WPP Invests in New Manchester Campus

WPP new campus will be a flexible and inclusive working environment with wellbeing at the heart of its design

WPP is to create a new home for its Manchester agencies. The new purpose-built campus will be located at Allied London’s Enterprise City development on the former Granada Studios site, bringing together five WPP agencies – MediaCom, Wavemaker, Code Computer Love, Kinetic, and Cheetham Bell – under one roof.

WPP has agreed to a 15-year lease with building owners Allied London. The modern, 82,000-sqft office space will be designed by BDG architecture + design, a agency-owned company, and will be split over eight floors to provide collaborative and dynamic co-working areas for the agencies which have grown significantly in the last five years.

The agency‘s new campus will be a creative hub for the city when it opens in early 2022, offering learning and development for the industry and those wanting to work in the marketing and communications sector. Its commitment to Manchester will be reflected in its community, school, start-up and SME partnerships, courses and events. The new building will also house Allied London’s dedicated media and technology-focused co-working space ‘All Work & Social’.

Reflecting the five agencies’ continued investment in and focus on mental health and neurodiversity in the workplace, the campus will be a flexible and inclusive working environment with wellbeing at the heart of its design. The building will also include a roof terrace with views across the city, as well as a café, bar and business event space.

In common with all new WPP campus buildings, sustainability will be a key focus and the building is targeting a BREEAM rating of Excellent.

“WPP campuses not only give our people amazing, inspiring spaces in which to work, learn and create, but provide our clients with easier access to our expertise,” said Karen Blackett OBE, UK Country Manager for WPP. “The UK is our second largest market, and by building a brand-new home for our agencies and a creative hub for the city, we are investing in both our future and in the future economy of Manchester.”

Michael Ingall, Chief Executive for Allied London, added: “We are delighted to have WPP join Enterprise City. The co-working spaces, in particular, will allow SMEs in the media, creative and tech industries to benefit from being located close to some of the world’s largest companies.

“Enterprise City is growing quickly, and with great tech and media companies joining the creative cluster alongside the TV & film studios and The Factory, we believe we are going to create a place with a real buzz that modern industries will flock to.”