The family-owned civils firm has already delivered the enabling works at Mayfield, including demolishing a number of former industrial units and remediation works.

PPO has also pledged to use, where possible, Manchester-based subcontractors, including Civic Engineers, which has been appointed as lead designer and structural engineer of the park, alongside landscape architect Gillespies and river engineer Buro Happold.

The 6.5-acre green space will be the jewel in the crown of regeneration specialist U+I’s transformational Mayfield development.

Following the clearing and cleaning of the 24-acre former industrial site, the next phase will see the River Medlock – one of the three founding rivers the city of Manchester grew-up around – uncovered after more than five decades hidden underneath a concrete culvert.

Arlene Van Bosch, Development Director for U+I and the Mayfield Partnership said: “The Mayfield project has been gathering pace throughout 2021.

“Mayfield Park will define this part of the city centre when it opens to the public in 2022 so it was important to us that the contractors we selected would not only deliver outstanding technical work and economic value but social value too.”

Charmaine O’Connor, chief executive at PP O’Connor Group added: “To work on such an important, stand-out scheme for the North of England is incredibly exciting for our team and our extensive Manchester-based supply chain as well.

“We  are committed to working in partnership with communities to deliver real and measurable social value to local residents and all stakeholders via apprenticeships and other grassroots initiatives.”

Overall, the Mayfield regeneration scheme is set to 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 facilities, and 11 acres of new public realm.