New owner progresses revamp of Altrincham’s Clarendon House  

Citihaus, a company set up by the directors of Manchester-based developer Factory Estates, is to convert the building into apartments, having agreed to acquire it from a JV between Trafford Council and Bruntwood Works. 

The JV and Citihaus have exchanged contracts for the Stamford New Road building and the value of the deal has not been disclosed.

Citihaus, headed up by directors Chris Bowman and Naushad Islam, has lodged an application with Trafford Council to convert Clarendon House from offices into 68 apartments. 

The developer also plans to extend the building upwards by two storeys. 

The scheme will comprise four studio apartments, 25 flats with one bedroom, 34 with two bedrooms and five duplexes with three bedrooms each. 

Citihaus is working with architect TP Bennett and planning consultant Euan Kellie Property Solutions on the project. 

“These plans show how adaptive reuse can create meaningful places in our historic town centres for people to live,” said Andrew Leaver, director at TP Bennett.

“Clarendon House is in need of a new lease of life. Our proposal retains the existing structure, which marks the entrance point to Altrincham, with a design-led retention and reappropriation of the vacant office site to provide new homes and a lively retail offering to the streetscape.”

Euan Kellie, director at EKPS, added: “The proposals will make a positive contribution to the delivery of much-needed new residential accommodation in Trafford, while bringing a tired, vacant building back into active use and assisting in achieving the ambitions for regeneration within the Stamford Quarter.”

The redevelopment of Clarendon House forms part of a wider masterplan for the Stamford Quarter that is being delivered by the Trafford Council/Bruntwood Works joint venture.

The partnership moved to acquire the Stamford Quarter from landlords Apollo Global Management and M&M Asset Management in August 2019.  

As well as the residential conversion of Clarendon House, the masterplan proposes repurposing vacant retail space in Altrincham town centre into offices and leisure accommodation, as well as improving the public realm.  

Earlier this year, the local council signed off the JV’s plans to create Foundation, a 75,000 sq ft workspace and leisure development within the former Rackhams building. 

Elsewhere in Trafford, Bruntwood and the council are working in partnership to redevelop Stretford Mall.

Bruntwood and Trafford Council were contacted for comment.