Robyn Hewson from Insider Media spends the day at NOMA, hearing how developer Federated Hermes MEPC is creating an £800m mixed-use new quarter in the city centre.

From new office space to Michelin-star restaurants and music venues, NOMA has emerged as one of the most exciting new areas in the city. I spent the day exploring the different spaces that make up NOMA, hearing how this area of the city centre is being transformed into a sustainable and well-connected neighbourhood fit for the future.

placeholder image — NOMA birds eye view | NOMA

The tour started in the NOMA pavilion, a fully demountable and relocatable timber marketing suite.

Development director at Federated Hermes MEPC Dan Hyde explained how sustainability has been woven into the design of NOMA, including in the pavilion which can be relocated as the neighbourhood grows and adapts.

The developer is committed to long term regeneration in the area and curating a neighbourhood that works from “toast to toast” (breakfast to evening), according to Hyde.

Each of the office buildings at NOMA has a unique character, from new builds like 4 Angel Square to grade II listed assets like Dantzic, both of which have attracted high-profile occupiers.

In September 2024, it was announced that BNY, the oldest bank in the US, would be the single occupier of the 200,000 sq ft 4 Angel Square, relocating its existing Manchester team from two other locations by 2026. I was able to have a look around BNY’s future home, which is a ten-storey net zero operational carbon building with incredible views of the city.

After 4 Angel Square, I then had a look around Dantzic, a restored 1930s warehouse home to fast-growing companies including popular activewear brand Adanola, which has 13,000 sq ft in the building. Adanola’s office was recently chosen as one of Insider’s Most Exciting Workplaces for 2025.

An important aspect of NOMA is creating a neighbourhood of communities for occupiers, local residents and visitors alike, and hobby house Altogether Otherwise is integral to this. Situated within NOMA, Altogether Otherwise is supported by developer and asset manager Federated Hermes MEPC as they further their long-term commitment to the NOMA neighbourhood.

Located on a former disused printing house on Hanover Street, the community space offers visitors a place to pursue creativity and explore new activities, with a schedule of free-to-attend workshops and events from gardening to woodworking.

After a quick visit to Altogether Otherwise, we then headed over to New Century Hall, the food hall and gig venue with Manchester’s best-kept secret in its basement. One of the UK’s leading providers of sound and digital technology education, the dBs institute is fostering homegrown music talent from its base at New Century. The institute is home to state-of-the-art facilities and offers degrees in Music Production, Live Sound, Game Art and Game Programming.

Jack Taylor, a technician at dBs who also happens to be in local band CORELLA, gave us a demo of some of the facilities available including the Dolby Atmos surround sound technology. Taylor explained how dBs is teaching its students about these new technologies to give them a competitive edge in the creative industries.