THE UNIVERSITY of Manchester has received planning permission from Manchester City Council to create a £350 million engineering campus – one of the largest single construction projects ever undertaken by a university in the UK.

This exciting new campus development is a once in a lifetime project

At 195 metres long, the main building of the Manchester Engineering Campus Development (MECD) – the MEC Hall – could easily accommodate the Beetham Tower (laid sideways) with 26 metres to spare.

Due to complete in 2020, the development – located opposite the £61m National Graphene Institute on Booth Street East - forms part of the University’s £1bn ten-year campus masterplan and will become home to the University’s four engineering schools and two research institutes.

Professor Martin Schröder, Vice-President and Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences, said:

“This exciting new campus development is a once in a lifetime project that builds upon Manchester’s proud heritage of innovation and discovery across engineering and science that began with the establishment of the Manchester Mechanics’ Institute in 1824.

“MECD brings Manchester Engineering into one building as a focus for interdisciplinary teaching and research. We will train the engineers of the future and discover and apply new knowledge to help industry and society to increase wealth and employment and to overcome global challenges of climate change, finite natural resources and changing world markets.” 

Architects Mecanoo, responsible for Manchester’s new £25m HOME arts centre, have been appointed to the project. Francesco Veenstra, Partner at Mecanoo and Design Team Leader for the project, said:

“Integrating architecture, interior and landscape, we have designed a campus that will deliver a first class teaching and research environment which will assist The University of Manchester’s ambition in becoming one of the top 25 research universities in the world."

Demolition on the site is currently under way, and main construction works are scheduled to begin later this year.