Peel Media Ltd has submitted plans for a new, highly sustainable, 350,000 sq ft office building in the heart of MediaCity in Salford.
The new plans signal the next phase for the creative, digital and tech destination’s expansion plans, and the first significant development milestone since Landsec’s 75 per cent acquisition in November 2021.
Positioned opposite ITV and The University of Salford media campus, the plot already has detailed planning consent for a 117,000 sq ft office building backing onto Broadway. Nearly tripling the potential space of this building, the revised plans will also include 15,000 sq ft of leisure and independent retail space on the ground floor and a 283-capacity safe bike hub with changing facilities to encourage sustainable travel.
With a focus on green space there will be 28,000 sq ft of public realm featuring trees, shrubs and herbaceous grasses.
The façade of the 11-storey building will feature attractive, green balconies on every other level as well as an outdoor terrace running across the top floor with floor-to-ceiling glass. The exterior will also feature aluminium panelling which is both architecturally striking and less carbon intensive in the design and construction phase.
The sustainable building will join the cluster of net-zero carbon buildings already within MediaCity’s portfolio. It will aspire to achieve BREEAM Outstanding, EPC A rating as well as be Net Zero Carbon, using the UK Green Building Council (UKGBC) Framework, and achieve Well Gold, with the goal of reaching Platinum status moving forward.
Stephen Wild, MediaCity MD, said: “These revised plans will bring a striking, new and sustainable building to MediaCity which will be one of the largest grade A office buildings in Manchester. A considerable area within the development will cater for SMEs within our flexible workspace offer, Arrive, as well as larger office floor plates for businesses with a greater space requirement. Its design, spec and feel will very much reflect the innovative and cutting-edge immersive industries we will be targeting as we move into the next phase of MediaCity’s evolution.”
Subject to planning, the scheme has a start on site date of Summer 2023.
