Glencar Completes New Innovation Hub At Kingsway Business Park, Rochdale

Glencar Completes Sustainable Innovation Hub in Rochdale

Glencar has achieved Practical Completion on the new 43,500 sq ft Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre at Kingsway Business Park. Delivered for Wilson Bowden on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council, the new facility will support advanced manufacturing, research, collaboration and the development of sustainable technologies as part of the wider Atom Valley innovation cluster.

Glencar has achieved Practical Completion on the new 43,500 sq ft Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale. Delivered for Wilson Bowden on behalf of Rochdale Borough Council, the facility represents a significant investment in the region’s advanced manufacturing and innovation capabilities.

Completed in early October, the new two-storey research and development facility provides a flexible environment designed to support innovation, advanced manufacturing and collaboration, bringing together workshop and laboratory space, design and analysis studios, offices, meeting rooms, flexible workspace, a lecture theatre and café.

The SMMC forms an important part of the wider Atom Valley innovation cluster and will support the development and commercialisation of advanced sustainable materials, intelligent machinery and digital technologies. The facility will provide businesses with access to specialist spaces, expertise and programmes designed to help take new technologies from research through to commercial application.

Glencar’s scope included ground remediation, highways works, construction of the new facility and associated external works, alongside delivery of a Cat A fit-out. The project also included new connections onto Michael Faraday Avenue and a pedestrian footpath linking the development with the nearby Metrolink stop.

Sustainability and long-term adaptability have been central to the scheme, with 48% of the structural steel frame comprising repurposed steel. The building has also been designed to accommodate a range of research, manufacturing and office functions, supporting flexibility and long-term use.

Alongside construction, Glencar delivered a programme of social value initiatives focused on supporting local employment, education and community engagement. The project generated approximately £6 million in local spend, alongside 115 apprenticeship weeks, 25 work experience weeks and 64 volunteering hours. Community initiatives included work placements in partnership with Hopwood Hall College, support for local charity Re-engage and donations to Rochdale Foodbank.

The completion marks Glencar’s third successfully delivered project at Kingsway Business Park for Wilson Bowden, further strengthening the relationship between the two businesses. It follows the completion of Plot M in 2023, which delivered 287,000 sq ft across three industrial units, and Plot J2 in 2024, comprising 203,500 sq ft across two units.

The project team included DLA Architecture as architect, BWB Consulting as engineer and KAM Project Consultants as Employer’s Agent and Quantity Surveyor.

Cllr Daniel Meredith

portfolio holder for regeneration and housing at Rochdale Borough Council

The building completion of the Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre is fantastic news for Rochdale residents. This landmark facility will help create new employment opportunities, support the development of high-value skills and ensure local people can benefit from some of the most exciting advances in modern manufacturing and materials science. We've worked hard to position Rochdale at the forefront of innovation and advanced manufacturing, and the SMMC is a clear example of that ambition becoming reality. It's a major investment in our future, creating opportunities for local businesses, attracting new employers and helping to build a stronger economy for generations to come.

Tom Kearsley

North Regional Director at Glencar

Reaching Practical Completion at the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre is a fantastic milestone for everyone involved. This is our third completed project at Kingsway Business Park, following Plot M and Plot J2, and it’s been great to continue building on our relationship with Wilson Bowden.

A huge thank you to the project team and our supply chain partners for their hard work in delivering another high-quality facility at Kingsway.

Henry Henson

Development Manager at Wilson Bowden Developments

The completion of the Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre marks another important milestone in the continued development of Kingsway Business Park.

The new facility provides a high-quality environment designed to support innovation, research and collaboration, and we’re delighted to see the project successfully completed. We’d like to thank Glencar and the wider project team for their work in bringing the scheme to fruition.