Bruntwood aims for ‘Afflecks of Oxford Road’

Bruntwood has submitted plans for 12 pop-up retail and leisure units next to Manchester Technology Centre and under the Mancunian Way flyover on Oxford Road.

The scheme will be operated and managed by the team behind Bruntwood’s Afflecks emporium in the Northern Quarter.

The 8,500 sq ft pop-up offering is intended to act as a precursor to the retail set to be built in the £750m Circle Square, by Bruntwood and Select Property Group.

Subject to planning approval, the aim is to attract a variety of operators including creators, makers and street food operators, which Bruntwood said will be “specifically selected to complement the Circle Square ethos of ‘opposites attract’, creativity and ‘firsts for the city’”.

The scheme has been designed to attract entrepreneurs and established traders. Flexible and affordable leases will be offered as well as additional support, from business planning right the way through to delivery. It will provide opportunities for both start-up and established operators looking to try something new, catering for morning trade through to late evening, seven days a week.

The scheme will include a total of 12 units, one of which is earmarked for an independent coffee house operator and another a nano-brewery. It will also include a further four food and beverage outlets, three retail concession stands, and three ‘container-style’ retail units.

Toby Sproll, head of retail & leisure at Bruntwood, said: “Creating a sense of place is essential to our vision for Circle Square. We want to attract a mix of makers, operators, innovators and start-ups, providing them with the opportunity to expand their existing offer or even try something a little different.

“Ever-evolving, this scheme will provide a much needed boost to the existing retail and leisure offer on Oxford Road – not only to support the thriving 130,000 strong population of students, workers and residents on Corridor Manchester, but also to make this a destination for people to visit when out and about in the city.

“A five minute walk away along Oxford Road we’re already on-site with the 40,000 sq ft ‘University Green’, which forms part of the University’s £1bn campus masterplan and redevelopment. The 12 units will provide new spaces in which to socialise, dine and shop and complement this exciting offer at Circle Square.”

On completion, Circle Square will include over 1m sq ft of commercial office space, 1,281 new homes, 100,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space for shops, studios, bars and restaurants. A multi-storey car park and two hotels will provide additional amenity to the site.

The buildings will be centred around 250,000 sq ft of public realm. Select Property Group’s Vita Student development of 604 high-quality student apartments, is on course to complete later this year.