MMU outlines plan for £65m science and engineering building

Manchester Metropolitan University has set out proposals to demolish the 168,000 sq ft John Dalton buildings and replace them with a new-build science and engineering campus.

The 1970s-built 33,000 sq ft John Dalton West building and the larger 135,000 sq ft John Dalton East buildings sit to the north of MMU’s campus and border Oxford Road and Chester Street, alongside the Mancunian Way; the East building is home to the faculty of science and engineering while the west building houses print services.

The university has now set out its plans for a £65m redevelopment of the site, which will see both buildings demolished and replaced with a new-build home for the faculty.

MMU said the new-build is set to “contain a range of flexible and adaptable state of the art amenities that respond to both modern teaching and research needs”.

Four schools make up the university’s science and engineering faculty: healthcare science; computing; mathematics; and digital technology engineering.

The proposed new-build will include 161,500 sq ft of space, 42% of which will be offices, along with 12% laboratory space, 35% plant, and 11% general teaching, social learning, and circulation space.

Along with the new-build, around 86,000 sq ft of existing space within the university is also earmarked for refurbishment, but MMU said this was still “subject to review”. There will also be public realm and landscaping works, although this could be carried out following the new-build’s completion.

Under current plans, MMU is aiming to start on site in early 2021 and complete in summer 2023.

It expects to invite three contractors to tender for the project on a single-stage basis, although no dates for the procurement have been set. The construction cost of the project will be between £55m and £65m.