Redevelopment of Island Site edges forward

Property developer HBD and the Greater Manchester Pension Fund have appointed Cartwright Pickard as architect on the long-awaited redevelopment of the Island Site on John Dalton Street.

Cartwright Pickard-designed schemes in Manchester include Allied London’s XYZ in Spinningfields.

The Greater Manchester Property Venture Fund selected HBD, then known as Henry Boot Developments, as its joint venture partner in 2017. A planning application was initially expected to be lodged in 2018 and a start on site planned for 2019.

The site houses three buildings – Grange House, Old Colony House, and Ridgefield – which are due to be demolished to make way for an office. It is also home to leisure and restaurant operators including Salvi’s.

At the time of HBD’s appointment in 2017, the plot was earmarked for a 90,000 sq ft office over nine storeys, with retail and leisure at ground floor.

The Island Site sits within the St Ann’s conservation area. According to HBD, the design “will be sympathetic to its surroundings, favouring material tones, forms and finishes to reflect the rich architectural heritage of the area”.

Ross Ogilvie, associate director at Cartwright Pickard, said: “The new scheme will incorporate a range of uses, creating a vibrant, fluid and inviting ground floor which will provide amenity for both tenants within the building and the wider community, while its upper floors will deliver high quality commercial space benefiting from fantastic levels of natural daylight and 360° views across Manchester and beyond.

“Sustainability is also a major consideration in the design of the building, so we’ll be utilising low carbon technologies to support tenants’ health and wellbeing.”

Steve Manifold, senior development surveyor at HBD, said: “The Island is one of the city’s prime development sites, but has been underused for some time now.

“We’re very pleased to have Cartwright Pickard on board and look forward to working with the team to deliver a scheme that is befitting of its position within the city and complementary to surrounding architecture, but which is also an effective building in the way that it operates, creating a healthy and pleasant environment for those using it.”