Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) Breaks Ground at Atom Valley

After a momentous ‘breaking ground’ by Mayor Andy Burnham, works are now underway on the Sustainable Materials & Manufacturing Centre (SMMC). This flagship facility represents the first phase and is a major milestone for the Greater Manchester Atom Valley project. The SMMC places innovation, development and commercialisation of smart intelligent machinery, advanced sustainable materials and digital technologies at the forefront of the UK’s construction and manufacturing future.

The Design narrative and layout of SMMC responds to the innovation and research principles of the buildings use. Externally red rusting metal panels offer synergy and context to the red brick terracing of the past by using a modern technology of the present. The main entrance is indicative of a partially constructed machine through the use of exposed structural elements whilst fenestrations on the glazing mimic circuit boards. The internal design of this innovative building is split into two halves with a double height flexible workshop area supported by ancillary research and specialist accommodation. The fabrication workshop provides space for mature companies to use defined bays for product development, and small start-up companies for incubation. The two-storey element of the building provides laboratory, testing, prototyping, collaboration design and analysis studios around centralised atria. Open plan and cellular spaces are provided for flexible uses whilst encouraging mixing and collaboration between the occupants. Linking both halves of the building are the lecture theatre and metrology spaces. This lecture theatre is a flexible space with retractable seating tiers carefully designed to allow the space to be used for product demonstrations. The metrology laboratory provides specialist support for the work undertaken within the workshop. The SMMC will host Innovation Accelerator-funded programmes such as CEAMS (Centre of Expertise in Advanced Materials and Sustainability) and a range of research and technology organisations aligned with Mayor Andy Burnham’s ambition to build a world-class cluster of advanced materials and manufacturing in Greater Manchester.

Through collaboration and iteration, DLA Architecture are delighted to play a central role in the design and delivery of this landmark project. Working alongside our longstanding client and main contractor colleagues from Wilson Bowden Developments and Glencar Construction, the bulk earthworks works are progressing apace with an anticipated completion in September 2026.

The Kngsway Business Park masterplan forms one of the North’s most strategically located employment sites. DLA Architecture have played an instrumental role in shaping the Kingsway masterplan in partnership with Wilson Bowden Developments, Rochdale Development Agency and Rochdale Borough Council. Together, we have transformed Kingsway into one of the North’s most successful employment-led regeneration zones and a cornerstone of Greater Manchester’s industrial future. A number of units are now occupied by high-profile organisations, reflecting the site’s success as a base for growth, innovation and investment.

Victoria Shaw, Associate at DLA Architecture, said:

“The SMMC has been a truly collaborative process designed with its future users, researchers and manufacturers in mind. We wanted to create a flexible building that is commercially viable whilst supporting growth and can adaptation as new technologies and partnerships emerge. It’s a space built for innovation in every sense.”

Ben Gavaghan, Director at DLA Architecture, said:

“As a practice who opened our Manchester office over 20 years ago, it is fantastic to see projects such as SMMC supporting real transformational change in Rochdale and across Greater Manchester. The SMMC represents the next phase of the Kingsway story which is a continuation of our 20 years of collaboration. The SMMC brings a legacy into the era of advanced manufacturing creating a hub for innovation, jobs and sustainable growth that strengthens Greater Manchester’s position as a leader in low-carbon and sustainable materials.”