Construction has started on Plus Ultra Manchester, a landmark 217,000 sq ft development set to transform the city’s Oxford Road Corridor into one of the UK’s most significant life sciences and tech clusters.
The project, led by Kadans Science Partner, will deliver flexible lab, office and collaboration space for organisations working in life sciences, advanced materials and deep tech – sectors seen as key to the North’s innovation economy. It’s part of the wider Upper Brook Street masterplan, a mixed-use scheme that will include student housing, community facilities and almost half a million square feet of lab and research space.
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When completed in 2028, Plus Ultra will feature state-of-the-art labs, cleanrooms and offices designed to encourage cross-sector collaboration. The ground floor will house an incubator for early-stage businesses, alongside a café, bar and shared breakout areas aimed at sparking the kind of informal connections that drive innovation.
Kadans UK lead Will Fogden said the project represented a major moment for Manchester’s innovation sector: “Manchester has one of the UK’s most dynamic and well-connected ecosystems, combining world-class research institutions, a deep talent pool and a thriving base of life sciences and technology companies. The building will provide companies of all sizes the flexible, collaborative infrastructure needed to help research-led organisations grow, innovate and stay in the North of England.”
Fogden said Plus Ultra Manchester would be “only the beginning” of Kadans’ commitment to the city. The development sits at the heart of the Oxford Road Corridor, surrounded by the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University and Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust. It’s also a short walk from Piccadilly station and the wider Bee Network.
Steven Cochrane, Partnership Director at Oxford Road Corridor, said the new addition would “further strengthen one of the UK’s most vibrant life sciences clusters” and drive greater collaboration between universities, industry and health partners.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, called the development “a welcome investment in Manchester’s Knowledge Quarter,” adding: “We boast growing and globally competitive sectors in health innovation and life sciences, digital and AI, and advanced materials. This is an exciting opportunity to build on our strengths and create more jobs and opportunities for our residents.”
The project is being built by Morgan Sindall Construction, with Carter Jonas and Knight Frank acting as joint agents. Morgan Sindall’s Steven Gregory described the scheme as “a major step in Manchester’s growth as a centre for life sciences and innovation,” adding that the contractor would work with local schools and community groups to deliver skills training and jobs throughout the build.
Once complete, Plus Ultra Manchester will join Kadans’ network of more than 500 scientific and innovation organisations across the UK and Europe — positioning the city firmly at the centre of the continent’s science and tech ecosystem.
