Opening phase of £750m Circle Square development approved

Property firm Bruntwood and investor Select Property Group have received the go-ahead to deliver phase 1A of Circle Square, their £750m mixed-use development in Manchester.

Construction work on the project, which occupies the former BBC site on Oxford Road, will comprise office space, retail units, private residential accommodation and serviced apartments, in addition to public communal areas.

Phase 1A includes two buildings offering 600 serviced apartments and 22 duplex penthouses with external terrace space. Once complete, the buildings will be managed under Select’s Vita brand.

Geared towards mature students and postgraduates, Vita’s offering at the 2.3 million sq ft Circle Square site will also provide access to media rooms, a gym and private study areas.

Select Property Group CEO Mark Stott said: “Today’s approval is a major milestone in our joint venture partnership with Bruntwood and for the Vita Student brand.

“We are looking forward to expanding our award-winning Vita Student offering to a second Manchester site, which will be ready for the September 2017 academic year.”

He continued: “Securing approval for the first phase is a significant part of our vision to create a new neighbourhood for the city, which will be complemented by future phases featuring extensive green areas as well as commercial, residential and retail buildings that are to be considered by planners.”

Two of Circle Square’s centrepieces are collaborative spaces bringing together individuals and businesses. The Green, along with a 20,000 sq ft pavilion, will add to the city’s events space offering.

Chris Oglesby, the CEO of Bruntwood, said of the development: “Bruntwood and Select Property Group share a long term commitment and desire to create an exceptional and extraordinary new community at Circle Square.

“Traditionally, creating such a significant new district would take a decade to deliver.”

Chris added: “By working collaboratively and in cooperation, we have already been able to dramatically reduce this timeline, such that, a new community of [around] 1.42 million sq ft of floorspace will be delivered in the next three and a half years.”

Phase 1B of the development is currently awaiting approval.

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