£450m Manchester Mega-Project: New Student Homes & Life Sciences Hub on the Horizon
In a striking move, four prominent developers have unveiled plans for a mammoth £450m venture, marking Manchester’s skyline with student accommodations and a state-of-the-art life sciences center. This ambitious endeavor promises to introduce nearly 2,000 new residences to the city’s bustling landscape.
Last week, Kadans Science Partner, McLaren, Property Alliance Group, and Moda Living approached the local council with dual applications detailing their shared vision.
The elite team of architects sculpting this dream comprises stalwarts like Hawkins\Brown, Sheppard Robson, and SimpsonHaugh. Notably, Re-Form Landscape Architecture is on board to reimagine the public space.
In a detailed breakdown, the multi-block Upper Brook Street project will house 1,100 student units sprawled across towers of 12, 14, and a staggering 42 storeys. SimpsonHaugh, with its signature finesse, takes the lead in designing this segment. Concurrently, three avant-garde life sciences edifices, standing between four to nine storeys, will emerge under the discerning eye of Hawkins\Brown.
Bringing this grand vision to life will be the collaborative effort of Moda Living and Property Alliance Group, functioning under their joint venture banners, Williams Motor Co (Holdings) Limited and Alliance UBS Limited.
The initiative is backed by a formidable project team, enlisting names like Avison Young in planning consultancy, WSP for civil and structural engineering, Turley for heritage consulting, Ridge in the MEP consultancy role, and Curtins handling transportation concerns.
Additionally, Kadans Science Partner, in collaboration with Sheppard Robson, has introduced a separate proposal. This addition will integrate an impressive 737 student lodgings within a 23-storey tower. Additionally, a fourth life sciences structure, spanning between four and nine storeys, is also on the blueprint.
This side of the project draws expertise from Gardiner & Theobald, Cundall, Avison Young, Donald Insall Associates, and Buro4, collectively overseeing cost, services, planning, heritage, and project management.
Kadans, a notable Dutch investor, continues its upward trajectory in the life sciences arena. Fresh on the heels of their recently greenlit 23-storey laboratory tower in Canary Wharf, they’ve also teased a forthcoming five-storey laboratory in King’s Cross, adjacent to another ongoing Kadans venture.
This sprawling project stands as a testament to Manchester’s evolving skyline, underlining the city’s commitment to growth, innovation, and higher education.
