Lendlease emerges as frontrunner to build first Mayfield office

The Australian construction firm is being lined up to deliver the Republic, a 240,000 sq ft office within LandsecU+I’s £1.4bn Manchester masterplan.

Lendlease, whose other large Manchester project is the rejuvenation of the city’s town hall, looks set to roll onto site next year to deliver the first built element of the mixed-use Mayfield. The firm is currently working with Landsec under a pre-construction services agreement.

The 13-storey office, designed by Morris + Company, is one of two to be delivered in the £400m first phase of the project – the other is the 100,000 sq ft Poulton, designed by Bennetts Associates.

Both offices have been in the pipeline for several years and were reworked in 2023 to boost their sustainability credentials.

LandsecU+I chief executive Mark Allan said earlier this month that he was “very confident” of a start on site next year after the anticipated 2024 start slipped due to economic volatility.

The appointment of a contractor for the Republic is the biggest indicator yet that Landsec is ready to pull the trigger on the built elements of the 24-acre Mayfield, following the completion of the six-acre Mayfield Park in 2022. The government-funded park wrapped just after Landsec became involved in the project following the acquisition of U+I for £190m.

News of Lendlease’s appointment comes just months after the company announced it would be exiting the UK market by the end of 2025. Lendlease was contacted for comment.

A LandsecU+I spokesperson said: “LandsecU+I entered into a pre-construction services agreement (PCSA) with Lendlease as part of ongoing preparations for the first phase of commercial development at Mayfield.

“We continue to work with Lendlease and other parties, and look forward to announcing the appointment of a main contractor for the project once a tender process has completed, ahead of our ambition to start on-site next year.”

Civic, IM2, Deloitte, and IM3 are advising on the project.

While waiting to get on with the offices, Landsec has been cracking on with the residential element of Mayfield in the background in response to the government’s focus on housing delivery.

Plans for the first 900 homes are expected to be submitted in the coming weeks.