Gold Manchester tower binned for brick
Proposals for a distinctive residential building on Store Street have been reworked with the eye-catching facade swapped out for something altogether more conventional.
Liverpool-based Merebridge Construction, headed up by Russell and Jane Schwarze, has lodged plans for a 16-storey block containing 73 apartments.
The scheme is taller by one storey than its gold predecessor and has 19 more flats. The biggest difference between the two projects is a change from a gold anodised facade to a brick-led system, “which offers a more contextual and robust architectural character”, according to planning documents.
The updated plans for the site come more than three years since Manchester City Council granted approval for the gold design.
That project was the brainchild of M1 Piccadilly, part of Faizal Atcha’s LW Group conglomerate, and was designed by 5plus Architects.
Four Architects is leading on the design of the revised proposals and Nexus Planning is advising on planning matters.
To learn more about the project, search for reference number 144771/FO/2025 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
5plus was the architect behind the original plans for the gold Store Street building. Credit: North Made Studio
Good.
By Anonymous
This is good news. Brick is timeless.
By Anonymous
I thought it had been binned months ago? The brick is much more fitting and will compliment it’s soon to be Sparkle Street neighbour well
By Steve
phew
By Anonymous
Another brick in the wall
By Anonymous
It’d be good to see a new scheme visual for comparison. Quite liked the gold as something distinctive but get that brick is more contextual
By YIMBY
Out with the (g)old, in with the new
By Anonymous
Shame, could have branded it the Live, Laugh, Love building
By NEM Lad
This is a shame. Brick so boring, gold would have been so much better and modern.
By Gareth