Stanhope heads north for £1.5bn ID Manchester innovation district

Stanhope has formed a partnership with Bruntwood SciTech to develop ID Manchester, the University of Manchester’s planned £1.5bn innovation district.ID Manchester will be Stanhope’s first outside of the southeast of England.The University of Manchester is looking to redevelop 10.6 hectares of its North Campus site, next to Piccadilly Rail Station. The plan, called ID Manchester, is to create ‘a new neighbourhood and innovation district that will be an engine for economic growth’.The university has selected Bruntwood SciTech to lead the project, with Stanhope as strategic development manager. Bruntwood SciTech is a 50:50 joint venture between Manchester-based developer Bruntwood and insurance/investment firm Legal & General.The development is expected to take 15 years to complete at the cost of £1.5bn.Plans show four million square feet (370,000 sqm) including 2.6 million square feet (240,000 sqm) of new commercial workspace and a £28m investment in the public realm to provide a focal point for events.Stanhope said that the project consolidated its commitment to the life sciences sector in the UK following landmark developments at White City Place and the British Library, both in London.