MIPIM 2018: Abu Dhabi United Group & Manchester City Council

Manchester Life is the joint venture between Manchester Council and the Abu Dhabi United Group, who own Manchester City FC, which is driving forward the development of Ancoats, New Islington and east Manchester.

This is going to create some of the biggest physical changes to Manchester’s cityscape over the coming years, and we’re likely to get some fresh news in this second day MIPIM 2018 panel debate.

This is what we know so far, and what is likely to be discussed.

A game of two halves

With thousands of new homes, a sports university at Manchester City’s Etihad and an entirely new neighbourhood planned, strategies to expand upon the city centre are gathering pace, and Manchester Life are the masterminds behind them.

The masterplan for the sports university went before council chiefs just before Christmas 2017 and it confirms that a brand-new sports institution will help the existing university sites evolve to include research facilities, new businesses and student accommodation.

To build this sporting educational metropolis, however, Manchester Council requires local homeowners and businesses to move and make room for campuses and student accommodation. The issue is, the council needs people to remain eastward to keep jobs in the area, so this is likely to be part of the panel discussion – assessing what the likelihood is of businesses giving up their current location, and if the venture will in fact be driving jobs away from the area.

Manchester’s hippest neighbourhood

Moving slightly inward, Abu Dhabi United Group & Manchester City Council have plans for a major residential scheme which will create 172 new living spaces in the centre of Manchester.

Located on the edge of the Northern Quarter in Ancoats, one of the UK’s ‘hippest’ places to hang out, the residential scheme will see the construction of a part seven, part eight and part nine-storey building, comprising of a total 169 apartments and three houses.

The project not only represents redevelopment in one of Manchester’s key regeneration areas, but it is also likely to bring apprenticeship opportunities and support local labour.

What to look forward to

If last year is anything to go by, we’re in for a treat as far as the panel goes. Marty Edelman gave an impassioned speech about the east-side development, discussing how the partnership has allowed Manchester Life to understand the depth and vision of how the city works – giving them a fantastic platform to make positive change.

The partnership, which encourages investment and occupiers to flourish, is jointly led by Sir Richard Leese who will also be on the panel. As a figure head of Manchester and someone who has unrivalled experience in accelerating the growth of a city, Sir Richard will be giving incredible insight into how this development will benefit Manchester as a city.

Will we see you there?

With 21 years of experience working with property clients in both traditional media and digital capacities, Roland Dransfield has significant expertise in giving property schemes and campaigns the regional and national attention they require.

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