Bruntwood SciTech Unveils £33m Transformation Of Grade II Listed Pall Mall Creating Manchester’s Newest Sustainable Workspace

Following 2 years of complex restoration work, Bruntwood SciTech – a joint venture between Bruntwood, L&G and Greater Manchester Pension Fund – has completed a £33 million  transformation of Pall Mall, its latest innovation-led workspace hub in Manchester city centre.

Acquired by the UK’s largest property platform dedicated to the innovation, tech and science sectors in 2021, Pall Mall has been brought back to life through a deep and technically complex retrofit, delivered in collaboration with architects Sheppard Robson and fit-out specialists Dragonfly. As a large Grade II listed building, the project demanded a careful balance between preserving its distinctive post-war architecture and upgrading it to meet and exceed modern workplace and environmental standards.

A fabric-first approach has minimised embodied carbon, embedding sustainability from design through to operation. The building will be net zero in construction and operation, has achieved EPC A and expected to obtain BREEAM ‘Very Good’ - a rare achievement for a listed building of this scale and age - Pall Mall sets a new benchmark for heritage-led retrofit in the UK, offering a complementary workspace for ESG focused and B-Corp certified firms seeking environments that reflect their values and future commitments.

Designed to support businesses at every stage of growth - from early-stage startups seeking growth opportunities, to UK corporates looking to expand their regional footprint to global enterprises  - Pall Mall’s flexible product offer of coworking, serviced and leased workspace for teams of 2 to 120 enables businesses to scale at their own pace, as their needs evolve. 

With the building’s leased offices now 90% let, this reflects strong interest from the market. The remaining serviced workspace, accommodating teams of 8–50 people, provides a valuable opportunity for scaleups, SMEs and businesses seeking a regional Manchester base to join Pall Mall’s already established community of professionals.

Following the redevelopment, Pall Mall customers will benefit from a complimentary gym, communal lounges, bookable meeting and presentation rooms, roof terrace events space, on-site EV charging, secure cycle storage and premium shower and changing facilities, all designed to support wellbeing, lifestyle and productivity. The amenities are complemented by Bruntwood SciTech’s hospitality-led customer experience, with a dedicated on-site support team that goes beyond operational support to foster community, collaboration and a strong sense of place. 

At the heart of the transformation is Pollen Square, a revitalised public realm that connects Pall Mall to its surrounding streets. With new greenery, seating and retail, it offers an open and inviting destination for customers, neighbours and visitors alike, offering much needed green space in the heart of the city centre.

To celebrate, Bruntwood SciTech will  be hosting an open-to-all Coworking Day on the 26th March to allow businesses and teams of all sizes to come and experience the workspace and test out amenities first-hand. Alongside this, Pall Mall will play host to a ‘Meet your Neighbours’ community event, allowing existing customers, and attendees to connect from across the building’s wider ecosystem. Tickets are available here.

Alex Edwards, Sustainability Director for Bruntwood SciTech, said: “The transformation of Pall Mall is a major milestone in our commitment to creating sustainable, future-focused workspaces that support innovation-led growth in our cities. 

“By preserving the original structure while targeting high performance standards, we’ve created an exemplar, low carbon workspace that demonstrates what a deep retrofit of a listed building can achieve. 

“This technically complex project has safeguarded an iconic part of Manchester’s commercial heritage that once symbolised the city’s post-war business ambition. Now, with embodied carbon reduced and modern performance built in, Pall Mall stands as a nationally recognised model of how regeneration can meaningfully support environmental goals and business growth for a new generation of occupiers. Such is the strength of its proposition, the building is now almost fully leased, delivering on our ambition to create a strong community of professional, financial and technology businesses in the heart of Manchester’s innovation ecosystem.”

Alex Smith, Partner at Sheppard Robson, said: "Post-war buildings like Pall Mall were the most innovative of their era, pioneering open-plan working. However, over five decades later, the building’s systems are at the end of their lives, and the systems used are no longer available. Unlike Victorian buildings, where we understand how to refurbish stone, lead, and timber, with mid-century buildings the industry is still learning how to retrofit them sensitively.

“This led to a painstaking process of sustainable renewal, repositioning a stranded asset for the long-term by creating a modern, sustainable workplace that understands and respects the original architectural integrity of the building.”

Home to ambitious and growing businesses 

The award-winning digital and technology consultancy Mason Advisory is amongst the first customers to move into the reimagined building. 

Relocating from Bruntwood SciTech’s nearby Bloc, Mason Advisory’s new headquarters marks its first move into a dedicated, self-contained made and managed office. The move is a significant step as the company continues to expand its delivery of digital transformation services across Manchester and the UK. 

With a target to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040, Mason Advisory was drawn to Pall Mall’s best-in-class sustainability credentials. The net zero carbon innovation hub will allow the consultancy to grow without compromising on its ambition to deliver positive, lasting change for both clients and the planet. 

By remaining within Bruntwood SciTech’s city-wide network, Mason Advisory will continue to benefit from collaboration opportunities, sector connectivity, and tailored support through Bruntwood SciTech’s in-house Innovation and Growth services team. 

The business will be joined at Pall Mall by one of the UK’s fastest-growing professional services firms, gunnercooke, who committed to a 16,100 sq ft space at Pall Mall in September. 

Paul Pugh, CEO for Mason Advisory, said: We’re excited to be part of this next chapter at Pall Mall. The space reflects the kind of environment we want for our team - modern, collaborative and designed for growth. Bruntwood SciTech have been fantastic partners throughout, and we’re looking forward to shaping the future of our work here together.

Investing in Manchester’s innovation future

As part of Bruntwood SciTech’s £5bn UK-wide growth strategy, Pall Mall plays a central role in expanding Manchester’s innovation economy, creating a new city-centre destination for pioneering and socially conscious businesses. It sits within a wider £243m investment across the city, including developments such as Citylabs 4.0, Thread Works, King’s House, Greenheys at Manchester Science Park and No.3 Circle Square. Together, these projects are delivering more than 727,000 sq ft of state-of-the-art workspace to support innovation-led businesses and strengthen Manchester’s position as one of the UK’s fastest-growing innovation hubs.