First phase of Toast Rack redevelopment completes

The Gym Group has opened a 20,000 sq ft leisure facility at Manchester’s Toast Rack, with a contractor close to being named to deliver 210 apartments at the site, formerly home to MMU’s Hollings campus.

The Gym Group has taken a 15-year lease on the space, which occupies four floors of the Drum building, formerly the Hollings Library. The company was represented by AKM Property.

The space is the group’s fourth-biggest in the UK, and is the first phase of the redevelopment of the site, which is set to include 210 apartments across both existing and new-build elements, alongside 7,000 sq ft of retail space.

The proposals by developer Generation, including new-build designed by Ollier Smurthwaite and refurbishment designed by SixTwo, received planning consent from Manchester City Council in 2016, and it is understood a contractor is close to being chosen to deliver the apartments.

The gym space at the Toast Rack has capacity for around 5,000 members

Zerum is acting as project manager for the development.

Generation acquired the Toast Rack building on behalf of international investors, referred to as Home Property Group, via subsidiary company Estrela Properties in October 2014.

Generation co-found Shehzad Chaudhri said: “The Gym Group is the first phase of The Toast Rack development and forms part of a fully integrated community ‘build to rent’ development which is complemented by The Gym Group’s commitment.

“The Toast Rack will be a unique proposition in this area of south Manchester which has a vibrant community and we anticipate demand being high for the residential apartments.

“The development will have the facilities and amenities one would normally associate with exceptional city centre developments but within a four acre setting of landscaped gardens in a very popular and well connected suburban location.”