Place Nrf Connect SDK in subfolder in west Workspace

Hi,

I am currently in the process of setting up the repository structure for a new project that uses two different sdks for different MCU families. 

The main MCU in project is the NRF9160 and I was planning to set up the project to use the west tool and its manifest system to define the project structure from multiple repositories.

The question I have relates to placing the nrf connect sdk (and all its additional repos) into a subfolder within the workspace.

For my project I have 2 user applications: 

1. NRF9160 Main Application

2. Secondary MCU Application

I was hoping to have a final workspace structure like follows where the entire nrf connect sdk is located in "nordic_sdk":

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workspace-root
+---.west
| \---config
+---app1_nrf9160
+---app2
+---manifest_repo
| \---west.yml
+---nordic_sdk
| +---bootloader
| +---modules
| +---nrf
| +---nrfxlib
| +---test
| +---tools
| +---zephyr
\---secondary_sdk
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While I have been able to get west to produce this file structure using "west init" and "west update", the NRF Connect SDK VS Code extension is unable to locate the nrf sdk and any predefined boards etc. 

From what I have seen in the topologies supported by the nrf connect sdk and zephyr documentations (on this page: https://developer.nordicsemi.com/nRF_Connect_SDK/doc/latest/zephyr/develop/west/workspaces.html#west-topologies)

the nrf connect sdk is always located within the first level of the west workspace. Eg the following format:

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workspace-root
+---.west
| \---config
+---app1_nrf9160
+---app2
+---manifest_repo
| \---west.yml
+---bootloader
+---modules
+---nrf
+---nrfxlib
+---test
+---tools
+---zephyr
\---secondary_sdk
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

While this method works for the VS Code extension it makes the folder structure less manageable. Is this a limitation of the west tool? Is it only able to recognize the nrf connect sdk if the folder structure keeps the nrf connect sdk in the top level of the workspace?

The manifest file I have been using is as follows (removing any repo addresses):

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manifest:
remotes:
- name: workspace-root
url-base: <base_git_repo_url>
defaults:
remote: remote_name
projects:
- name: app1_nrf9160
path: app1_nrf9160
revision: main
- name: app2
path: app2
revision: main
- name: secondary_sdk
repo-path: secondary_sdk
revision: main
submodules: true
- name: nrf
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Here is the .west/config file also:

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[manifest]
path = manifest_repo
file = west.yml
[zephyr]
base = nordic-sdk/zephyr
[update]
sync-submodules = false
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

I would greatly appreciate some assistance and a definitive answer on this.

Thanks in advance