Accountancy firm’s former Manchester home in line for resi overhaul
Previously the home of Cornbrook County Primary School and latterly Beever & Struthers’ Manchester head office, the Chester Road site has the potential to be redeveloped into 156 homes.
JLL has been instructed by the trustees of the Beever & Struthers’ pension fund to find a buyer for the site. The accountancy firm relocated to a new 11,000 sq ft office at One Express in Ancoats last year.
A feasibility study carried out by architecture practice Hodder + Partners indicates the 1.4-acre plot could be redeveloped into 156 apartments across four blocks.
The plot is currently occupied by St Georges House and St Georges Court, which front Chester Road, with parking to the rear where the primary school once stood.
George Oakey, director in JLL’s residential capital markets team, said the site presents “an excellent opportunity to deliver high-quality residential accommodation within an established location”.
He added: “We know demand for good quality sites is strong and expect interest, not only from local developers but further afield with new entrants continuing to be attracted by Manchester’s robust residential market.”
The site is located close to Cornbrook Metrolink station, in an area that has undergone extensive regeneration in recent years.
On the opposite side of the road, DeTrafford has delivered four residential blocks as part of its Gardens masterplan and has planning permission for a further two schemes on adjacent plots.
Glenbrook’s Trilogy build-to-rent development and Renaker’s emerging Great Jackson Street masterplan – which features more than 2,000 homes at present with more than double that number still to complete – are located west and east of the site respectively.
The photo at the head of this article nicely shows how much space we waste on car parking.
By Martin Cranmer
Indeed it does. There should be a multi story there, much better use of space.
By Anonymous
Spot on Martin – buildings drowning in parking moats. A residential proposal here needs zero cosy parking mandates
By Anonymous
They should be building car parks underground like they do in Europe.
By Anonymous
There should be an allocation of one parking space per apartment for the development, but agreed it should be underground.
By MC
Guys cars are so boring. If you want to talk about cars go to the Top Gear news site or whatever
By Anonymous
Yeah but it’s land that’s being talked about here and the sensible use of it. I mean I know we could talk about bikes but that’s even more boring!
By Anonymous
They could easily build 3-400 units on that site if the Council allows
By Another Manc
That wasn’t the school do your history! It was the five kings restaurant and the 5-aside pitch which was always used by the community! The community campaigned to keep the 5 aside but was refused! It then became beevers and struthers! There is no need for any more flats here!
By Anonymous