Quartet progresses Manchester life sciences masterplan 

Property Alliance Group, McLaren Property, Moda Living, and Kadans Science Partner are teaming up to deliver 700,000 sq ft of specialist office space and almost 2,000 student units off Upper Brook Street in Ardwick. 

Located within the Oxford Road Corridor close to the University of Manchester, the site is effectively split into two parts: one half is owned by Alliance and the other by McLaren. 

McLaren plans to deliver 740 student beds within a 28-storey building on its part of the site. The developer is also working with Kadans to bring forward 215,000 sq ft of life sciences workspace, as first revealed by Place North West in February. 

Kadans operates more than 40 buildings across 25 campuses in the Netherlands and the UK. The Manchester site would be company’s first in the North of England. 

James Sheppard, managing director at Kadans Science Partner, said: “The plans are a result of a collaborative vision to transform and create a new mixed-use neighbourhood.  

“The Manchester science and technology market is growing significantly and desperately requires more highly technical real estate to meet the demand.” 

David Atherton, development director at McLaren Property, said the scheme provides an opportunity to “reimagine” this part of Ardwick. 

“It is a fantastic opportunity to help set a new direction of positive change,” he said. “The delivery of new sci-tech led workspaces, student homes, green spaces and jobs can together transform the way in which these sites contribute to the local area and help support its future economic growth.” 

Alliance, which is also behind the regeneration of the Renaissance site off Deansgate, plans to develop 470,000 sq ft of life sciences accommodation on its portion of the Upper Brook Street masterplan.  

Alex Russell, chief executive of Property Alliance Group, said the masterplan has the potential to breathe new life into the area. 

“This masterplan provides an exciting opportunity to unlock what is a historically rich and vibrant inner-city neighbourhood,” he said. 

“Residents, students and employees are at the heart of our plans, bringing forward a desirable destination to live and work, with green space, fantastic and much-needed amenities and a place of study and work that attracts and retains the best talent.”   

Meanwhile, Moda Living will deliver around 1,100 student accommodation units in partnership with Alliance.

The student beds are the first to come forward from Moda Living’s 4,000-bed student accommodation pipeline, announced last week. 

Moda’s student scheme, located on the northernmost part of the site, will provide the masterplan’s tallest building, rising to 42 storeys. 

Oscar Brooks, co-founder and director at Moda Living, said: “Upper Brook Street is an extremely exciting masterplan that will completely transform this key central site into a thriving new urban community in the heart of the city. 

“Manchester has one of the most vibrant and exciting student scenes in the country, but as a city has been highly underserved in the delivery of secure, high-quality homes for those students. Moda’s student homes at the Upper Brook Street neighbourhood will help address that shortage with a focus on wellbeing and student experience, and with social and environmental sustainability at the core of the development.” 

Design studios Hawkins\Brown, Sheppard Robson, and SimpsonHaugh are all working on the project. Avison Young is advising on planning and Reform is the landscape architect. 

The masterplan proposals also include community facilities and public uses, which could include facilities such as a GP surgery, a new community centre, retail and cafes. According to the developers, the masterplan is expected to deliver almost 6,000 new jobs to the area and economic benefits of more than £450m.   

It is understood the masterplan will come forward in two parts with McLaren and Kadans submitting one application and Alliance and Moda submitting a second. 

A consultation on the masterplan has launched today. A second consultation is expected to be held in May before the submission of plans.