Manchester refuses Burnage apartment plan again
The proposed redevelopment of the former Kingsway Business Centre into apartments has been rejected by the city council amid concerns the scheme would have a detrimental impact on the character of the area.
Superstan Property lodged plans to build three blocks on the 2.7-acre site off Kingsway in Burnage last year.
The scheme was a scaled-back version of an earlier application for 147 flats in a building that reached 10 storeys at its highest point.
That version of the project, which came forward in 2019, was refused by Manchester City Council and then dismissed at appeal, prompting a rethink from the developer.
However, Superstan’s revised scheme has met refusal, too, despite being four storeys shorter at its highest point and comprising a third of the number of flats.
As well as claiming the scheme amounted to “overdevelopment”, Manchester City Council cited a lack of off-street parking as a reason for refusal.
The application’s reference number with Manchester City Council is 130098/OO/2021.
Manchester City Council are stuck in the past with their suburban planning decisions. “Harm the character of the area”? It’s a dual carriageway with a petrol station attached. “Overdevelopment”? “Lack of parking?” Is this 1972?
By Anonymous
Anonymous is correct. Manchester’s suburbs and outer towns are beginning to look like another continent to the city centre. For Manchester to thrive it needs to interact with its hinterland in the way London does.
By Elephant
New housing will spoil the character of the area, but an ugly piece of brownfield doesn’t? Pathetic.
By S
The scheme doesn’t look great but I think the refusal points are weak. The whole area between the Mauldeth Road Rail Station and Kingsway could do with high density regeneration and creation of a local centre? – maybe not enough vision shown with this scheme.
By Anonymous
Agree with the previous two comments. This is almost too crazy to believe. The council thinks a medium density housing development has no place next to a train station, despite this being urban planning rule 101. The same council thinks this housing development would be detrimental to the character of the area – hell, would that be to the industrial and commercial buildings or the busy highway? It’s not like this is a quiet country village.
By Jo
“Anonymous” – No where has the council said no to higher density, in fact the previous appeal dismissal (which no doubt you have digested at great length) says this site can accommodate it and that is recognised. That does not mean that the people of Burnage have to put up with a 6 storey building with sub-standard parking. If the refusal points are weak then the developer will be successful at appeal. If the developer had listened to the Council and stuck to 3 or 4 storeys then he’d be straddling his JCB right now having a whale of a time.
By I can be anon too
Shame you didn’t actually use the right drawings
By TC
@TC – these are the visuals included in the planning application. Which ones do you think we should have used? – Julia
By Julia Hatmaker
Who has to “put up” with a 6 storey building? It’s just a building – what’s the worst it can do to you?
The best it can do is offer plenty of much-needed homes within a short walk of a train station. Surely that’s a much better outcome than some self-interested NIMBYs worrying about the view from their porch.
By anonymous!
I live 5 mins walk away from this location, and I’d have supported the revised application. The original application was a silly height, but the new one is acceptable and will vastly improve the site and surrounding area. Being right next to Maudelth Rd Station (trains take 8mins to reach Mcr Picc from here) lots of people will forgo cars. I hope the appeal succeeds!
By James
Just across kingsway there is vacant burnage cricket ground. I guess that will soon be built over.
By Peter Cookson
Lack of adequate parking would be a major issue
By Local resident
Manchester has no growth strategy. This is a brownfield right next to a train station.
A shameful decision from the Council.
By Anonymous
I so wish that the first hurdle a developer had to clear was to produce something that was attractive. All new buildings should look good. I don’t care how ugly the current site is, any proposed building should inject some beauty into an area. Why on earth wouldn’t you? This proposal is so bog standard and lacking in architectural merit that it is quite an insult to the people of Burnage. They need to do a lot better than this!
By Patricia Cunningham
@Julia – perhaps try using the revised ones?
By TC
Hi TC! I’ve gone into planning application 130098/OO/2021 and these are the visuals included and there are no revised plans mentioned. If there is a revised image that you have acccess to, please send it to me at julia@placenorthwest.co.uk. I’m always happy to make the images in our stories as accurate as possible.
By Julia Hatmaker
@anonymous, of course it has a strategy, just not one that allows developers to get away with overdevelopment and mediocrity
By TC