Image source: Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council’s planning committee has approved the development of a new government office complex in the Ancoats area.
It said the complex, to be developed by the government Property Agency (GPA), will bring together a number of Civil Service departments and about 7,000 employees with a focus around digital skills.
It is also aimed at bolstering the development of Manchester’s digital and tech sector.
Mark Bourgeois, CEO at the GPA, said: “We are delighted with the decision and are grateful for the support of the many stakeholders in Manchester. The GPA team is proud to be working on this exciting project in support of the Government's growth mission.”
He added: “We are pleased to be working with Manchester City Council on these regeneration plans, and look forward to creating fantastic and sustainable workplaces to support the transformation of the Civil Service."
Adjacent park plan
The GPA exchanged contracts to acquire five-and-a-half acres of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats from the city council in May of last year with a view to constructing a digital campus. The agency and the council have been working together on the plans, culminating in a parallel proposal for the campus and an adjacent public park.
Leader of the council Bev Craig said: “Our ambition has long been to bring the former retail park back into active use and working in partnership with the GPA we are delivering a quality, low carbon development that will bring 7,000 Civil Service jobs to Manchester in the coming years.
“The new digital campus plays to Manchester’s strengths. We have fostered one of the fastest growing tech and digital communities in the UK, with a growing international reputation. The transformation of this brownfield site supports our ongoing growth in the sector, which translates into quality employment and development opportunities for our residents.”
