Green light for office phase of £210m Manchester regen
Two-thirds of Property Alliance Group and Starwood Capital’s Renaissance redevelopment now have planning consent, with work on the hotel element due to complete this year.
Manchester City Council has granted the developer approval for the 50,000 sq ft office element of the project, following a pivot from refurb to new-build.
“Collaboration and a lot of hard work have got us to this important stage of the masterplan for this prominent part of the city,” said Alex Russell, chief executive of Property Alliance Group.
“This project is so important to us and the city, which demands best-in-class for design and amenities to maximise its riverside location. We cannot wait to relaunch this vibrant and engaging destination for the city’s residents and visitors.”
PAG had originally planned to retain the shell of the former Premier House but ultimately opted to demolish it and start afresh, citing viability constraints.
The updated application was lodged last August and sought permission for a five-storey office building where Premier House once stood.
Construction of the office element is due to start in the first quarter of this year. OBI has been appointed as designer and letting agent, alongside JLL.
The office element will sit alongside a hotel and a 27-storey residential tower. Credit: via Property Alliance Group
Will Lewis, founder of OBI, said the office space proposed at Renaissance would provide something new for the Manchester market.
“This is an exciting new product,” he said. “New-build office development of this nature is unique, as it enables both large corporates seeking a self-contained HQ and SMEs to take space on a floor-by-floor basis.”
The other elements of the three-part £210m Renaissance project include refurbishing the former Renaissance building into a 216-bedroom Treehouse hotel, and creating 300 apartments within a new-build 27-storey tower.
Work on the hotel is nearing completion, while PAG is awaiting approval for the residential element.
PAG and Starwood Capital acquired the Renaissance site two years ago and appointed Jon Matthews Architects to draw up plans for its long-awaited redevelopment.
To learn more about the office project, search for application number 134640/FO/2022 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
Get in what a terrace that will be!
By Rooftop Terrace Reported
Looks like The Lincoln Building in Manchester…presumably a copy and paste of the design but adding much needed colour so it doesnt stain like The Lincoln Building.
Should be nice when all the blinds are drawn on these large expanses of glass…ever heard of overheating?
By ConstructionHawk
Oooo oh… Shared office space… How unique! Never heard of that before 😁
By Bernard Fender
They should have opted to demolish too the old Renaissance hotel! Even with the updated I think is going to look awful! 🤦🏻♂️
By AlbertoRMRB
Be great to get that construction site finally finished. Speakers house next please.
By Geoff
This should have been completely demolished and a much more imaginative scheme to open up to the river and Cathedral. But no, MCC have jelly for brains…
By Rodders
I think the redevelopment plans look ace, and I’m sure the scheme will be a huge success … PAG have a proven track record of delivering best in class schemes. Axis , Oxygen etc
By MancLad
Very interesting design. This little corner of town is starting to shine!
By ray von
Rodders, what do you expect MCC to do? This is a private sector development, the council will have very little influence over its design or construction let alone forcing it to be demolished.
By Anonymous
They should have just demolished the Renaissance, it’s such an eye soar and no renovations will improve it. I saw some earlier plans that involved replacing the site with 3 buildings and a plaza, that would have been a far better use for the site. I will say though the apartment block does look good!
By MC
We have seen so many ambitious schemes for this this site fail over 25 years because complete demolition and start again at a cost of 500 m without any return for at least 4 years wouldn’t work in a Manchester market. We have 200 m investment to restructure and reengineer this whole area. Give it a chance for goodness sake or if you can do better please get on with it. We’d all thank you
By Nevagudenuff
Love this! Innovative design is what the Manchester skyline needs !
By BuildaBear
The armchair critics can never do better, I think that’s the point which is why they remain firmly in the armchair.
By Anonymous
Building building so close together means no body can see them. Good or bad?
By Anonymous
That Renaissance building is way past its best regardless of turbo charged makeovers – you can roll a turd in glitter – but it’s still a turd, unfortunately.
By Gjr