Manchester City Council has given planning consent for the 171,500 sf first phase. This comprises the 100,000 sq ft Park Business Centre, which is a joint venture between the developers and serviced office provider Regus plus two speculative buildings totalling 71,500 sq ft. Ultimately, the site can accommodate 675,000 sf of offices.

And Dublin-based Green Properties Green Properties has lodged an outline planning application for a 432,832 sf business park on a 21 acre site adjacent next door. No date has yet been given for Manchester's planning committee to committee consider the plan but, if approved, Green and Arlington are expected to merge the sites to form a single million sf-plus business park.

The spate of development in the area is being driven by the expansion of Manchester airport where a second runway and new terminal are boosting capacity. By 2002, Manchester Airport will be served by 110 airlines carrying in excess of 21 million passengers per annum.