The University of Manchester has fired the starting pistol on the redevelopment of a prize 26-acre central Manchester development site.

A notice has been published on the Official Journal of the European Union to begin pre-market engagement as part of its search to find an investor and development partner to deliver a new £1.5B innovation district.

The site, branded ID Manchester, already has council backing for a 3.5M SF mixed-use development.

The site includes the 650K SF Grade II-listed Sackville Street Building, which offers a fantastic opportunity for repurposing, the university said.

The university occupies the recently opened £60M Masdar Building, home to the Graphene Engineering Innovation Centre, and the Manchester Institute of Biotechnology at the south end of the site, and is looking for a partner to develop the remaining 16.4 acres of the plot.

ID Manchester is another piece in the jigsaw of the major regeneration taking place in the south-eastern flank of the city, including Mayfield, London Road Fire Station, Kampus, Circle Square and the £1B investment already being made into its main Oxford Road campus by The University of Manchester.