Salboy swaps residential for offices at long-running Shudehill site

The developer has lodged plans to change its proposed scheme at Manchester’s Shudehill from residential to offices, the third planning application to be submitted in four years for the Back Turner Street site.

Proposals from Salboy to redevelop a brownfield site at Back Turner street, High Street, and Shudehill were finally approved in June 2019 after various appearances at Manchester’s planning committee, having dealt with objections from councillors and members of the public to previous versions of the scheme.

Salboy was denied planning permission in February 2018 for a 13-storey aparthotel to be operated by Zoku, the decision coming after several deferrals.

Over the course of 2018, different versions of a residential scheme were worked up by architect Jon Matthews, with a favourite picked by public consultation. The part-16, part-17 storey proposal, totalling 65 apartments, was ultimately granted planning permission.

Under the new proposals, the height of the scheme will remain the same, although there will be one less floor, as the applications requests an increase in the floor-to-ceiling height in order to be more appealing to office tenants.

The design remains broadly the same externally.

In total, the building would offer 45,000 sq ft of offices aimed at typical Northern Quarter tenants, such as creative and digital occupiers

Simon Ismail, director of Salboy, said: “Having reviewed the residential development we already have planning permission for, we have decided to submit a new application for the site to change the use to allow us to instead provide much-needed office space. This would be targeted at the smaller creative, digital and tech businesses, which are increasingly looking to locate in the Northern Quarter.

“Externally, the new office development would look virtually identical to the residential scheme. It would have the same maximum height and the existing warehouse would still be retained. The scheme would also remain car-free. However, shifting the use to meet growing demand for this type of office space will work better commercially while also helping to bring new jobs to the area that can add even further to the vibrancy of the Northern Quarter.

“We think the revised application is positive for the area. However, if we are unsuccessful we would proceed with the existing residential scheme which is already approved.”

OBI is advising. The planner is Euan Kellie Property Solutions.