Bruntwood completes £1m project to bring forward new flexible office suites at South Central, Manchester

Leading property developer Bruntwood has responded to market demands for more flexible workspace by creating five new suites at its South Central workspace in Manchester, following a £1 million refurbishment project. 

The second floor of the historic property has been transformed to provide new fitted and furnished flexible workspace options ranging from 1,000 – 3,000 sq ft, connected by a shared kitchen and social area. Focused on blending creativity and practicality, the breakout space doubles as a communal coworking and social space, with seating areas, greenery and artwork to encourage interaction, alongside a meeting booth and kitchen facilities. 

The suites have been designed to celebrate the heritage of the building, while also providing a modern design. Features include large sash windows, exposed bricks and cast-iron columns and beams, new LED pendant lighting and exposed air conditioning design. 

Customers based at South Central also have access to the building’s business lounge and reception which serves as the central hub of the building, offering a versatile space for meetings, quick catchups or coworking. 

The new product offering has helped attract new businesses to South Central, with CTI Digital recently announcing it was relocating its Manchester operation there. The firm, a full-service digital agency known for strategy, solution implementation and the design and development of websites and applications, agreed a pre-let for two of the suites, demonstrating the demand for this type of flexible offering within the city centre workspace market.

Bruntwood had previously worked with CTI Digital on a number of its projects in the last few years, including on its town centre portfolio.

This marks the latest investment Bruntwood has made across its Greater Manchester workspace portfolio, having recently announced plans for the £1.2 million transformation of its Landmark House building in Cheadle.

Josh Hancock, Associate Commercial Director at Bruntwood, said: “Our focus across all our workspaces is to listen to the demands of our customers to ensure we are consistently providing a product offering that is aligned with the needs of the market. The pre-let of 5,200 sq ft, two of our five new suites, at South Central ahead of completion is testament to the demand for this type of product that prioritises flexibility, collaboration and interaction. 

“As we look ahead, we’ll continue to invest into our city centre and suburban workspaces to ensure that we are providing spaces where businesses can continue to grow, scale and thrive.”

South Central is located on bustling Deansgate in the heart of Manchester City Centre. Dating back to 1888, it was originally a packing warehouse for John Stevenson & Sons Ltd, named Central Buildings. Today, it offers a blend of contemporary workspace and period character, providing a unique example of how Manchester’s historical past has been transformed into a vibrant, modern and forward-thinking home for businesses.