Planning permission has been approved to develop a new sports health and science research facility in Manchester.

The Manchester Institute of Health and Performance (MIHP) will be a multi-disciplinary diagnostic, education, research and development facility, and will be located in the Etihad Campus, adjacent to the recently opened City Football Academy.

The institute is the result of five years of planning and research by a partnership team made up of Manchester City Council, City Football Group and Sport England.

MIHP will be operated by HCA, the private healthcare company which manages facilities across the UK, including: 52 Alderley Road in Wilmslow, The Christie Clinic at Withington’s Christie Hospital and The ISEH in London – one of only nine IOC research centres worldwide specialising in the prevention of injury and protection of athlete health.

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Preparatory work is starting on site and MIHP is scheduled to open in early 2016.

The architect for the Manchester Institute of Health and Performance is AHR.

Phase one of the Beswick Community Hub is well underway. The Connell Sixth Form College adjacent to the City Football Academy is fully functioning and coming to the end of its first academic term and East Manchester Leisure Centre .

Cllr Jeff Smith, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said: "The Beswick community hub will become an incredible resource for both the local community and city’s elite sports men and women.

"The Manchester Institute for Health and Performance is the next phase of these ambitious plans that will take east Manchester from being not only a world renowned centre for sport and leisure, but also a world leader in sport and health science and research."

(CD/MH)