Quay Street development on course for thumbs up

REDEVELOPMENT plans for Astley House and Byrom House on Quay Street in Manchester will be presented to the city council planning committee on Thursday (June 4).

The proposal is for the demolition of the two 1960s interlinked offices next to St John’s Gardens to be replaced by a 16-storey building comprising class B1 offices on the upper floors, restaurants and cafes on the ground floor, basement car and cycle parking and related highways, access servicing, landscaping and associated works.

Planning officers are advising members to approve the scheme from West Midlands Pension Fund, represented by CBRE Global Investors.

The new building, designed by Treglown, would be divided into three blocks, which would step up in height from east to west rising from ground plus six storeys, to ground and 11 storeys and ground plus 14 storeys.

The lower block would house the main entrance and reception area fronting onto Quay Street, which would be a double height space. This block would also provide a route from Quay Street to St John’s Gardens. Two roof top terraces would be provided at roof level on this part of the building.

Some 60 objections have been received , complaining that the scheme is too tall, and that the demolition of Astley House and Byrom House would cause the loss of examples of post-war optimism architecture.

Although approval is recommended a report to the planning committee indicates “the proposal could cause some harm to the settings of the nearby listed buildings, in particular Cobden House.”

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