Manly International and Weir Pumps have formed a joint venture to develop a 92,900m2 (1m sq ft) mixed-use scheme in east Manchester worth more than £50m.
The new company, Newton Heath Developments, is drawing up a masterplan for a 16.19ha (40 acre) site off Oldham Road, in Newton Heath, near the £90m Commonwealth Games stadium at Eastlands.
Manly chairman Roger Howson said the site could accommodate up to 92,900m2 (1m sq ft) of space. He added that the impetus for the project came from the Commonwealth Games development at Eastlands and the scheme will form part of the wider east Manchester regeneration programme.
The developer is planning to create research & development space, light industrial, distribution, leisure, retail and housing. Manly has already submitted plans for flats on the section of the site bordering the Rochdale Canal.
Howson said the developer hoped to start on site by the end of the year.
Weir Pumps owns the site and still occupies some 4.05ha (10 acres). The recently demolished factory at the site dates back over 100 years and features as a backdrop to one of local artist LS Lowry’s paintings.
Lambert Smith Hampton is the development adviser.
Amec plans to build a £30m sports-led retail and leisure scheme at the nearby Eastlands site. The project will provide about 37,160m2 (400,000 sq ft) and will be linked to the Commonwealth Stadium.
