Macclesfield M&S to become mixed-use destination
Colliers and Hallams Property Consultants are marketing the nearly 56,000 sq ft property on behalf of a private investor, who hopes to transform the store into offices, coworking, retail and leisure hub.
The scheme is called ‘The Hub’ and BDP Architects are in the midst of drawing up plans for the site.
The Macclesfield Marks & Spencer is closing in autumn 2022, with the brand opening a Simply Food outlet at Barracks Mill retail park. When the Macclesfield town centre store closes, the building will be able as a whole or, when conversion plans are finished, for lettings in parts.
According to a brochure for The Hub, the five-storey building offers 55,740 sq ft of floor space. Located at 33 Mill Street, it sits within the heart of the Macclesfield town centre. The site can be accessed off Mill Street as well as Exchange Close.
View of the proposed development from Exchange Close. Credit: via brochure
Indicative proposed floor plans show retail and leisure space on the ground floor, with 5,260 sq ft of coworking space on the first. There would be offices on the first and second floor. There were no indicative proposed floor plans for the third floor, which is 3,407 sq ft.
Currently, the building has an EPC rating of C, but this will be revised after it is redeveloped.
Plans for The Hub have not yet been submitted.
Excellent news, look forward to seeing how this will play out, but that is an appalling looking bunker of a design. Something a little less brutalist wouldn’t go amiss.
By 4thought
First M&S in Buxton closes, now Macclesfield.
By Oh dear
@4thought – it’s only an alteration of the existing bunker of a building. I kinda like 80s brutal brick stuff but Macc town centre is a bit too small scale to accommodate a slab of this scale (and the Tesco behind)… a redevelopment would be ideal, but a viable adaptation is far preferable to a massive gap in the high street, like Buxton, Crewe and Stockport have all suffered when their M&Ses closed.
By Sten
Come on BDP Macclesfield deserves better than that
By Macclad
Sorry to see more shops disappear from town centre. Only cafes and charity shops. The main hub going. You need a car to get anywhere in macc. The only place for a bus
By Val
You say the third floor will not be used when we are in desperate need of housing so why not put flats on the top floor. I also think we should have a Primark in the town centre. We certainly don’t need more offices.
By Julie chandler
@Sten – Yeah I appreciate its an adaptation (i’m a Macc local). I think you’re spot on, it’s completely out of scale and out of context. Its better than losing it entirely but there’s some brilliant renovations elsewhere locally, and this post war Russian Gulag lets the side down a tad.
By Anonymous
@ Val – cafes and charity shops… and clothes shops, sports and outdoors shops, gift shops, bars and restaurants, music shops, bakeries, a food hall … Open your eyes next time you go into town. Repeating the false ‘charity shops’ cliché does nothing to help your town centre and actively harms its perception.
By Sten
“The Hub” How original is that. Every Tim Pot town in England has a trend of re naming something “The Hub” when it’s not sure exactly what it is.
By Martin
If this works it will be one of the 7 wonders of the World making it the 8th.!!! If I was this property investment person I would do my best to entice Primark to take it instead of this complete waste of time effort & money. Good Luck
By Anonymous
Macc Local. Where do they get these images from? There is no way that will fit where M&S is? Also offices? Not sure there is a need in Macclesfield?
By Phil
Should be a primark need bring people back into the centre macclesfield with decent shops
By Anonymous
Need a clothing store. Building not in the right place for offices. Need to bring people into the town to shop. Bring back M & S!
By Anonymous
what a waste. MACCLESFIELD has a dying town centre and in need of a hugely popular store such as Primark, which would have brought with it a huge footfall into the town centre with established retailers reaping the rewards. If a poll was taken of Macclesfield residents nobody, not one soltary person would vote for the proposed plans of the vacant property. Ita a dam shame
By Anonymous