Council launches St Peters Square design competition

25 January 2010 09:09 Comments (0)

The eagerly anticipated contest to redesign St Peters Square in central Manchester has opened to bidders.

The £20m contract is due to start on site in January 2011 and last 12 months. The winning architect will be expected to enhance the open space in the heart of the city through reduced traffic use – all except Metrolink trams are likely to be barred – and create a better setting for the existing monuments and peace gardens.

The contest is key to the civic complex renewal programme that includes refurbishment of the Town Hall Extension and Central Library nearby.

A fee of £7,500 will be paid to each of the shortlisted architects which make it through to the detailed design stage. No more than six practices will be shortlisted.

Earlier contests were won last year by Ian Simpson Architects for the Town Hall Extension and Ryder Architects, the Central Library.

St Peters Square could see around 1m sq ft of new offices built in the next decade, anchored around One St Peter's Square by Argent and Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund.

The deadline for expressions of interest is 23 February 2010 at 7pm. The council will hold a supplier's briefing on 3 February 2010 at 10am in the Great Hall of the Town Hall to outline the brief in more detail. Details of how to register for the briefing are included with the PQQ documentation.