Latest First Street block set for approval

The development of a 220,000 sq ft mixed-use building at First Street in Manchester has been recommended for sign-off at a planning committee meeting due to take place next week.

Patrizia and development partner Ask submitted the planning application for the building in May, for the plot immediately to the west of Number One First Street which is currently grassland.

Known as Number 6 First Street, the scheme will be the first part of Patrizia’s planned 1m sq ft wider development at its newly-acquired 20-acre First Street site.

Designed by Fletcher Priest Architects, the seven-storey block will include 187,600 sq ft of offices and 32,000 sq ft of retail units.

A report ahead of the planning committee meeting on Thursday 30 July said: “The development would deliver office space within a part of the city centre where significant demand exists and it is essential that First Street is able to deliver the development necessary to meeting a further uplift in this demand.”

Global energy company Gazprom signed for a 40,000 sq ft office pre-let within the building earlier this year, and will occupy the fifth and sixth floors.

The building will have access southwards onto a new public real known as Arrival Square, to be designed by Planit IE.

Construction on the site is expected to commence in October 2015 with completion due in summer 2017.

The 20-acre First Street was sold by developer Ask in an off market deal to European real estate investment company Patrizia Immobilien AG in May for an undisclosed sum. Ask will now act as the local development partner for the site.

Deloitte Real Estate advised on the planning application for Number 6 First Street.