Jadebricks proposes Manchester student scheme
A 15-storey project comprising around 100 beds on Charles Street is the second city centre scheme to come forward from Mike Bathurst’s development company.
A consultation on Jadebricks’ Manchester student scheme has launched today.
View the consultation and have your say on the proposals
Meanwhile, the developer is due to begin construction in the coming weeks on an aparthotel on Oldham Street in the Northern Quarter. The scheme was approved by Manchester City Council in January.
Like the Oldham Street project, Jadebricks’ Charles Street scheme has been designed by SimpsonHaugh with Turley advising on planning.
The proposal seeks the redevelopment of a surface car park between the recently completed Maldron Hotel and Bracken House.
Mike Bathurst, managing director of Jadebricks, said: “The scheme provides the added opportunity to improve the day-to-day experience of our neighbours on Charles Street, as well as delivering student accommodation in an area of the city which is ideally suited to students.
“The site is close to university departments and ideally placed for those students who tend to cycle, walk or use public transport around the city and beyond.”
He added: “I encourage residents and businesses to comment on our plans through the public consultation to enable us to understand if we have got this scheme right for Charles St and Manchester.”
The scheme is the latest in a growing list of purpose-built student accommodation proposals to come forward in recent months.
A new entrant to the Manchester property scene, Manner, recently unveiled 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 Ownes Park Campus is in the works, while WUKPG recently lodged plans for 262 student studios off Plymouth Grove.
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.
Can tell it’s an S-H cause there’s a huge blank wall facing the street. Reject, appoint a different architect, and re-design please.
By Anonymous
Only 15 stories? :-O
By Giant Skyscraper Fan
@anonymous you do realise it’s the developers who are instructing what should be built based on budget. Architects can merely suggest.
By Andrew
Andrew – architects are able to be creative within the client scope however. A blank wall facing a street in the city centre is an inexcusable demonstration of incredibly poor architecture and planning expertise.
By Hmm
That’s not going to be great for the new hotel next door
By Anonymous
In an ideal world the NCP car park accessed through the arches which the buildings on Whitworth Street back on to over the River Medlock should be redeveloped as a public park.
I think its in a high risk flood zone anyway so possibly can’t be used for any other purpose.
By UnaPlanner
Andrew, I’ve got to agree with the other critics that this is a poor scheme and of the 15 storeys proposed, arguably the most important at Ground level, is a disaster for the Street. Nothing to do with budget it’s just simply poor
By Hobson's Choice
@Hmm indeed they are but if the developer insists on it being a blank wall there’s not much the architect can do, SH or not. You’ve clearly not looked at the consultation page however and just assumed. It’s not a blank wall. It’s a window with fins.
By Andrew
So the nursery goes, is that the end of trying to make the city family friendly?
By DH
Different shades of green panels. Just as bad as next door with different shades of grey panels.
By jrb
The architectural standards in the Circle Square development opposite set a very low bar but this is a tidy little scheme. Plaudits to Jadebricks on another smart acquisition, looking forward to seeing their Oldham St project when completed.
By BrookieMcr
Andrew, I did scan through the consultation document and thought I saw a hint of a window between the fins. I’m not quite sure that spacing of the fins on the article view match those of the consultation view perhaps it’s a fin depth thing? Anyway, stop blaming the developer who has stated that he wants feedback. Mine is they are missing the mark if they want to “improve the day-to-day experience of our neighbours on Charles Street”.
By Hobson's Choice
We need more imaginative creative and audacious architects in Manchester. Even on a low budget great designs can be achieved.
By Parisian
Perfect location for student beds, I definitely think the building could be twice as tall though to deliver twice as many beds!
By MC
Nothing but a positive addition to what is scarce in the city centre for students but also the wider community in the area with footfall etc. Big nod to Jadebricks and exciting to see the completion of the other projects too.
By T
Such student accomm isolates students from the community. The continued infantalisation of the next generation.
By Patrick Symmond
How about the children of the city who attend Painpots Nursey the playground is just meters away from this proposed site. How are they going to play safely?
How can we assure the dust levels won’t harm them?
How about the level of noise when they need to sleep?
How are the parent’s going to be able to park and drop of the children during these work’s ?
By NICHOLA MOSS