Plus Ultra Manchester is a purpose-built development providing 217,000 sq ft of research and innovation space in the Oxford Road Corridor, Manchester鈥檚 Knowledge Quarter.
The development is described as the cornerstone of the city鈥檚 Upper Brook Street masterplan, comprising of a mix of innovation space, student accommodation and amenities.
Main contractor Morgan Sindall has now broken ground and is scheduled to complete in the first quarter of 2028.
The building鈥檚 customisable floor plates will integrate state-of-the-art labs, cleanrooms, assembly space interlinked with offices, and communal spaces designed to foster collaboration and connection. The ground floor will house an incubator for early-stage businesses. Other shared facilities include a caf茅 and bar, a feature forum stairway and atrium, a multi-faith room, mothering room and ride-in bike storage and workshop.
Will Fogden, country lead and head of development (UK) at Kadans Science Partner, said: 鈥淪tarting construction on Plus Ultra Manchester marks a significant milestone for both Kadans and Manchester鈥檚 innovation sector. Manchester has one of the UK鈥檚 most dynamic and well connected ecosystems, combining world-class research institutions, a deep talent pool and a thriving base of life sciences and technology companies. The building will provide companies of all sizes the flexible, collaborative infrastructure needed to help research-led organisations grow, innovate and stay in the north of England.
听鈥淧lus Ultra Manchester is only the beginning of Kadans鈥� commitment to the area, and the building forms a key tenet of the Upper Brook Street masterplan which aims to create a collaborative district to facilitate knowledge sharing.鈥�
Morgan Sindall northwest area director Steven Gregory said: "This landmark scheme marks a major step in Manchester鈥檚 growth as a centre for life sciences and innovation. With our strong track record in science and technology projects, we鈥檙e well placed to bring this vision to life and create an environment that drives collaboration and ground-breaking research. We鈥檙e also committed to ensuring lasting community benefits by working with local education providers and employment and community groups to deliver training, job opportunities and a positive legacy for the city."
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