The whole Mayfield development will eventually transform a previously derelict part of Manchester’s industrial heritage to deliver 1,500 homes, 1.6m sq ft of commercial space, 300,000 sq ft of retail and leisure as well as the city’s first new park in 100 years.

As well as providing city centre green space, Mayfield Park phase one includes 320,000 sq ft of commercial space across two office buildings totalling 320,000 sq ft and a multi-storey car park.

The Government is providing £23m from its Getting Building Fund to build the park as part of its strategy to support ‘shovel ready’ schemes to drive economic recovery following the COVID-19 crisis.

Construction of the park will start now with work on the buildings due to begin in 2021.

Phase one buildings at Mayfield

The regeneration scheme is being led by the Mayfield Partnership, a public-private venture comprising regeneration specialist U+I, Manchester City Council, Transport for Greater Manchester and developer LCR.

The Poulton, designed by Bennetts Associates, occupies a prime location on entry to the neighbourhood and provides 75,900-sq-ft of modern commercial workspace.

A double-height, ground floor will be open to the public throughout the day and evening for uses that could include wellbeing activities, leisure and co-working.

New public space at the development

It is complemented by The Republic, designed by Morris + Company, as a 13-storey flagship 244,000-sq-ft office project.

A 581-space multi-storey car park designed by overall masterplanner Studio Egret West, will be created at the south of site.

The park, new commercial spaces and car park will sit alongside a range of historic buildings, including the landmark former station on Fairfield Street, which are being retained and redeveloped as part of the wider regeneration plans.

The long-term proposals will seek to enhance many of the site’s historic features. The vast depot building has already been transformed into a new cultural venue, Depot Mayfield, which contributed to bringing 330,000 visitors to Mayfield in 2019, after more than 30 years of decline.

The delivery of Mayfield Park will support 150 new construction jobs.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “There are some development projects that have such transformational potential that we await their beginning with great anticipation. Mayfield is most definitely one of them.

“This part of the city centre has been under-used for decades and it’s brilliant that we can now celebrate the first shovels going in the ground on the new city park and a green sanctuary at the heart of our city – followed closely by significant investment in new commercial space and new homes.

“Mayfield is a project of exceptional ambition. And ambition is the very tonic we need as we navigate our way out of the Covid-19 pandemic towards economic recovery – in part through high-quality, impactful investment in our city, such as this.”

It is envisaged that Mayfield will create opportunities for more than 10,000 office, retail, leisure jobs, in addition to over 630 FTE construction jobs, up to 2,500 supply chain roles and 25 apprenticeships annually.

Over the next decade, the scheme is forecast to deliver over £7.4bn of GVA to the local economy.