Manchester approves 1 Piccadilly, NQ Building mods
Legal & General has secured a green light for its plans to construct a rooftop pavilion and new entrance to its city centre office block, while Renaker Build is lined up to convert two vacant offices into restaurants in Ancoats. Also securing the favour of councillors were plans to convert a tricky-to-use football pitch into padel courts, tennis courts, and more in Wythenshawe.
Manchester City Council met on Thursday to debate, and ultimately vote to approve, the applications. You can learn more about each project below.
1 Piccadilly Gardens
- Application reference: 144522/FO/2025
DLG Architects drew up the proposals to add 11,200 sq ft of amenity to the 114,000 sq ft office block owned by Legal & General.
The extra space comes via a new 2,600 sq ft entrance from Piccadilly Gardens and a 8,600 sq ft roof terrace with 3,500 sq ft of internal space.
The new entrance will eliminate the current cut through between the gardens and Portland Street. However, this covered walkway has been a source of anti-social behaviour and protests in the past.
The approved designs also include provision for solar panels to be added.
In addition to DLG, the project team includes EKHO Studio, Savills, Waterman Structures, Hoare Lea, and Colliers.
Units 1 and 3 at NQ Building, 43-45 and 49 Bengal Street
- Application reference: 145564/FO/2026
NQ Building owner Lowry Investments (NW), which shares the same directors as Renaker Build, has secured permission to convert long vacant offices into flexible commercial uses – likely to be restaurants, wine bars, or a pub.
Unit 1 and 3 on the groundfloor of NQ Building have been empty for more than a decade. The hope is that by converting Unit 1 into two smaller self contained units and repurposing Unit 3, the narrative can change at last and they can find a tenant.
The project team includes Deloitte, FutureServ, and Fisher Acoustics.
Wythenshawe Town FC, Timpson Road
- Application reference: 141898/FO/2025
Wythenshawe Town FC has put its full support behind the plans from Padel & Pickle. City councillors voted that they were minded to approve the project.
The project in question would see an existing grass football pitch converted into a smaller 3G artificial pitch suitable for seven-a-side matches. The current pitch is not used by the football club as it has issues around drainage.
Padel & Pickle’s plans also call for adding two multi-use courts for tennis, pickleball, or netball to the west of the site, while the southern end would have six doubles padel courts. Three of these padel courts would be covered.
The proposals, submitted by McDonald Wilkinson Tonge, also include five shipping containers that could serve as a café, viewing terrace, storage facilities, and changing area.
Parking would be provided for 35 cars and secure cycle storage for six bicycles.
Sports England had objected to the proposals, due to the loss of a grass pitch. Howeve,r as part of the proposed S106 agreement, money towards a replacement grass pitch would be provided.
The project team includes LMP, BEK, GSA, Stantec, Yew Tree Gardens, Envirotech, and E3P.
Further public access grab in Piccadilly; No1 Picc Gardens should never have been built.
By Anonymous
MCC should have made any removal of public space at 1PG conditional on L&G fully removing the remainder of the hated wall.
The suggestion that the two grotty retail units were so extraordinarily valuable that they had to remain when the rest of the wall went was an odd one and perhaps another example of MCC still not being able to accept it’s ever wrong.
By Anonymous
They have removed the roofing in between the two commercial units adjacent to the bus stops in order to ‘open up’ the space.. but having this behemoth cutting off the south side of the gardens is okay?
By Anonymous
“Renaker Build is lined up to convert two vacant offices into restaurants in the Northern Quarter.” Is the NQ Building not in Ancoats anymore? Is this area now classed as Northern Quarter?
By Savvy
It is very much Ancoats. My error. Apologies.
By Julia Hatmaker
Let us have a referendum. The Council should acquire/buy 1 Piccadilly Gardens, knock it down, and turn the plot into flower beds and everygreen plants and bushes.
By Anonymous
Completely agree with other posters, this building should not have ever been built and long term plan should be to remove it
By Anonymous
I agree too. No1 should have never been built.
Let’s bring back the elegant garden to Piccadilly.
By Alberto R
Agreed with previous comments regarding this building, it would make better sense to remove and reinstate that part of the Gardens to make the space more cohesive.
By GetItBuilt!
Picadilly Gardens needs a building and the public space downsizing. Tinkering with it and planting flowers obviously isn’t going to work.
By Anonymous
Can we please have a quote from Manchester City Council’s flower czar, Cllr Pat Karney. The cut though would’ve been an ideal spot to plant more flowers which is, of course, exactly what all ‘Mancs’ have been clamouring for, according to the council.
By Anonymous
I think the whole building should be demolished. It’s an eyesore in the centre of the city. either bring back the sunken rose garden of the 70s/80s with more flowers and evergreen trees and new smaller building of top quality design.
By John
It has blocked the view from Portland st, of what should be a presentable public space. It should never have been built.
By This old chestnut again