PLANNING | Logik tower heads Manchester agenda

The proposal for a 35-storey tower from Logik, the developer fronted by Andrew Flintoff, is the stand-out item facing Manchester’s planning committee next Thursday.

The planning officers report states that it is minded to approve the scheme, subject to the agreement of a contribution for offsite affordable housing, noting that the site’s present uses offer “at best” a neutral experience.

Also on the agenda are Beech Holdings’ 1 Alpha aparthotel and plans for the Old House at Home site in Didsbury, tweaked following refusal at August’s committee.

Minded to approve

Lomax Street

Developer: Rain City Developments (Ducie Street)

Architect: Tim Groom Architects

Planner: Euan Kellie Property Solutions

Storeys: Seven to eight

Apartments: 41

Scheme: The site is bound by Ducie Street, Lomax Street, Brock Street and 65-67 Ducie Street and currently houses a 31-space surface level car park. Recent development in the area includes Vantage Quay, Jackson’s Warehouse, Jutland House and Junction Works, and the Staycity aparthotel, on the opposite side of Lomax Street to the site. There are grade two-listed buildings at 32-34 Laystall Street to the North West and the former Junction Works and Stable to the southwest. Other nearby listed buildings include Brownsfield Mill, Jackson’s Warehouse and London Warehouse Wharf.

Arundel Street

Developer: Logik Developments

Architect: SimpsonHaugh & Partners

Planner: Deloitte

Storeys: 35 and 10

Apartments: 386

Scheme: The Castlefield scheme includes a 35-storey tower facing the Mancunian Way, which will contain a total of 159 apartments, well as a roof terrace. The 10-storey building contains 215 apartments, as well as 2,400 sq ft of commercial space, while the existing four-storey DOT Building, which is not listed but designated as a local heritage asset, is set to include 12 apartments and 1,700 sq ft of ground floor commercial space.

Recommended for approval

Old House at Home site

Developer: Britannia

Architect: OMI

Planner: NJL

Houses: 12

Scheme: The proposal for four-bedroom family homes at the site of a well known pub that closed in 2017 was previously refused due to committee concerns regarding over-development and loss of privacy. The developer’s team has sought to assuage those fears by providing statistics as to the density of developments in the surrounding areas, pointing out that several schemes have gone up to four floors. The amended scheme had attempted to address privacy through measures including the removal of external rear balconies and removal of some of the previously proposed second floor rear-facing windows.

1 Alpha Place

Developer: Beech Holdings

Planner: Paul Butler Associates

Storeys: Seven

Aparthotel units: 59

Scheme: The principle of development is well established at the Knott Mill site, which is bound by Alpha Place, Jordan Street, Commercial Street and buildings that front onto Commercial Street and Constance Street – several previous schemes have been approved, with the most recent consent, also for an aparthotel, expiring this summer. The proposed aparthotel will include a ground floor reception area, including a residents’ lounge and breakfast area, and a cycle store. Seventeen objections have been lodged.

Sorting Office, Levenshulme

Developer and architect: Ecospheric

Planner: Creative Planning

Scheme: The application seeks to develop a food hall with 80 covers and 6 vendor units, deli and microbrewery, along with community space, at the 1920s-built former post office and sorting depot in Albert Road, Levenshulme.

The applicant has indicated that the former retail post office was used as a restaurant for eight years without a planning consent, which has ceased operating – the deli is due to be located here. The sorting depot was vacated by Royal Mail in April 2017 and was subsequently acquired by the applicant along with the former retail post office.