There's 2 main problems with this thread: 1. People consider a 33-storey building (~100m)…

In fact First Choice operates in other local authority areas so not all of…

Yes because the heritage argument is resolved by taking away 30 apartments lol

Sadly this is representative of the poor standard of architecture being approved in Manchester.…

Soon as dead as vhs? And the office is dead too apparently, nobody wants…

Re-introduce the tram system all round Preston - the one in Manchester is brilliant…

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After two refusals, the project can now go ahead. Credit: via planning documents

Having reduced the height of the development by a single storey, Affinty Living has been given the go-ahead for the 481-home project by Manchester City Council.  

The developer’s 33-storey Port Street tower had twice been refused by the city council’s planning committee but prevailed this afternoon by seven votes to three.  

The developer, part of Select Property Group, reduced the height of the £154m development from 34 storeys in a bid to win planning consent. The loss of one storey brings the scheme in line with the strategic regeneration framework for the area.  

Designed by SimpsonHaugh Architects, the development also features an 11-storey block. The shorter element fronts Great Ancoats Street, while the tower portion faces Port Street.  

Deloitte Real Estate is the planning consultant for the project, and Re:form is the landscape architect.  

“Select Property has developed an outstanding reputation for delivering some of the city’s best build-to-rent accommodation such as Embankment West home to Laurence Place and Exchange Point,” said Adam Price, chief executive of Select Property.

“Now, work can begin on Port Street, a site that was long overdue for significant investment and promises to deliver the very best apartments the city has to offer, creating a vibrant community.  The plans will marry this desirable location with a superb product that responds to its surroundings, bringing together Piccadilly, Ancoats and the Northern Quarter.”

At the same meeting, Dandara’s plans for a build-to-rent development in Didsbury were refused in line with officers’ recommendations.  

The 75-home Blackbird Yard, designed by Hodder + Partners, attracted the ire of the city’s planners due to a lack of car parking.  

Hodder + Partners is the architect for Blackbird Yard. Credit: via planning documents

Another surface car park bites the dust. With high density living bringing in more people paying council tax, filling job vacancies, spending their money in bars and restaurants and helping the city to evolve further. Excellent to see. Now please can they start to sort out the streets and public realm in this area.

Well that’s all my plants dead. 🙁

Let’s hope they plant many trees around the new tower 🌳🌳🌳🙏🙏🙏

Another unimaginative project, thoughtless and senseless.

Well that’s all my plants dead. 🙁

July 28, 2022 at 4:15 pm By Anonymous

Have you checked the plans the shadow cast is around 30mins as the sun rises

There are a continuous of 20/30 story buildings just being approved. It makes the skyline utterly boring. We need newer developments with taller buildings !!

It’s such a fat plan the tower really ought to be taller. Slenderness ratio an all that. This should easily be 50 storeys. At 33 it just looks dumpy.

I think Bob summarizes this beautifully.

They should have held off for a more imaginative design. This is such a brilliant area and doesn’t ‘need’ a filler like other areas to spark regeneration.

We need more scrapers if we are to even resemble NY

Yet more dreary, faceless rubbish

Sadly this is representative of the poor standard of architecture being approved in Manchester. We will regret this in years to come.

There’s 2 main problems with this thread: 1. People consider a 33-storey building (~100m) a ‘tower’. It is merely a stumpy development. Godzilla was ~120m for comparison. 2. Folk want to cling onto Manchester’s industrial heritage with the architecture of these new developments, whilst expecting more imaginative designs…there is only so much you can do. I for one think we should ignore the heritage and build as much glass and steel skyscrapers as possible, especially within the City, just like London. Who ever moans about the unimaginative architecture there?

The developer has made a series of tweaks to the approved plans for the 355-apartment Arundel Street project to pave the way for a start on site.  

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