Bruntwood is to launch a £50M refurbishment programme at offices in Manchester and Birmingham.

The landlord with a £970M office portfolio is to refurbish Cornwall Buildings in Birmingham and Lowry House and Centurion House in central Manchester, as part of the initiative to improve sustainability and upgrade technology, Place North West reported.

The project will add new office amenities and help Bruntwood toward its carbon-neutral goal. It will also reposition the Bruntwood blocks in the increasingly fierce battle for flexible and serviced workspace: Cornwall Buildings is already being promoted as a flexible location.

Work is already due to start this summer on two other Manchester blocks, 111 Piccadilly and Blackfriars House.

Bruntwood has placed an increasing emphasis on creating cool workspace, a policy which represents a sharp change in emphasis from their original white-painted utilitarian look. Designers like Atul Bunsal have been hired to inspire occupiers with upfront looks. The latest developments will see MgMaStudio Architecture and 3DReid adding to the design mix.

The refurbishment is being carried out by Bruntwood Works, the part of the business which holds the assets not transfered to Bruntwood SciTech, the joint venture with Legal & General.