REIP moves to keep Warp & Weft alive
The developer behind the controversial residential scheme on Thomas Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter has won approval to start work on site to prevent its extant planning consent from expiring while an appeal is ongoing.
Real Estate Investment Partnership applied last month to vary the wording of certain conditions of the consent to pave the way for work to start, while the developer awaits the outcome of an appeal against the refusal of plans to demolish listed buildings on the Northern Quarter site.
REIP director Simon Gallendars said: “We have undertaken some limited works to implement the extant planning permission on the site granted in 2017 in order to save that consent in perpetuity.
“We remain committed to delivering a scheme on this important site that will benefit the area and are awaiting the outcome of the ongoing appeal before making any decision on next steps.”
In 2017, Manchester City Council approved REIP’s 20-home Warp & Weft development, designed by Jon Matthews Architects.
However, a year later, conservation body Historic England granted part of the site – two former weavers’ cottages – listed status, effectively blocking the developer’s plans.
As a result, REIP submitted a listed building application in February 2020 to demolish the buildings, so that it could bring forward the scheme.
But last summer, that application was refused by Manchester City Council, despite a recommendation to approve from officers.
Now, REIP has moved to keep the 2017 consent alive before it expires next month.
If work did not begin before the expiry of the previous consent, the developer would have had to reapply for planning permission even if it won the appeal against the refusal of its plans to demolish the weavers’ cottages.
Under the refreshed terms of the permission, the developer can begin installing below-ground drainage.
I hope they lose this appeal, this scheme doesn’t really add much to The NQ and a more imaginative scheme, which incorporates the listed buildings, is required.
By 1981
A fantastic development. Retention and refurbishment of the Grade II listed warehouse has been overlooked in all of this unfortunately. The council were keen to approve plans originally and Historic England had no problem waiving them through. The latter listing came once demo had started and much of the buildings are now in ruin (not the developers problem given they were given the go-ahead by the council).
By Andrew
@ 1981…It adds more to the NQ than the current derelict site does. What would you like a low rise development to look like? The Listed Buildings could be saved, granted, but I’m not sure they add much tbh. Other than simply being old, are they of much merit?
By Harpsicord
This should get approved what’s there is horrible, these listed buildings will be left to rot and no developer will touch this site.
By Meeseeks
Crack on with the enabling works. I really like the designs I have seen. I see no sound reasoning for not giving the project a green light. In a wider context it improves the environs. I particularly like the dark brick. It works well.
By Robert Fuller