Willmott Dixon will build the first phase of The Manchester College’s estates strategy, to provide a centre for creative and digital industries.
The four-storey development is on the site of the city’s former Strangeways Brewery – home of Boddingtons – at the corner of New Bridge Street and Great Ducie Street. The brewery was closed in 2005 and demolished in 2007.
The new building, designed by Bond Bryan and SimpsonHaugh architects, will house two theatres, film studios and editing suites, plus recording and photography studios, dance studios and rehearsal rooms.
It will be home to the college’s Industry Excellence Academy for Creative & Digital Industries, and UCEN Manchester’s Arden School of Theatre and Manchester Film School.
Willmott Dixon is expected to have it ready for the first students to start in September 2022.
College principal Lisa O’Loughlin said “This new city centre campus encapsulates our vision to provide learning that is focused on industry excellence, equipping students with the skills they need to access highly-skilled careers in the digital and creative sectors.”
Willmott Dixon regional managing director Anthony Dillon said: “This new college campus is a real statement of intent by Manchester that it’s one of the UK’s foremost centres of learning for industries that will help shape a dynamic future economy for the UK. The UK is a world leader for creative and digital technology and this college will ensure it stays that way for many generations to come.”
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