Realty Estates’ Oxford Road team appointed

Realty Estates has appointed Aedas as architect on the former BBC site on Oxford Road in Manchester.

Alongside Aedas, HOW Planning will provide planning advice, with Gardiner & Theobald as quantity surveyor and project manager, and Savills as residential development advisor. Peter Skelton, development advisor at WHR, will continue to oversee the project.

Realty Estates' owner Yousef Tishbi said that the team "reflects the very best that Manchester has to offer".

Realty Estates bought New Broadcasting House from the BBC in 2011 for an estimated £10m and the six-acre plot was vacated with all buildings later demolished when the BBC moved to Media City UK. The land has been used as a car park since the beginning of 2013.

A strategic regeneration framework for the site was prepared by Deloitte last year and approved by the council to guide the regeneration over the next 10 to 15 years. As part of discussions with Manchester City Council in October 2013 around the future of the site, Realty Estates said that it intended to start on site with the development this year.

The emerging plans are for an office-led mixed-use development including student accommodation, leisure facilities and 30,000 sq ft of retail, including a small supermarket.

Feilden Clegg Bradley advised on the masterplanning phase.

Detailed proposals around phase one of the scheme are expected to be announced in the autumn.

Richard Barton, associate at HOW Planning, said: "We are looking forward to being part of such a prestigious project working with an ambitious and positive developer. Realty Estates is involved in many exciting city centre schemes and its emerging proposals for the former BBC site reflect a similar level of quality and style."