Manchester Piccadilly hotel back on track

The city council has approved revised proposals from Cairn Group that will see the Gardens Hotel refurbished and a seven-storey extension constructed, creating a total of 193 bedrooms. 

Cairn’s plans will see the existing hotel revamped. This part of the building would provide 99 bedrooms. 

The new-build extension, located on the corner of Back Piccadilly and Little Lever Street, would provide an additional 94 bedrooms. 

The new-build element and the existing building would be connected via a link bridge traversing Back Piccadilly at the fifth floor. 

Cairn originally won permission for the project in 2018.  

However, post-planning discussions about the construction of the earlier scheme found site constraints would impact the project’s budget and make it unviable, according to a design and access statement prepared by Street Design Partnership. 

The revised plans were lodged last year. 

It had previously been reported that the hotel would be operated under the Hotel Indigo brand on a franchise agreement. However, it is unclear whether this plan still stands.