Buildings of ‘height and density’ planned for Knott Mill
The final version of a masterplan outlining the potential for 124,000 sq ft of offices, retail and hotels, as well as 150 apartments around Knott Mill in Manchester, is set to be approved by the city council next week.
Produced by Knott Mill Association, made up of landowners in the area including architect SimpsonHaugh, the masterplan covers both existing buildings and vacant development plots, in an area bordered by the River Medlock, Renaker’s Deansgate Square development, and Whitworth Street West.
The 124,000 sq ft of commercial use would include 77,000 sq ft of offices; 26,000 sq ft of retail, and 22,000 sq ft for a hotel.
Primarily consisting of lower-rise office buildings and railway arches, the area is intersected by Little Peter Street and is home to a number of businesses spread across different office assets; companies based in the area include SimpsonHaugh, Fletcher Rae, Canning O’Neill, and RoC Consulting.
Manchester City Council’s executive is due to meet next week to approval a final version of the masterplan, incorporating comments from a public consultation.
According to the council: “All future development proposals for Knott Mill will need to be carefully considered in order to ensure that they help the city meet its zero-carbon target. All construction will be required to meet the highest standards of sustainable development.
“Given Knott Mill’s highly accessible location within the city centre, a key priority will be to promote sustainable transport modes.”
Development height will vary according to location; the larger-scale buildings will be nearer to Great Jackson Street, where Renaker has built the Deansgate Square cluster, reaching up to 67 storeys. Lower-rise building will be kept near to historic buildings in the area.
The masterplan notes that around Deansgate station there is also “potential for future high-density development”. Henry Boot Developments is working with Network Rail on a £100m regeneration around Deansgate station, although plans are yet to be revealed.
Exciting stuff!
By Steve
I think there has been a misunderstanding whilst reading the framework PNW. Fortunately this area will not see high rise like the click bait headline makes out rather it will be low/mid-rise buildings with a number of pockets parks and public squares.
By Confused.com
Bet Simpson is leading this and the tallest building happens to be on the land he owns 😉
By ArkiCynic
Hi ‘Confused.com’ – please note the description of The Fringe section of the Knott Mill masterplan, which the council has said has potential for “height and density including a significant amount of residential accommodation”.
As said in the article, this will be near the Great Jackson Street area, with height around historic buildings in keeping with the area
By Jessica Middleton-Pugh
Although this is another day another development for Manchester, the city is motoring away from its hinterland now at an alarming rate. I worry that we rarely see anything about the surrounding towns on this site apart from the occasional new Lidl/Aldi or warehouse development. Is Manchester going to be an oasis of success surrounded by towns on life support?
By Elephant
Very misleading. The masterplan puts a lot of restrictions on buildings of height here, probably because SH have an office there and acting in their own interest rather than the interests of Manchester. They should never have drawn up the framework.
By Tyler
Hey Up! Elephant: Yes, the UK has adopted the US marketist economic model, and not the European social-market model. That means, high-rise offices and high-rise to-rent flats separated by carparks in the city center, surrounded by (a mess) until further out gradually more liveable places until you get 5 miles out and from then outwards liveable PLACES not yet spoiled by property developers. Am I on the wrong Website?
By James Yates
This SimpsonHaugh lad seems to own half of Manchester. Is he a law unto himself, or have we still got him under control?
By James Yates
I wish they’d stop with this zero carbon nonsense,hippy rubbish.
By jan
Manchester was never a Mother city to the surrounding towns, like London is to the South East. They all had their own industries and economies. Now they are just towns with houses and poor quality shops(Bury the exception).
By Elephant
I hadn’t realised Trafford, Salford & Tameside were towns? interesting
By @Elephant
So how high then?
By Anonymous
“Pocket parks” – no. Only 1 small area has been designated for a small bit of green space which is hardly a park. Simpsons have designated their own property to be the highest (I cannot understand why they would recommend this in their plan). Keeping the other plots at a low level (4/5/9 stories) will see zero chance of them being developed anytime soon. So dont get too excited by this news.
By Ian B