Manchester site options narrow for No10 North office

Plans for the location of ‘No10 North’, a flagship office for Prime Minister Andy Burnham intended to shift power and funding from Whitehall to local authorities, have shifted away from previously discussed sites in Manchester.

Cabinet under-secretary Sally Jameson confirmed that there are currently no plans to establish the office within the Manchester Digital Campus on Great Ancoats Street. The campus, which is being developed for up to 9,000 civil servants, is not expected to be completed until 2032.

Additionally, the administration has abandoned plans to use a site linked to the Abu Dhabi United Group (ADUG), owners of Manchester City. The site, a former retail park in Ancoats, had been subject to scrutiny due to a 2015 deal between Manchester City Council and ADUG.

Market speculation suggests the Government Property Agency’s 130,000 sq ft block at First Street is the leading contender for the new office. The building reached practical completion in early 2025 and is fully let to the GPA, offering the government full control over security requirements.