A new hub for digital and creative businesses is to be developed in Manchester after over £5 million funding was approved to refurbish One Central Park.

The building, at Central Park business park, was acquired by Manchester City Council two years ago and consists of 83,203 sq ft of lettable office space in three blocks, over three floors in a triangular layout with 272 car park spaces.

The site is located directly opposite Greater Manchester Police’s North Manchester Divisional Headquarters on Northampton Road and close to Central Park Metrolink tram stop.

The development will be remodelled mimicking the stripped-back design style that has been so successful at The Sharp Project, to provide high accommodation for new and larger digital businesses that cannot be located on site at The Sharp Project.

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The refurbishment work will include reconfiguring the current offices and meeting rooms to create more flexible and innovative workspace. Additional accommodation will be provided on ground floor with exposed ceilings and glazed walls to create a refined urban environment, similar in design to the Space and Sharp Projects.

The building's ground floor will be transformed to provide a vibrant internal plaza designed to foster a creative community. The new space will offer networking, work and entertainment space along with hot desking for both tenants and the wider Central Park community. The open air courtyard, which is currently under-used, will be enclosed with a transparent 'Eden' style roof, similar to the Victoria Station canopy. This area will act as the heart of the building and will be dressed with a living 'green' wall incorporating internal balconies so offices can have open access to the plaza.

(CD)