GLENCAR has won the contract to deliver a new innovation hub within Greater Manchester’s Atom Valley.
The Irish-founded firm, which is headquartered in Hertfordshire, has been appointed by Wilson Bowden to deliver the new Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) at Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale.
The 43,500 sq ft site will comprise a “cutting-edge innovation environment designed to support collaboration, research, and development across sustainable materials and advanced manufacturing”, the firm said in a statement.
Glencar broke ground on this project this month, which is set for completion in September 2026.
The ground floor of the site will house a large open workshop, an adaptable space for light industrial or office use, a social café, and a lecture theatre.
The upper level will offer a suite of cellular offices, meeting rooms, and breakout areas, creating a multi-functional hub that encourages interaction between disciplines.
External works form a key part of the development, with an ancillary service yard, landscaping, and car parking incorporated into the design.
The SMMC contract is the latest in a series of successful projects Glencar has delivered for Wilson Bowden at Kingsway Business Park.
Previous schemes include Plot M, completed in 2023 and providing 287,000 sq ft of warehouse space across three units, and Plot J2, a 203,500 sq ft development which they completed in 2024.
“We’re proud to be working once again with Wilson Bowden and the wider team to deliver this unique and forward-looking facility,” Glencar’s North Regional Tom Kearsley said this week.
“The SMMC will bring together different disciplines under one roof and support future-facing innovation in the region,” he added.
“We’re excited to bring our experience and collaborative approach to this important scheme.”
Henry Henson, Development Manager at Wilson Bowden Developments, said the project commencement was “a momentous occasion for this exciting flagship project”. He added: “The SMMC will form an important part of the continued success story at Kingsway Business Park and we look forward to bringing this vision to life.”
See More: Atom Valley, Glencar, Manchester, Rochdale, Wilson Bowden
