16 June 2006
Barclays Bank announced as latest occupier at Spinningfields
Allied London has today confirmed Barclays Bank as the latest tenant at its burgeoning Spinningfields development, Manchester’s new central business district.
Barclays Bank has agreed to take 80,000 sq ft (7,432 sq m), with an option to take up to 100,000 sq ft for a new Barclaycard financial services centre at 3 Hardman Street - at 350,000 sq ft (32,515 sq m) the largest ever speculative office development in Manchester. Barclays Bank also has an option to take more space in the building.
The new financial centre will consolidate Barclaycard’s existing facilities in the city centre. Construction at the site is due to commence in Summer 2006 for completion in Summer 2008.
Spinningfields is the most significant commercial office development in Manchester and one of the most significant in the UK. With a total investment of £1.5bn, Spinningfields is a 427,450 sq m (4,600,000 sq ft) mixed-use development between the River Irwell and Deansgate – one of Manchester’s main thoroughfares.
3 Hardman Street, designed by architects Sheppard Robson, totals 350,000sq ft of Grade A office space offering 35,000 sq ft floor plates, some of the largest single floor plate sizes in the city.
The new building, which is to be the largest yet at Spinningfields, includes four ‘stepped’ elements reaching, at highest, up to 12 storeys. The scheme will also feature four separate office entrances, ground floor mezzanine and upmarket retail units on the Crown Square frontage.
Mike Ingall, Allied London chief executive, said: “Spinningfields was specifically designed to attract the calibre of corporate organisations like Barclays Bank.
3 Hardman Square has been designed in particular for the expanding financial service demand in Manchester. Barclaycard is one of Europe’s leading financial card businesses. Their decision is more excellent news for the Spinningfields development and Manchester City Centre, their ambition is to be the most admired card business in the world and we hope we can play our part in helping them achieve this ambition.”
Leader of Manchester City Council Councillor Richard Leese said: " The City Centre is where national and international organisations want to be, and this is good news for Manchester and the wider Region. Spinningfields is charting a new direction for the City and demonstrates once again the Council's capacity to work successfully with enterprising and energetic partners. I am delighted at the level of confidence which business and the investment community is again showing in the City generally, and the City Centre in particular."
Bovis is the contractor for the building, which will be their third scheme on the Spinningfields site following the Civil Justice Centre and 3 Hardman Square. Jones Lang LaSalle is the letting agent for the Spinningfields development.
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