diverse range of uses. Credit: via Roland Dransfield
Campfield House
The scheme’s 60,000 sq ft statement building, Campfield House, will “bring a space to the city that does not yet exist”, according to Ingall.
He continued: “With Campfield, we have the opportunity to join Deansgate up to the river and Aviva Studios.”
Found off Liverpool Road, Campfield House will feature offices, commercial units, and food and drink venues, with a mezzanine floor overlooking the hall.
Plans for a 360-degree bar on the mezzanine floor have been confirmed, with the Campfield House Bar now set to open overlooking the hall’s central atrium, which is to be used as an events space.
In February, working plans were considering a classical or opera-themed bar due to the challenging acoustics of the site – in addition, indoor LED screens, sun loungers, and parasols to support the F&B offer have been proposed.
Some of Campfield House has already been let. Credit: via Roland Dransfield
Campfield House will also offer up to seven studios, and tenants that fall under the desired ‘creative-tech’ banner have already taken up space – door fob use will ensure that workspaces are removed from public access.
Access to the site will be from a landscaped entrance off Liverpool Road, while on weekends, Campfield House will transform into a craft and food market.
Work has been done to replace the building’s roof glazing, and its previous floor timber is now being used for walls in the build.
Built in 1850 as an exhibition hall, the glass-roofed venue was used in the Second World War to construct barrage balloons – the redevelopment ensured that the hall’s exterior remained untouched.
Campfield House was last in full use as the Air and Space Hall for the Science and Industry Museum, before it permanently closed in July 2021.
The project was unlocked when it received £17.5m, the first and largest batch of levelling-up funding in the North West.
The contractors for Campfield House are Amspec and TJM Projects.
Campfield Studios lies East of Campfield House. Credit: via Roland Dransfield
Campfield Studios
The smaller of the two market halls, at 25,000 sq ft, will provide creative and media studios alongside production spaces for film and TV shoots.
In addition, a large central atrium with a mezzanine would be available to hire for a wide range of creative endeavours.
Castlefield House sits between the two Victorian market halls. Credit: Google Earth
Castlefield House
Plans are currently set to turn the office building into a media post-production hub, providing work and studio space complemented by a public-facing courtyard café.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Campfield is a much-loved historic site that has sat empty and underutilised for so long.
“We’ve been supporting this project from the start, bringing these important heritage buildings back into active use, supporting the city’s ongoing growth and boosting employment opportunities in some of the city’s key emerging sectors.
“Manchester’s reputation is growing globally as a leader in the creative, tech, and media industries, and this new hub is another example of creating a supportive ecosystem where businesses can start up, scale up, and thrive.”
Abigail Gunning, operational director of Department, said: “Department Campfield will offer thoughtfully designed, service-led workspaces that enable businesses to succeed.
“The new campus represents our commitment to providing amenity-rich environments where people feel fulfilled, and businesses can attract the best talent.”
Should have knocked that ugly building in the middle down and combined the 2 markets as an actual market. Would have been great for the city.
By Quail
Well that’s pleasant news. If I understand the article correctly, there will be public access to the space for hospitality and retail, with bars, cafes and even a weekend food and craft market… well, whilst I would have preferred the entire space open to the public for markets, hospitality and other retail, at least there is some public access.
By EOD
The new Guggenheim apparently. Tourists will be visiting Manchester solely to look at it. From the outside.
By Anonymous
Shame MOSI had to close the air and space museum.
By Albert
Just can’t take this development seriously while the monstrous carbuncle of Castlefield House imposes itself between the two amazing halls!
Does anyone know what was there prior to the building; surely part of the original development? What happened?
By M101
Great plans, truly mixed use
By Anonymous
Quail no chance a market would be viable here
By Anonymous
@M101 re: what was there before Castlefield House. It was the gothic-style St Matthew’s Church, which was built 1822 and demolished 1952. It was designed by Charles Barry, none other than he who also designed the new (Victorian) Palace of Westminster! I do not know why the church was demolished, at least I haven’t found anything documented and I want to avoid speculation.
By EOD
Responding to M101, there was a church there called St Matthew’s, built in 1822 and demolished in 1952.
By Anonymous
It’s so great to know that this gem of a structure is being maintained. It’s just gorgeous and quite special from the outside. So important that the public can also access it.
By Patricia Cunningham