Offices replace resi at Great Northern
The developers behind the £300m overhaul of Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse have amended the scheme, replacing plans for 130 apartments within the main warehouse with 146,000 sq ft of offices.
Developers Trilogy Real Estate and Peterson, alongside architect SimpsonHaugh and main contractor Laing O’Rourke, gained planning consent for the first phases of the comprehensive redevelopment in March this year.
Phase one will see increased and improved public realm, while phase two focused on the red-brick listed warehouse, which was set to be converted into the apartments, with a gym, food and beverage, and retail. The space is currently used as a car park.
According to a report submitted to Manchester City Council’s executive, the decision to deliver offices instead of residential is due to the demand for commercial space within the Civic Quarter. In addition, an office conversion apparently requires fewer construction interventions than a residential development.
There will still be 12 flats delivered along Deansgate Terrace. Alongside the public realm, these will form the first part of the project to start on site, scheduled for next year.
Can’t wait for this one.
By Thumbs Up
Office seems more sensible and Manchester is desperate for more office space, but will they actually do it?
By ALL
This needs a more diverse architect, a great building and needs a great architect, not a name in lights famous for glass towers popping up all over Manchester.
By Anon
This is a bit of a shame. This amazing building could have been made into a proper community.
By Elephant
Yes I agree with Elephant man – it this could have been great as a community. Don’t think Liverpool or Manchester have got that age range yet of all ages from grad to retiree to young family sorted yet.
By Mary Smiley
Clearly realised that since the city centre has become inundated with druggy beggars people are moving out of Manchester, not into it.
By PDM
For once I agree with PDM
By NQ Resident
PDM – about 2,300 people moved into Manchester city centre between 2016 and 2017, and the trend is continuing. I know you got banned from Skyscrapercity for constantly posting bile on there, nobody wants to see it here either
By Anonymous
Those numbers are false, look at the various blocks around town, hardly any flats with lights on!
By PDM
Those numbers are from the ONS – yours is blinkered and anecdotal. I wonder which is closer to the truth
By Anonymous
I understand that the listed status of the building (couldn’t put in more windows) was one of the key problems. It made the original plans nonviable from a sales income perspective (i.e. they could not get enough flats in to make enough cash from these receipts) so an office conversion was inevitable.
By Knutsford Nut
It will never change for better it always bean none has the big white elephant it’s has bean doing thing with warehouse for the last ten years and more
By E Rennison
“hardly any flats with lights on!”
Hardly an accurate measure of anything at all really is it.
By Curly