Fusion’s 28-storey Manchester tower goes to inquiry

Update: Fusion has won its appeal

An eight-day public inquiry will be held as the developer aims to overturn the refusal of its plans for a 534-bed student development next to Renaker’s Deansgate Square. 

Manchester City Council rejected Fusion Students’ application for the 28-storey purpose-built student accommodation in June. 

The council said the developer “failed to demonstrate an unmet demand for student accommodation”. 

Need for PBSA

However, both Manchester and Fusion agree that there is evidence that demonstrates there are around 20,000 students studying in the city that require accommodation but are unable to secure one. 

This figure could rise by 8,500 by 2030, Fusion argues. 

“It is therefore likely that more students will be forced to live in unsuitable HMO accommodation or privately rented apartments in central areas, depriving the city council of council tax revenue,” according to a statement of case for the appeal prepared by Cushman & Wakefield. 

Manchester’s strategy

Last October, Manchester City Council said it was hoping to recoup up to £17m in council tax revenue by expanding the offer of purpose-built student accommodation in the city centre and attracting students out of private rented sector housing in areas such as Fallowfield.  

The provision of additional PBSA in the city centre could “support the freeing up of mainstream housing currently occupied by students”, Manchester City Council said in a report to its executive committee last autumn. 

Despite this strategy, the city council refused Fusion’s plans.

In pre-application discussions, Manchester planning officers had advised that the location of the development was not suitable for a student development and did not align with the city’s core strategy.

Fusion aims to prove during the Planning Inspectorate’s inquiry that the location of the development is appropriate for “safe and convenient access by a range of modes to, from and for university campuses”. 

Planning precedent

Another city centre student scheme was approved earlier this year. Credit: via planning documents

Fusion cites the recent approval of GMS Parking’s 55-storey student tower as a precedent for permitting the delivery of student accommodation in the city centre. 

The contentious Great Marlborough Street scheme was supported by a needs assessment prepared by Deloitte that backed up Fusion’s argument that 20,000 students do not have access to PBSA. 

The scale of development

Manchester City Council also said Fusion’s towers would be “intrusive and over dominant”  by virtue of its scale, height, position on the site, and its use of “poor quality cladding materials”. 

On this point, Fusion argues that a tall building on the site would be “wholly appropriate and entirely in-keeping” with the existing and emerging heights of nearby and consented buildings, which include Deansgate Square, more than 60 storeys at its highest point. 

A date for the inquiry has not yet been set.