College seeks site for central super-campus

The Manchester College has launched a search for a city centre site that could accommodate a campus of between 270,000 sq ft and 320,000 sq ft.

A contract notice has been issued declaring that the college wants to speak to landowners and developers that could help deliver a phased scheme within or close to Manchester’s inner ring road, although alternative sites with equivalent ease of access will be considered.

The £120m facility is intended to house 8,000 students and is the centrepiece of the college’s five-year estates strategy to grow and improve its estate.

In October last year, college principal Lisa O’Loughlin told TES that the “College 2020” strategy to provide best-in-class facilities would involve consolidating into “four or five” sites.

The institution currently offers learning for 23,000 students attending courses across 10 sites – three in the city centre, four in South Manchester and three in the north and east of the city. The central facilities include a Centre of Excellence for Medical Sciences at Citylabs.

At the start of June, the College announced that IBI had been awarded a £300,000 contract to design the £20m overhaul of the Wythenshawe, Harpurhey and Openshaw facilities.

Cushman & Wakefield is working with LTE Group, parent company of the college, on the project.