92,000 sq ft warehouse planned for airport’s World Freight Terminal

Plans have been submitted for a 92,000 sq ft warehouse at Manchester Airport’s World Freight Terminal on the site of the existing Hangar 4.

Proposals have been brought forward by Threadneedle Curtis, part of US-based developer Columbia Threadneedle. The group acquired a significant portion of the commercial space of around the airport following a sell-off of assets by Manchester Airports Group in late 2020 with ambitions to bring forward over 200,000 sq ft of additional development at the World Freight Terminal.

The site sits off Avro Way and Pinfold Lane at the World Freight Terminal alongside existing depots used by Jet2.com, Thomas Cook and aviation services company, Dnata.

Plans being considered by Manchester City Council will see the existing Hangar 4 structure demolished, and replaced with a two-storey warehouse building with first floor office space, totalling over 8,500 sqm. Additional landscaping around the scheme is also planned, alongside parking provision for 95 cars (with 19 electric vehicle charging points), and separate access for HGVs to load and unload.

The demolition of Hangar 4 was previously approved by councillors earlier this year in March 2023, with the developers also having already been given the green light to move forward with other redevelopment proposals on other warehouse and industrial units on Pinfold Lane at the World Freight Terminal as part of plans to ensure the area remains a high-quality industrial area and to maximise occupation levels on already developed sites around Manchester Airport.

The scheme has been designed by RPS architects, with Avison Young acting as planning consultant on the application.