Land at Atlas Business Park

Wythenshawe

Frequently Asked Questions

The Site and the proposals

  • The site includes land located within and adjacent to Atlas Business Park, south of Simonsway, close to the Manchester Airport Relief Road (A555) and Junction 5 of the M56 and Manchester Airport which makes it an ideal location for this type of development owing to the strong regional and national connectivity.

  • The scheme is consistent with the site’s allocation as an established and suitable employment location and supports the continued role of the area in contributing to economic growth and employment in Manchester. 

  • The site comprises land previously occupied by employment units which have since been demolished, along with a vacant office building formerly let to Vodafone.

  • Yes. An earlier proposal for land adjacent to Atlas Business Park was submitted for planning approval on October 2022. Following that consultation, planning permission was not granted in November 2023, with the decision citing concerns around Green Belt policy, the scale and design of the scheme, and the need for further assurance around Manchester Airport's operational safety.


    Since then, Aviva Investors has carried out a thorough review of the scheme, working closely with Manchester Airport Group (MAG) through detailed pre-application consultation to address these points and refine the proposals accordingly.

  • Green Belt - The revised scheme removes Green Belt land from the proposals, ensuring development is focused on the existing vacant, previously developed employment site. This helps protect Green Belt openness while making effective use of land already suited to employment uses. 

    Layout revisions through consultation with the Manchester Airport Group - The revised layout, building orientation and massing of the scheme has been refined through collaborative engagement with MAG. 

  • Aviva Investors is seeking planning permission to redevelop this site, which is currently occupied by a former Vodafone office building. The proposals involve demolishing the existing building and creating around 40,000 sqm of new employment space, supporting a mix of light industrial, general industrial, and storage/distribution uses, along with associated office space.

  • The Site is situated in a highly accessible location and benefits from excellent local and strategic transport links. Located close to the Manchester Airport Relief Road (A555) and Junction 5 of the M56 and Manchester Airport making the site and ideal location for the types of uses proposed. This location, close to the airport, to Manchester City Centre and the strategic road network, means that it is well placed to support the economic growth of Greater Manchester and address the shortfall in modern employment space in South Manchester. 

    These proposals make effective use of a vacant, previously developed site, that is a sustainable and appropriate site for employment development. This is particularly true given the surrounding context of existing operational logistics centres and strategic road connections. 

  • Yes. South Manchester, and Greater Manchester more widely, doesn't have enough modern warehouse and industrial space to meet demand, a problem seen across the UK.
    Nationally, this shortage has already had a real impact: it has cost the UK 140,000 jobs and £9.7bn in lost economic output since 2010.
    Manchester is feeling this pressure directly. Industry experts describe the challenge here as one of supply rather than demand ,despite one of the strongest years on record for take-up of industrial space, very little new stock is available. Landlords similarly report strong rental growth and a constrained development pipeline locally, alongside surging demand for last-mile delivery space.
    This matters because this type of space supports 4.5 million jobs across the UK, spanning everything from entry-level warehouse roles to skilled trades and professional careers.
    Building more of the right space, in sustainable, well-connected locations, supports Manchester's economic growth and helps meet demand that existing sites can't keep up with.

  • A suite of technical reports are being prepared and will be submitted alongside the planning application that will evaluate how the proposals will interact with the surrounding properties. There will be a further opportunity to review all technical information that forms part of the planning application at this time, and submit further comments as part of the Manchester City Council's own consultation on the plans.

Transport & Access 

  • Access to to the site will from the existing Simonsway access point.

  • The site will promote the use of sustainable transport measures by tying into the existing footpath and cycle path network.

    There are a number of bus stops located along Simonsway, providing services between Wythenshawe, Stockport, Wilmslow and Macclesfield. Metrolink stations are located at Peel Hall (300m north-west) and Shadowmoss Road (850m south-west) which provide connectivity into Manchester City Centre and beyond. Similarly, Heald Green Train Station is located 950m to the east of the site and provides connections to Manchester, Crewe, Liverpool and Blackpool. 

    More information can be found in the accompanying Transport Assessment and Design and Access Statement submitted alongside the planning application.  

  • 418 parking spaces are set to be provided as part of the development. This will be more than sufficient for the employees of the units, particularly given the nature of the majority of jobs is likely to be shift-work. In addition, it is anticipated that people will use public transport – as well as private cars – to access the site.  

Consultation and next steps 

  • A pre-application consultation is running until Tuesday 21st July 2026. Feedback can be provided by the below channels:   

    • Freepost:   Freepost RUGS-SJCY-TZAA  Atlas Business Park   c/o Turley  Level 5, Transmission  6 Atherton Street  Manchester  M3 3GS  

  • All feedback received during the consultation will be reviewed by the project team. The comments will help inform the developing proposals before the full planning application is finalised. A Statement of Community Engagement will then be prepared, summarising the feedback and how it has been considered.  

  • It is anticipated that the planning application will be submitted in September 2026. The application will be determined by Manchester City Council, who will undertake their own statutory consultation on the plans.

  • Once planning is secured the applicant will then progress the detailed design and contractor selection. We would anticipate that construction works will start within 12 months of planning permission being granted. 

The Applicant 

  • Aviva Investors are the investment arm of – Aviva Group – one of the UK’s largest insurance and pensions companies. 

    They are committed to high-quality social and environmental practises in order to create attractive and environmentally friendly workplaces.  

    You can find out more about Aviva Investors on their website www.avivainvestors.com