Demolition begins at Kampus

Demolition has started at the Kampus site, the £250m mixed-use scheme on Aytoun Street, Manchester city centre by Capital & Centric and Henry Boot Developments.

There will be apartments to rent, bars and restaurants, small scale retail and a ‘secret garden’. Main contractor Mount Anvil is managing the demolition works by subcontractor Squibb Group. Construction is due to begin in the summer this year.

Two buildings, formerly known as the ‘amenity building’ and the ‘lecture theatre’, will be demolished as part of the redevelopment. Other buildings will be retained, including the 1960s Aytoun Tower, a structure fronting Rochdale Canal known as the ‘Bungalow’, and two grade two-listed buildings, Minto & Turner warehouse and Minshull House.

The start of demolition follows the granting of planning permission for phase one of the scheme in September 2016, and consent for phase two last month. Phase one comprises 478 build-to-rent apartments, and 30,000 sq ft of retail and leisure. Completion is due in 2020. Phase two is made up of 59 apartments and 14,000 sq ft of commercial space.

Architecture practice Chapman Taylor has been appointed as the scheme enters the delivery phase, working alongside Henry Boot Developments and Capital & Centric to turn the concept designs for Kampus, produced by architecture practice Mecanoo, into reality.

Adam Brady of Henry Boot Developments said: “It’s great to see Kampus now moving from concept phase to delivery. The work done during the concept stage of the scheme has been outstanding; we’ve had an amazing response since the plans were announced last year and, with the team now in place for the delivery stage of the project we’re looking forward to turning our vision into reality.”