Bluefig wins approval for £6m Mosley Street office

The property investor has secured consent to add two floors to 55 Mosley Street in Manchester to provide 13,000 sq ft of offices.

Bluefig acquired the building in December 2017 and instructed architect HawkinsBrown to draw up plans to extend the plot by two floors.

Sandwiched between The Bank pub and the Citygate building, 53-55 Mosley Street dates from the 1850s and is occupied by Berlitz Language School; the school’s lease expired in June this year and it has now moved out of the building.

The plans will see the interior of 53-55 Mosley Street refurbished with the addition of a two-storey glass-clad rooftop extension. Refurbishment works will also include a new entrance and reception area, while the existing circulation will be rationalised to make the building operate from a single core.

Bluefig’s £6m investment was given the go-ahead by Manchester City Council under delegated powers earlier this month.

Faris Mousa of Bluefig Investments said: “The Manchester office market remains one of the most stable and buoyant sectors in the country and whilst many developers are continuing to hedge their bets on speculative developments pre-Brexit, I am confident that 55 Mosley Street will appeal to a number of occupiers currently looking for exceptional new office space in the city.

“We have a fantastic team supporting this project and are excited to be delivering a very special scheme that embraces the future ways in which we operate by creating an inspiring and productive working environment.”

Tom Dobson of HawkinsBrown added: “The redevelopment of 55 Mosley Street has presented an exciting opportunity to regenerate a prominent city centre building to provide new contemporary workspace.

“Working in close collaboration with the client and consultant team, we established a clear narrative and vision for the project that was crucial in developing the design. The distinction between the original fabric and new interventions has been designed to create a clear legibility and definition that celebrates a new period in the building’s history and encourage tenants to adopt new ways of working, whilst recognising its former use as an industrial warehouse.”

The professional team on the project also includes Paul Butler Associates; GIA; Hulley & Kirkwood; CINNS; and Hann Tucker Associates.

Edwards & Co are the sole letting agent for the property.