MMU sports building kicks off

Multidisciplinary firm RSK Group has bought Manchester-based civil and structural engineer RoC Consulting, its sixth acquisition in 2020. 

A pedestrian and cycle bridge designed by 5Plus Architects has been rolled into position over the M56 spur airport approach road in Manchester.

Main contractor Sir Robert McAlpine has reached practical completion on the £25m and 92,000 sq ft Manchester development, to be occupied in full by life sciences firm Qiagen.

VU.CITY, the fully interactive 3D smart city platform, which now covers 124 sq km of Manchester and Salford and has launched digital twins of Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield and 15 other cities, is currently offering a free trial on any of their cities.

The £330m refurbishment and upgrade of Manchester’s grade one-listed town hall will finally start after the project was delayed due to Covid-19 and the discovery of peregrine falcons nesting in the clock tower.

The developers are planning a staircase, lift and landscaping for the Deansgate-Castlefield tram stop, as part of their £300m residential and office scheme in central Manchester.

Nick Moss, director of Manchester-based practice Sixtwo Architects and RIBA presidency candidate, urged the industry to address failures in the design and build system creating an "impoverished built environment” and sidelining architects.

Therme Group, the operator behind the £250m leisure resort planned in Trafford Park, has confirmed plans are still in place to begin construction in 2021, despite potential Covid-19 delays.

Icon Industrial, a joint venture between industrial and office developer Stoford and US investor TPG Real Estate, is preparing to start building a 375,000 sq ft warehouse at Manchester Airport.