HBD to offload Manchester’s Equitable Building 

The developer is seeking bids in excess of £3.9m for the St Ann’s Square building.

HBD has appointed Christopher Dee to sell the 250-year leasehold of the 28,500 sq ft building, previously home to Habitat. 

Equitable Building presents several redevelopment options, including upgraded offices or conversion into residential or a hotel, according to marketing materials. 

Working with architect Northmill Associates, HBD lodged plans to convert the building into 23 apartments and 3,400 sq ft of retail space in 2019. 

Manchester City Council approved that application subject to a Section 106 agreement that has not been signed.

HBD, then Henry Boot Developments, bought the Equitable Building for £13.6m from New Ireland Assurance Company, according to Land Registry. Since then, part of the building has been sold to Aviva. The sale relates to the three upper floors, not the ground floor or basement.

Hamer Boot, executive director at HBD, said: “Equitable represents a very attractive development and investment prospect and we look forward to working closely with Christopher Dee to secure a buyer for what is one of Manchester’s most recognisable and well-loved heritage buildings in a sought-after location at the heart of the city. 

“HBD is now working with a £1.25bn pipeline which has grown substantially in recent years, underpinned by an ambitious development strategy that focuses on delivering schemes of significant scale.” 

Other HBD schemes in Manchester include Island, a 100,000 sq ft office on John Dalton Street, and the redevelopment of St John’s Centre on the edge of Spinningfields into a £100m workspace.