Henry Boot outlines St Ann’s Square plans

The developer has submitted an application to convert the Equitable Building, formerly home to Habitat on Manchester’s St Ann’s Square, into 23 apartments along with retail on the ground floor.

Opposite the grade one-listed church and within the square’s conservation area, the building has existing retail tenants at ground floor level including a jeweller, but some of the retail units and the upper floors have been vacant since Habitat moved out of the premises.

Henry Boot Developments is planning to refurbish the building to include around 3,400 sq ft of retail space as well as 23 apartments on the upper floor, while there will also be private amenity space for two of the third-floor apartments at roof level.

A new entrance is being proposed in one of the vacant retail units as the building approaches Deansgate.

The Equitable Building totals 28,500 sq ft, and Henry Boot’s application has been supported by planner Iceni Projects.

Tom Dunn of Henry Boot Developments’ Manchester office said: “We are really looking forward to bringing Equitable back to life. St Ann’s Square is a great place to live, in a car-free living environment.

“We will be undertaking a careful restoration; the 23 apartments we’re creating are spacious, with each one uniquely designed from top to bottom.”

HBD currently has several major  developments within Manchester’s city core, including Kampus, a £250m mixed-use scheme developed alongside Capital & Centric; The Silk Works; and the Island Site.