Police in hunt for new Manchester headquarters

Greater Manchester Police is close to selecting Ask’s and Akeler’s 1.4m sq ft Central Park for its new home. GMP wants a building of 110,000-215,000 sq ft on the north-east of Manchester city centre, for occupation no later than the first half of 2010. The site will house the GMP headquarters and its north divisional HQ. It also wants space for “custody suites”. The requirement follows that of GMP governing body the Greater Manchester Police Authority, which in February announced plans to open a 100,000 sq ft HQ at AMEC’s and developer Stayley’s Ashton Moss scheme in Ashton-under-Lyne in east Manchester. A spokeswoman for Ask:Akeler – a jv between Ken Knott’s Manchester-based Ask Property Developments and Macquarie Goodman-owned Akeler – said: “We can confirm that we are in talks with GMP about the suitability of the Central Park site for the force’s future accommodation needs.” Derek Osbaldestin, chairman of the GMPA, added: “The details of any developments will need to be formulated and agreed as the projects progress.” GMP is considering either a freehold acquisition or a 25-year lease. GMP’s 144,000 sq ft 1970s HQ at Chester House in Old Trafford and the 1930s police station on Bootle Street in the city centre are likely to be sold as development opportunities when vacated. The police force owns the freehold of both buildings. Lambert Smith Hampton and Cushman & Wakefield are letting agents at Central Park.