Development partner confirmed for Manchester’s £850m Mayfield scheme

Urban regeneration firm U+I has been officially confirmed as the development partner for the multi-million pound Mayfield site in Manchester.

The developer was formerly appointed this week (December 19) by The Mayfield Partnership, which is made up of Manchester City Council, property manager LCR and Transport for Greater Manchester.

In addition to preserving the heritage assets of the historic Mayfield Station site, close to Piccadilly, U+I has been tasked with delivering a modern urban neighbourhood and gateway on the 24-acre site.

According to The Mayfield Partnership, the area’s revival as a business, residential and leisure destination is expected to create over 7,000 jobs during the next decade.

Located around Mayfield Station, the core of the site has lain derelict for several decades but will soon house 1,300 homes, a 350-bedroom hotel, retail and leisure facilities and 807,000 sq ft of office space.

U+I’s deputy chief executive, Richard Upton, said: “The formal appointment of U+I is a historic moment and we are excited and privileged to have been entrusted to deliver this strategically important regeneration project for Manchester.

“We are looking forward to 2017 and listening and learning to the local community and other stakeholders about their aspirations for Mayfield. We have many ideas, but nothing is set in stone, which is why the community engagement exercise is so important to us.”

He added: “We want to begin the revival of Mayfield in 2017 and look forward to sharing our plans to open up part of the site for use by the community as soon as we can.”

Manchester City Council Leader Sir Richard Leese commented: “This is a key gateway site and we are determined to ensure a world-class scheme which will create thousands of jobs and make a major contribution to the regeneration of the Piccadilly area.

“Together with the Network Rail Northern Hub scheme and planned HS2 station, the Mayfield Quarter will significantly strengthen and enliven this part of the city centre. We welcome the appointment of U+I to deliver this development.”

LCR chief exec David Joy said the company is “delighted” to have U+I on board as the development partner for Mayfield site.

He explained: “[U+I] will lead on the master planning and delivery of the development which is set to create a distinctive new high quality urban neighbourhood and a gateway into Manchester city centre.

“We look forward to working with U+I and the Mayfield Partners to ensure the success of this exemplary urban regeneration scheme, which will provide long-term benefits – not only for the local area but for Greater Manchester as a whole.”

The chair of the Transport for Greater Manchester committee, Cllr Andrew Fender, said he believes the “transformational” Mayfield scheme will “breathe new life” into a historic part of the city.

The scheme, he said, will capitalise on “excellent transport links and a region in bloom”, adding: “I am really looking forward to watching the blueprints come to life.”