Green light for Manchester library

Planning permission has been granted for a state-of-the-art library at Manchester Metropolitan University.

Manchester City Council has approved the project, which will involve the current library on Oxford Road replaced with a modern and dynamic zig-zag-shaped structure.

Architects Hawkins\Brown and Schmidt Hammer Lassen were commissioned to design the new iconic building and demolition works are expected to begin this Autumn. Construction work is due to complete in early 2028, with the library ready for the start of the 2028-29 academic year.

The eye-catching new building will feature digitally enabled teaching and research facilities to enhance students’ data science and analytical skills.

It will house the University’s Special Collection Museum and the Manchester Poetry Library – the North West’s first public poetry library – plus a new gallery and event spaces.

Andrew Fallon, Director of Estates and Capital Development at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: “The new library will be a striking addition to our estate and the Oxford Road skyline, serving as an iconic architectural gateway to our University.

“Once built, it will provide a vibrant learning, research, and collaboration hub, empowering our University community and fostering creativity and engagement for future generations.”