Jadebricks lodges 15-storey Manchester student proposal
Designed by SimpsonHaugh Architects, the project would see a long-vacant site on Charles Street transformed into a 107-bed scheme.
Jadebricks has submitted its proposals to Manchester City Council for consideration after consulting on the 15-storey development earlier this year.
The project would be built on the surface car park between the recently completed Maldron Hotel and Bracken House and aim to provide an injection of beds into Manchester’s PBSA pipeline.
A planning statement by Turley states that the scheme would “support the wider housing market in the city by reducing reliance upon the general private rented sector to meet the accommodation needs of students”.
Stephen Bell, chief executive at Turley, said: “Demand for well-managed, high-quality student accommodation in Manchester far outstrips supply so we’re delighted to have submitted the application for Charles Street, which will address a long-standing need in the city.
“Not only does dedicated student accommodation enhance the student experience, providing opportunities for community and social interaction, it also eases the pressure on local housing across Manchester.”
Jadebricks managing director, Mike Bathurst added: “Jadebricks is delighted to be able to bring forward a building of truly outstanding design quality to this vibrant and exciting part of the city centre. The location is ideally suited for student accommodation, being on the Oxford Road Corridor and within a few minutes walk of both university campuses. ”
The Charles Street frontage would feature a green glazed terracotta façade.
To learn more about the scheme, search for reference number 138808/FO/2023 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
In a report published this summer, CBRE described Manchester’s PBSA market as “one of the most sought-after real estate markets in the UK”.
Just 4,745 student beds have been delivered in the city since 2018. In that same time frame, demand for beds has grown by 8,100 spaces.
Manchester now has an identified shortage of 23,186 beds within the city, according to CBRE.
Jadebricks’ scheme is the latest in a growing list of purpose-built student accommodation proposals to come forward in recent months. However, despite a clear demand for an increase in student housing, the asset class is not universally popular.
A new entrant to the Manchester property scene, Manner, recently submitted plans for a 500-bed scheme on the long-derelict Hotspur Press site, while Downing has decided to deliver an element of PBSA at its First Street cluster, which was previously solely co-living.
A £400m redevelopment of the University of Manchester’s Owens Park Campus is in the works, while WUKPG recently lodged plans for 262 student studios off Plymouth Grove.
Curlew has had its plans to redevelop the site of the former Gamecock pub in Hulme into a student scheme refused four times despite scaling back the project twice.
Just last week, Manchester City Council’s planning committee deferred plans for more than 5,000 student homes across three schemes after listening to the impassioned pleas of local councillors. All three developments had been recommended for approval by Manchester’s planners.
Credit: via planning documents
