The University of Manchester is to launch an international search for a development partner for the 29-acre North Campus site in Manchester city centre.
The university’s board of governors has approved a proposal to seek a partner on the development, which will include a research and business campus alongside a mix of commercial and residential space.
Although plans are at an early stage, a strategic regeneration framework submitted in 2016 said that, alongside the learning, research and development hub, the site could accommodate between 1,000 and 2,500 new homes, more than 1.4m sq ft of office space and close to 140,000 sq ft of retail and leisure.
The university will retain “significant strategic and decision-making influence” within the partnership, specifically at the south end of the site where it has strong research activity through the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre and the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology.
North Campus houses the university’s engineering schools, which will move to the Manchester Engineering Campus Development – part of the university’s £1bn 10-year campus masterplan – in 2021.
The university said the development would generate in total up to £2bn of growth for the local economy and create up to 6,000 jobs.
Nancy Rothwell, president and vice-chancellor of the University of Manchester, said: “We will be launching an international search in the next few months to find the best joint venture partner to work with us to develop this prime site with its landmark buildings and unique footprint in the heart of the city.
“The development offers the opportunity to transform this quarter of the city centre, generate thousands of new jobs and advance the reputation of the university.
“It will cement the reputation of the city as the place to be for technology, digital, research and development businesses – where the world’s most valuable ideas will be transformed into reality.”
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