Great Northern Warehouse 2

Tweaks made to Great Northern first phase

The joint venture behind Manchester’s Great Northern Warehouse has submitted an application to make tweaks to the first phase of the scheme, which received approval in March 2018 and is still awaiting a start on site.

A covering letter from planning advisor Deloitte said the application covers a series of minor changes to the Deansgate Terrace design, and an extension to the range of uses permitted – financial and professional services being added to the consented retail, food and drink. This comes in response to occupier interest, in a space that has historically housed estate agents now looking to attract an mix of independent retailers.

The £300m redevelopment proposed by partners Trilogy Real Estate and Peterson, on what has largely been seen as a site of unrealised potential for the city, has already been changed once since permission was granted, with 146,000 sq ft of offices replacing 130 apartments within the main warehouse in a plan put to the council in March.

The JV, which acquired Great Northern in 2013, is working with architect SimpsonHaugh and main contractor Laing O’Rourke. The second phase of the project will centre on the redevelopment of the landmark warehouse building with the potential for high-rise towers.

Phase one will include the creation of a new north-south pedestrian news, Dean Street, which will feature retail with apartments above, along with public realm improvements including Great Northern Square, and the redevelopment of the listed Deansgate Terrace.

The proposed amendments to the ground floor layouts come after surveys taken following consent, and feature a residential entrance to improve access from Deansgate, along with a ground floor retail unit occupying two ground floor bays and one basement bay, creating an additional unit.

One of the basement bays has been allocated as plant space serving phase one, to avoid the requirement for temporary plant space externally. Internal stairs have been reconfigured to suit the revised layouts. The general configuration of uses, and the number and position of residential apartments remains the same.

Phase two focuses on the Great Northern Warehouse itself, and will include a gym, food and beverage, and retail, with the upper three floors currently used for car parking becoming offices. Later phases could see high-rise residential towers and the redevelopment of the space occupied by cinema operator AMC.

Your Comments

Read our comments policy

Sounds like they realise there are already too many food and drink places in Manchester and are going back to estate agents

By Floyd

Personally I prefer the current skeletal tower at the corner of Deansgate / Peter St than that ungainly squat block that replaces it. The current structure provides a sense of arrival and marks this important junction quite well.

By Lover of late 90s / early 00s architecture

I hope they don’t cover over the open theatre as originally planned.

By ALL

Related Articles

Sign up to receive the Place Daily Briefing

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox

Subscribe

Join more than 13,000 property professionals and sign up to receive your free daily round-up of built environment news direct to your inbox.

By subscribing, you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.

"*" indicates required fields

Your Job Field*
Other regional Publications - select below