No 1 Spinningfields gets go-ahead

Allied London has secured planning permission to redevelop Quay House, Spinningfields, into a new 19-storey office building with a skyline restaurant, following a meeting of the Manchester City Council planning committee yesterday.

Designed by Ian Simpson Architects, No 1 Spinningfields will provide 343,000 sq ft of flexible office accommodation. The ground floor will also provide space for potential restaurants, café and retail occupiers, further enhancing the public realm aspect. A pedestrian route will run through the middle of the ground floor between Quay Street and Hardman Square.

The planning application was compiled and submitted by Deloitte Real Estate. The development preserves Hardman Square as a public realm space, as part of the new Spinningfields masterplan.

Michael Ingall, chief executive of Allied London said: "With No 1 Spinningfields we intend to create the most desirable office building in the UK, outside of London. Inspired by buildings from around the world, it will be a powerful statement for us and for Manchester.

"We have already had strong interest from several potential occupiers, demonstrating the strength of the Spinningfields offer and the confidence that businesses have in our ability to deliver the product they need."

English Heritage had recommended that permission be refused. The organisation said that, while it supports the principle of replacing the existing building, it does not support the current application as the development would have "a harmful impact" on the settings of several heritage assets in the surrounding area "from an historic environment perspective".