Equitable Building’s resi regeneration gets go-ahead

PH Property Holdings’ plan to convert the upper three floors of the city centre building, which fronts St Ann’s Square, into 10 apartments and a penthouse, has been approved by Manchester City Council.

The Equitable Building’s first floor is to be turned into a commercial unit, and its second and third floors into 10 apartments, under designs by appointed architect JB+CO.

Approval has been granted for the change of use of the second and third floors to offer four two- and one three-bedroom flats each. A further rooftop extension to deliver a 2,400 sq ft penthouse flat has also been green-lit.

Apartments across these floors will range from 970 sq ft to 1,700 sq ft.

The Equitable Building, constructed in the 1890s, sits within the St Ann’s Square conservation area, opposite the grade one-listed St Ann’s Church.

Currently, jeweller David M Robinson occupies part of the ground-floor retail space.

Under the plans lodged in February by Iceni Projects, the jeweller will expand into the 7,000 sq ft first floor, resulting in a doubling of David M Robinson’s current team from 17 to 35 employees.

The Equitable Building was previously home to one of Habitat’s flagship stores across the first, second, and third floors, until its closure in 2011.

Officers had recommended that the city council approve the recommendation on the grounds that it would contribtue to local housing targets.

E3P, Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture, Integra, Professional Consult, ID Geo-environmental, Mode Transport Planning, Redmore Environmental, and Ridge each make up the wider team behind the application.

To view the application, use the planning reference 141994/FO/2025 in Manchester City Council’s planning portal.