Green light for office-to-hotel conversion in Manchester
Boulton House on Chorlton Street will be transformed into 261 short-stay apartments under plans approved by the city council.
Developer The James acquired the nine-storey building for £9m from Palace Capital last year and lodged SimpsonHaugh-designed plans for its transformation in June.
The 77,000 sq ft office block has been vacant since the summer. The proposed aparthotel would feature a 24-hour on site management team, a social lounge, outdoor terrace, business lounge, gym, games room, and ground floor commercial space.
In addition, the tired-looking external façade will be given a refresh.
The James, which owns short-stay blocks in Liverpool, Manchester, and Sheffield, will operate the Boulton House flats under its Joyce by the James brand.
Deloitte is advising on planning. To learn more, search for reference number 143253/FO/2025 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.#
Grant Sulkin, co-founder at The James, said: “We’re delighted that planning permission has been granted to convert and repurpose Boulton House, expanding The James portfolio.
“This project marks an exciting new chapter for us, and we’re proud to be contributing to the city’s growth with a building that will combine thoughtful design and enhances the immediate area.”
Grim area
By Anonymous
A polite design and much better than current exterior. Simpson:Haugh should stick to low rise. So bored of their ‘nearly the same but slightly quirky but actually dull’ towers
By V good
Might be more popular as a Youth Hostel given adjacency to the delightful National Express coach station. Distinctly unlovely location for anything purporting to be high-end although short-stay visitors may not know any better. And still much better than the cheap and nasty shoebox flats the Liverpool office blocks are being carved up into.
By Anonymous
Shame the climbing man sculpture had to go
By Clouded Leopard
Great news. Lovely design
By Steve
There is some grand architecture around here. The magnificent Britannia hotel, Umist and the courts. This is sadly not part of the list.
By Elephant
Manchester needs a of change its architects and ideas about what the city should look like. I would like to see David Chipperfield and Zaha Hadid’s firm do more in Manchester. I really do believe that many of us are growing increasingly weary of SimpsonHaugh.
By Mike
It would be nice to see a revival of Art Deco designed buildings in Manchester which is the current trend in New York and and in London with Earls Court regeneration.
By John
I agree. Simpson have provided the mass and helped regrow the city into the stronghold it is but it’s time for a change.
By Anonymous