DTZ, part of UGL Services, a division of UGL Limited (ASX: UGL), has been appointed by Manchester Metropolitan University following a competitive tender to advise on the future of a number of sites which are surplus to requirements. As a £350m investment in new campus facilities nears completion, the university is consolidating all of its educational provision into two locations in Manchester and Cheshire. DTZ will provide strategic advice to the university on future potential uses and the approach that the university should follow to sell the sites.
The Manchester provision will include the current All Saints Campus on Oxford Road and the planned new Birley Fields campus in Hulme. As a result the university will be vacating a number of its current sites on a phased basis over the next few years. Sites that will become surplus will include the Aytoun Street campus in Manchester city centre, the Didsbury campus, the Elizabeth Gaskell site and the Hollings site in Fallowfield, as well as much of the University’s site at Alsager in Cheshire.
Commenting on the appointment, Deputy Director of Finance at the University, Ryan Keyworth said: “The process of rationalising the estate is an important step for the university. Now is the right time to develop our plans for the future of the surplus assets.”
John Keyes, lead director, at DTZ said: “We are very pleased to be advising the university in this important and exciting role. The surplus sites are important assets for the university but also important assets for the local community and it will be vital that appropriate uses are found for the future.”