MIPIM: St Michael’s ‘to start on site in 2016’, says Shuttleworth

Construction is due to start later this year on the £150m St Michael’s project in Manchester city centre, according to the scheme’s lead architect, but news on the future of two historic buildings on the site is still to be released.

The proposed 1.8-acre development between Jackson’s Row, Bootle Street and Southmill Street, known as St Michael’s, is being brought forward by a development company owned by ex-footballers Gary Neville, Ryan Giggs, as well as developer Brendan Flood and Manchester City Council.

The plot is made up of a former police station, the United Reform Synagogue, the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub and a parcel of open land.

Ken Shuttleworth, founder of Make Architects, and advisor on St Michael’s, gave a brief update on the project at the Manchester stand on the first day of MIPIM in Cannes. He presented plans for two connected areas of public realm which are due to be built in the centre of the site, one of which will be situated on the roof of the synagogue’s new home.

The future of the police station and pub remains in question, with members of the public critical of potential plans for demolition.

When questioned by Place North West, Shuttleworth declined to comment on what was going to happen to the buildings, saying that details would emerge as the development progressed.

Manchester City Council purchased the Bootle Street police station site in spring 2015 and announced its decision to appoint St Michael’s as a joint venture partner. In August, a £150m deal was secured with Singaporean-based Rowsley and Beijing Construction Engineering Group to fund the project, and in September the council approved the regeneration framework for the site.

The framework supports the development of a 200-bedroom hotel, apartments, office space, the new synagogue and public realm.

A planning application has yet to be submitted.