Bruntwood SciTech Completes £33m Heritage Retrofit of Pall Mall, Delivering Manchester’s Newest Net Zero Innovation Hub
- Rico Naylor
- 6 hours ago
- 4 min read
A Grade II listed post-war landmark reimagined as a future-proofed, EPC A-rated workspace for scaling businesses and ESG-conscious occupiers in the heart of Manchester.
Bruntwood SciTech, the UK’s largest property platform dedicated to the innovation, technology and science sectors, has completed the £33 million transformation of Pall Mall in Manchester city centre.
Following two years of technically complex restoration work, the Grade II listed building has been repositioned as a net zero carbon innovation hub, achieving an EPC A rating and targeting BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification.
The project, delivered in collaboration with architects Sheppard Robson and fit-out specialists Dragonfly, represents one of the most ambitious heritage-led retrofits in the UK commercial property sector. A fabric-first approach has minimised embodied carbon throughout the building’s design and operational lifecycle, setting a new benchmark for what deep retrofit can achieve within the constraints of listed building consent.
The Strategic Context
Pall Mall’s completion arrives at a critical moment for Manchester’s commercial property market. With Grade A vacancy rates at historic lows and no significant new-build stock scheduled for delivery this year, the city’s ‘Flight to Quality’ has intensified. Occupiers are consolidating into smaller, higher-specification, ESG-compliant environments to offset rising operational costs and compete for talent.
In this context, Pall Mall offers a compelling proposition: a heritage asset that has been upgraded to exceed modern performance standards, providing a complementary workspace for B-Corp certified firms, professional services businesses and technology companies seeking environments that reflect their values and long-term commitments.
What Pall Mall Delivers
Designed to support businesses at every stage of growth, Pall Mall’s flexible product offer spans coworking, serviced and leased workspace for teams of 2 to 120. The building’s leased offices are now 90% let, with remaining serviced workspace accommodating teams of 8 to 50, providing a valuable opportunity for scaleups, SMEs and businesses seeking a regional Manchester base.
Amenities include:
Complimentary gym with premium shower and changing facilities
Communal lounges and bookable meeting and presentation rooms
Roof terrace events space
On-site EV charging and secure cycle storage
Hospitality-led customer experience with a dedicated on-site support team
At the heart of the transformation is Pollen Square, a revitalised public realm connecting Pall Mall to its surrounding streets. With new greenery, seating and retail, it creates an open and inviting destination for occupiers, neighbours and visitors, delivering much-needed green space in the city centre core.
Sustainability Credentials
Pall Mall’s retrofit programme has targeted performance standards rarely achieved for a listed building of this scale and age:
Net zero in both construction and operation
EPC A rating achieved
BREEAM ‘Very Good’ certification expected
Fabric-first approach minimising embodied carbon from design through to operation
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.”
First Occupiers Signal Market Confidence
The award-winning digital and technology consultancy Mason Advisory is amongst the first occupiers to take up residence at Pall Mall, relocating from Bruntwood SciTech’s nearby Bloc. The move into a dedicated, self-contained managed office marks a significant step in the company’s expansion 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 sustainability credentials.
Paul Pugh, CEO of 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.”
Mason Advisory will be joined at Pall Mall by gunnercooke, one of the UK’s fastest-growing professional services firms, which committed to 16,100 sq ft of space in September.
Part of a £243m Manchester Investment Programme
Pall Mall forms a central component of Bruntwood SciTech’s £5 billion UK-wide growth strategy. Within Manchester alone, the platform is investing £243 million across a portfolio that includes Citylabs 4.0, Thread Works, King’s House, Greenheys at Manchester Science Park and No.3 Circle Square.
Together, these projects are delivering over 727,000 sq ft of workspace to support innovation-led businesses and reinforce Manchester’s position as one of the UK’s foremost innovation economies.
Launch Events
To celebrate the completion, Bruntwood SciTech is hosting an open-to-all Coworking Day on 26 March, inviting businesses and teams of all sizes to experience the workspace and amenities first-hand. Alongside this, a ‘Meet your Neighbours’ community event will connect existing occupiers with the building’s wider ecosystem.
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