Church Inn student scheme finally approved

Alumno Group’s plans for a nine-storey student housing block on the site of the former Church Inn on Cambridge Road, Manchester, have won approval after four attempts.

The Carson & Partners-designed scheme was refused against officer’s recommendations in February, but has now been given the green light by the Manchester City Council’s three-person virtual planning committee panel comprising Cllrs Basil Curley and Nasrin Ali, alongside chief executive Joanne Roney. 

The controversial scheme was examined at committee on three previous occasions without success and has been scaled back at various stages to appease critics. 

The 32,200 sq ft student accommodation block was originally set to provide 97 rooms. But the developer has since revised this, first to 82 and now to 62 rooms. 

MP Church Inn

The Church Inn closed in 2016

At past meetings, councillors had criticised the project, saying the block looked like a “a giraffe among hamsters”, referring to its height when compared to neighbouring buildings.  

Among objectors to the scheme were the Trafford & Hulme branch of the Campaign for Real Ale, which criticised the developer’s proposed demolition of the former Church Inn pub on the site, which closed in March 2016. The pub is still set to be demolished under the latest plans. 

The planning consultant for the project is Turley, the project manager is RPS, Conisbee is the structural engineer and Cundall is services manager.

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