The Hotspur Press, Manner, p Social

Much of the historic façade will be retained under the plans. Credit: via Social

Manner fights back against Hotspur Press listing threat

The developer’s plans for a 37-storey student scheme on the site of the derelict Manchester mill could be kiboshed if Historic England listens to pleas from SAVE Britain’s Heritage to give it protected status.

SAVE has called on Historic England to list Hotspur Press. Meanwhile, developer Manner has responded by launching its own campaign seeking support for the redevelopment project.

Manner is asking people to throw their weight behind the 600-bed proposal, which has been approved by Manchester City Council, by signing an online letter of support.

Manner plans to knock down the former Mill and retain part of the historic façade and the Percy Brothers signage.

The developer maintains that preserving the entire building is not a viable option and that the SAVE campaign “is causing delay and uncertainty” to plans to bring the site back into use.

Manner has set up a website for its counter campaign, titled ‘Save the Hotspur Press’.

The website states that listing the building would “risk it being condemned given its very poor current condition” and delay Manner’s project by up to two years “or potentially forever”.

“Listing The Hotspur Press will not save The Hotspur Press; it will condemn the future of this wonderful building and its history,” said Richard James, managing director of Manner.

In its role as a statutory consultee, Historic England made no comments in relation to the Hodder + Partners-designed scheme during the planning process.

The organisation also turned down an earlier listing application in 2019, concluding that the former cotton mill did not meet the threshold for architectural or historic interest required for it to receive protected status.

James said Manner is in “constructive dialogue” with Historic England.

“Saving this building has always been at the heart of our proposals,” he said.

“Our sensitive approach to the regeneration of The Hotspur Press is the only way to prevent it falling further into disrepair, and we are confident in making this case to Historic England.”

James added: “Our plans have always focused on preserving the heritage of this building, including retaining much of the existing brick exterior, iconic signage, and many of the historic features.”

Stephen Hodder, founder of Hodder+Partners, said listing the building could “jeopardise the future of the building and mean it lays for many more years in a state of disrepair and dysfunction”.

“Our plans have been carefully crafted so that the design understands and respects the heritage of the city of Manchester and the importance of buildings like The Hotspur Press,” he said.

“The design, heritage commitments and the developer have an unwavering dedication to deliver buildings of the highest architectural integrity, which respect the historical significance of their local areas, yet embrace modern city centre living.”

Your Comments

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Change the law. Put a stop to this nonsense. Is their no adult in charge?

By Anonymous

How can one person block a development based on nothing more than their visual preferences. This building was rejected for listed status by English Heritage in 2019. Nothing has changed.

By EOD

Build housing for normal people not bedsits for students then we’ll talk.

By Anonymous

Time to stand up to the heritage brigade. It’s not a historically significant building nor is it a great piece of architecture.

By Phil

Manchester provincial minded property industry has no respect for the industrial history of the city or even worse the opinions of anyone who lives in the city and does not want to let them do what they want

By Anonymous

@phil, it might actually be the oldest textile mill left in Manchester, from the days before mills were directly steam powered. would that be historically significant enough for you?

By Anonymous

@EOD listing assessments aren’t blocks on development, Since 2019 knowledge about the building has changed – have a look on the planning application, at the response from the heritage consultants to the archaeology service’s comments. the archaeologists have said the building’s probably late-C18 and survived the fire of 1801 that had been thought to have destroyed it.

By Anonymous

The building is obviously historically important and even if it wasn’t it’s a significant part of Manchester fast disappearing vernacular from that point in time. That said, anyone seeking to block the development has a duty to set out a plan for how it can be feasibly restored and redeveloped, otherwise it’s just opposition for opposition’s sake and the building will surely fall down.

By Anonymous

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