Property round-up: Holy cow, Hotel Gotham ready to open
A NEW luxury 60-bed hotel at the heart of Manchester city centre has been completed on schedule and within budget ahead of its formal opening in April.
Marshall CDP has finished work on the five-star Hotel Gotham on King Street. The Grade II listed building – also owned by Marshall CDP – will occupy the top seven floors above Jamie’s Italian.
Simon Marshall of Marshall CDP said: “Hotel Gotham is a unique scheme that has caused a stir on an international level.
“As the owner as well as the contractor for the Lutyens designed building, we worked closely with Bespoke Hotels as well as Manchester City Council and English Heritage to create a dramatic yet functional space for the hotel whilst sensitively considering the unique attributes of this iconic building.”
“The hotel is perfectly positioned to take advantage of the neighbouring designer retailers and high end restaurants and with further investment planned and more new occupiers set to move in to the area in the coming months, King Street is one of Manchester’s most vibrant destinations.
“Coupled with the region’s boom in tourism and last year’s record levels of hotel occupancy, this is perfect time for Bespoke Hotels to expand its presence in the market with its stylish and novel offering.”
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SOCIAL impact business, the First Ark Group, has taken 3,000 sq ft of office space in Liverpool’s up and coming Baltic Triangle, paving the way for the organisation’s expansion across the North West.
Staff from the group, including One Ark, First Ark’s social investment charity, and Vivark, its facilities management arm, will use the new office as a collaboration space for meeting new customers and partners.
The space will house a flexible conference, training and meeting area with a capacity of up to 100 people.
Vivark completed all refurbishment work and oversaw the state-of-the-art IT infrastructure installation. This will allow staff who hot-desk at the new office from April to communicate seamlessly with the team working in First Ark’s headquarters at Lakeview, Knowsley.
The launch of the Big Issue Invest’s Corporate Social Venturing fund, which offers a share of a £500,000 funding pot to early-stage social enterprises, was the first event to be held in the new conference room at the Baltic Triangle. It attracted more than 80 delegates from across the North West.
Chief executive of First Ark Bob Taylor said: “As part of our business strategy, we want to increase our social investment connections while seeking out new commercial opportunities.
“To do this we need to expand our work into other communities around the Liverpool City Region, and for this reason taking new office space is the next natural step. It will help us embed our operations deeper in the heart of our vibrant city and ensure we can deliver social impact on an even greater scale in years to come.
“One of the first priorities for our team will be to start developing mutually beneficial collaborative partnerships with those around us. The Baltic Triangle is an exciting place; the recent regeneration and vibrancy of the historical dock area is attracting many like-minded businesses. This makes it an ideal location for us and we’re all looking forward to an exciting year of growth and innovative working ahead.”
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A VIRTUAL flythrough video has been created showing how Warrington’s temporary market hall will look when traders move in early in 2017.
The temporary market hall will be the first element of the Bridge Street Quarter regeneration scheme to be built on the site of what is currently Time Square.
The market will move into its temporary location in January 2017 during the period when the current market hall is being demolished and whilst a new, permanent £10m market hall is being constructed.
In 2019 the market will move into its new market hall, which incorporates the historic facade of the former Boots building as its new entrance on to Bridge Street.
Planners say protecting the vibrancy of trade at the market is a primary concern as the market is a key anchor element in the Bridge Street Quarter project.
Warrington Borough Council says great care has been taken with the design of the temporary market hall and has worked closely with the market traders in its design and layout.
The flythrough is a visualisation – available to watch on YouTube – is based to scale on the actual architect’s drawings. The finer detail has yet to be agreed but this gives an indication of how the overall design will look.
Works are already on site to clear the eastern side of Time Square with hoardings being erected and ground works ongoing. Demolition of the site will start in earnest next month.
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THIRTY-four apartments at a retirement living scheme in the Lake District have been released for private rent.
The £9m scheme at Greta Gardens, Crow Park Road in Keswick has been built by Your Housing Group for local people over the age of 55, and will open its doors to new residents in late May.
Hollie Dunn has been appointed as the lettings co-ordinator.
Debbie Seymour, retirement living services manager at Your Housing Group, said: “Half the apartments at Greta Gardens are available for affordable rent, making them very good value.
“There are strict criteria we have to abide by to ensure the Local Occupancy Clause is adhered to and anyone 55 and over in the CA12 postcode is eligible to apply to live at Greta Gardens.
“This means that all our residents, whether they rent, buy or take the shared ownership option all come from a four mile radius of the site. Local really does mean local and this is a new facility that will benefit the whole community.
“It’s great to welcome Hollie to the team and it’s fantastic to have someone on board who knows Keswick and its community very well. She will help residents through the whole moving process from start to finish and her local knowledge will be very handy.”
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OLDHAM Council is set to announce Bellway Homes as its preferred construction partner to redevelop a site for the town’s ‘Garden Suburb’.
Councillors will be asked to approved the developer at the Lancaster Club site at a Cabinet meeting today.
One of the UK’s largest house builders, Bellway was selected as the prospective partner following a council-run selection process.
If approved the construction of high-quality new homes is set to start on-site early next year.
The development comprises 142 homes, a mixture of two, three and four bedroom houses – 108 of them detached.
Bellway Homes would also convert the Grade II-listed former Lancaster Club building, which is at the heart of the site, into high-quality apartments.
Oldham Council leader Cllr Jim McMahon said: “Our plans for the Lancaster Club site have created a lot of interest and excitement and I’m delighted Bellway Homes have formally expressed their interest in coming on board and becoming our development partner.
“They are one of the biggest house builders in the country and over the years have produced high quality and sustainable homes at sites across the UK.
“These principles match our hopes of creating a flagship neighbourhood where people want to live.
“As part of their bid Bellway Homes committed to creating apprenticeship positions and using local suppliers and subcontractors, so if selected as our construction partners, they would be helping the local economy grow.
“It may sound ambitious to talk about a Garden Suburb development in Oldham, but actually it isn’t. We have historic involvement in this approach and this area offers a fantastic opportunity to create a lasting legacy.”
Last year the council unveiled its vision to redevelop the site into a ‘Garden Suburb’.
The ambition for the 8.11 hectare site is to create a distinctive and sustainable neighbourhood that combines the best of town and country living.
To prepare the site for development the council had to relocate the site’s allotments and football pitches. A Goals! Soccer Centre will be built on the former allotment site.
Work is already underway to relocate the allotments and this is due to be completed in May.
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ARCHITECTURAL practice Leach Rhodes Walker has relaunched its interior design company Koncept Interior Design as part of its ongoing strategy.
Koncept, headed up by Jenny Denton and Simon Scott, has been established for 27 and boasts a 10-strong team which will continue to be based at LRW’s Manchester office.
The company specialises in the hotel and leisure sector and is currently in the final phase of completing a £5.5m refurbishment programme of five Mercure hotels with Accor around the UK.
It is also working with Novotel on its flagship hotel in Canary Wharf, a new restaurant and bar at The Lowry theatre at Salford Quays, a new café concept for Booths supermarkets the first of which opens in Hale Barns, Cheshire, in April, as well as a number of boutique hotel refurbishments in Northumberland and the Lake District.
Christian Gilham, director of LRW, said: “Our interior design team has continued to go from strength to strength and as we looked at our business plan going forward we realised there was an opportunity to grow this very successful part of the firm.”
Denton added: “This is a very exciting new chapter for us. Koncept is a name that accurately reflects what we do and what we are about. Whilst we remain under the LRW umbrella, this new company allows us to remarket ourselves and target new sectors and clients.”
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OPUS North has sold the final phase of its flagship development in Runcorn to DaleKim Investments for £1.68m.
The last phase comprises a Burger King restaurant and a Halfords store and the sale represented a hield of 6%.
Phase One of the development on West Lane saw Yorkshire-based Opus North pre-sell a 15,000sq ft Ford motor dealership for £2.72m to a North East private investment company.
A site was then sold to Lidl supermarket, which formed Phase Two of the development, for £1.45m. Lidl built its own store on site which is now open.
West Lane is opposite Halton Lea shopping centre in the heart of Runcorn.
Managing director of Opus North Andrew Duncan said: “These were excellent deals in initially challenging times for the property market in the north of England.
“The new Ford dealership kick-started this development in central Runcorn, complementing the popular Halton Lea shopping centre.
“The dealership takes up a third of this area and the development of the rest of the site has proved to be the final piece of the retail jigsaw for this part of the town. It has also created a number of much-needed jobs.”
Agents for DaleKim were the RY Partnership. Pudney Shuttleworth acted for Opus.
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PLANNING permission has been granted for the re-cladding of the exterior of Mersey House in Liverpool.
Consent for the work to the building on the Strand follows prior approval granted last year to change the use of the vacant 1960s building from offices to residential.
If permission is granted, building work should to start imminently to create 122 new apartments in the landmark building.
The application to Liverpool City Council has been brought forward by Euan Kellie Property Solutions on behalf of Mersey House.
Director the the property company Euan Kellie said: “Mersey House is part of Liverpool’s World Heritage site.
“Receiving planning permission to re-clad the building will refresh the street scape on this important section of the Strand and allow the building’s new lease of life on the inside, to be reflected on the outside.”
The re-cladding has been designed by Halliday Meecham Architects.
Halliday director Alan Parry-Davies said: “Our client is thrilled to have received planning permission to re-clad the building; Euan’s help with the planning process has been invaluable.
“It will really help bring the character of the building forward on to the Strand. Our client is looking forward to turning the plans into reality.”
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SALFORD City Council has granted approval for the redevelopment of the Beis Menacham School at Broughton Park.
Manchester firm Euan Kellie Property Solutions put forward the proposal on behalf of Beis Menachem and Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester to provide a new purpose-build facility, totalling 20,000 sq ft for occupation by the OYY Boys School. It will include a new synagogue and yeshiva – a Jewish institution which focuses on the study of traditional religious texts.
The site is currently occupied by the OYY Girls School which, following planning permission secured last April by Euan Kellie, will move into its new 10,000sq ft facility on Bury New Road in the autumn.
Euan Kellie Property Solutions director Euan Kellie said: “Gaining planning permission for this important new community facility is the conclusion of a complex but rewarding project. The new facilities being created are of international significance.”
Designed by Stockport architects Cartwright & Gross, with input from construction consultancy MJ Newton, the new school, synagogue and yeshiva will welcome up to 200 pupils in total.
The OYY Boys School will accommodate up to 80 students and it includes six classrooms, staff areas and offices, assembly/games hall, resource area and external play areas. The school will have its own independent access and its own dedicated car park and drop-off point.
The Yeshiva includes a large study room (known as a Zal) which will seat 120 pupils. It will also include a Mikvah (a ritual bath for use by students), changing facilities, laundry, kitchen and dining area, a Shuir (private study area) and library. The Synagogue will comprise a large assembly room.
Gary Scorah, Commercial Properties, acting on behalf of Beis Menachem and the Yeshivas Lubavitch Manchester, said: “We are thrilled Euan has secured planning permission for our new boys school, Synagogue and Yeshiva and we are looking forward to seeing the design by Cartwright & Gross come to fruition and welcoming our new pupils in the autumn of next year.”
