Plans in for Signature Living’s first Manchester hotel

Hotel operator Signature Living has submitted a planning application for its first hotel in Manchester city centre, a 39-room development on the site of the former Commercial Hotel in Castlefield.

Backed by Liverpool-based property developer Iliad Group, Signature Living plans to open the hotel in 123-125 Liverpool Road, both of which are grade two-listed buildings.

Signature plans to demolish some of the buildings’ unoriginal features to build a five-storey rear extension. The original buildings will be fully refurbished to house hotel accommodation and a ground-floor restaurant and bar.

Designed by Tim Groom Architects, the 30,000 sq ft development has already been to a public consultation, with the new-build extension’s cladding changed from gold-coloured to brass-coloured.

The professional team also includes ADS Structural as structural engineer.

Iliad’s plans to convert the buildings into a hotel, along with a five-storey extension, were first approved by Manchester City Council in December 2011, but the project was never progressed.

Signature Living already operates a number of smaller hotels across the UK, including Liverpool’s 30 James Street, as well as The Exchange Hotel in Cardiff.

Projects Iliad has built in Liverpool include the St Michael’s student accommodation scheme in Ropewalks and the mixed-use Manolis Yard development.

The developer also submitted a planning application last year for a 200-home apartment scheme in Liverpool’s Baltic Triangle.

The project has been designed by Tim Groom Architects