Winner on huge Manchester redevelopment delayed to next spring

A winner on the scheme to create a £1.5bn ‘innovation district’ in the middle of Manchester will now be announced in the spring.

Six teams were originally shortlisted for the job called ID Manchester last autumn with a winner due to have been announced this autumn.

But the covid-19 pandemic has knocked the timetable off course with a winner now set for next Easter.

An 18-acre site next to the city’s Piccadilly station has been earmarked for development by Manchester University.

More than 4m sq ft of mixed-use space is available for development and the university’s grade-II listed Sackville Street Building could also be re-purposed.

The successful firm will form a JV with the university for a scheme that will take 15 years to build.

The focus will be on attracting science, research, development, cultural, and tech companies, along with some residential development.

Four teams are officially still left in the race – including Stanhope, best known for its work in London, which has linked up with local firm Bruntwood and L&G.

A team featuring Peel, which has previously concentrated on neighbouring Salford with the MediaCity development as well as the Liverpool Waters scheme, and Manchester firm Urban Splash also remains in the hunt.

Lone bidders Henry Boot and Singapore-based investor Mapletree made an initial cut which saw pitches from Muse and Beijing Construction Engineering Group dropped earlier this year.

But it is understood that the bids from the Peel and Stanhope teams remain the ones to beat.

Once a winner is picked, the JV will draw up a fresh masterplan for the site and be responsible for piloting the scheme through planning, carrying out all infrastructure work and building the job out. It will also be tasked with securing tenants.