News
Manchester Central completes third and final phase of its £30 million redevelopment
Published at 09:28 on 23rd of September 2010
The third and final phase of Manchester Central Convention Complex’s £30 million redevelopment has been completed ahead of schedule.
On Wednesday 8 September, Peter Grieve, Operations Manager for building contractor’s Laing O’Rourke, officially handed over Manchester Central’s new extension to Chief Executive, Lesley Tomlinson and Project Director, Dave Mallard. Roger Stephenson, of award-winning architects Stephenson Bell who designed the redevelopment, was also present to mark the occasion.
The third phase of the building boasts a 2,000m2 extension of flexible, client-facing space which can accommodate up to 800 delegates. The moveable walls ensure that space can be arranged according to client needs – from three separate conference rooms to one large, multi-purpose space.
The interior of the new extension compliments the modern design of the whole redevelopment with white walls, natural daylight and granite flooring. Stephenson Bell’s foremost design objectives were to provide contemporary, operational benefits, whilst remaining sympathetic to the original features of the 19th century building - once Manchester Central railway station.
Manchester Central’s 3-year redevelopment also includes the addition of two new foyer areas (Charter Foyer completed in November 2008 and the extended Central Foyer completed in December 2009). Increased client-facing space at Manchester Central means that the convention complex can easily accommodate the growing number of large, high-profile events that the award-winning venue attracts, especially national and international associations.
Lesley Tomlinson says; “Everyone involved has worked tirelessly to deliver this project on time and to budget and I’d like to take this opportunity to thank them for their hard work and dedication, especially the team at Laing O’Rourke. Clients agree that the results are fantastic and really help position Manchester as a world class conference destination!”
With the completion of its third phase, Manchester Central’s 3-year redevelopment project draws to a close before the venue’s official re-launch in early 2011. The first event to take advantage of the whole, redeveloped venue will be the Labour Party Conference at the end of September.
Phase three of the redevelopment was part-funded by grants from the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) is responsible for the sustainable economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and has five key priorities: Business, Skills and Education, People and Jobs, Infrastructure and Quality of Life.
For further information visit: www.nwda.co.uk and www.englandsnorthwest.com
The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is making a real difference to people and businesses in the Northwest. With €755 million to invest between 2007 and 2013, ERDF is enhancing the competitiveness of the region's economy by supporting growth in enterprise and employment.
ERDF in the Northwest is managed by the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
For further information please visit www.erdf.co.uk