New owner found at last for London Road Fire Station
MANCHESTER’S iconic London Road Fire Station is set to be sold to the developer behind the city’s Spinningfields business district.
Allied London has exchanged contracts to buy the stunning but delapidated gateway site near Piccadilly Station from Britannia Hotels.
Financial terms were not disclosed, though a price of £10m has been mooted.
The fire, police and ambulance station and coroner’s court opened in 1906 and stands today as one of Manchester’s finest historic buildings. The sale ends a long period of uncertainty for the London Road Fire Station.
Hale-based Britannia Hotels has owned the building for more than 25 years, but despite winning planning permission for a 227-bed hotel, did not move the scheme forward.
Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, which previously tried to win a Cumpolsory Purchase Order said: “The acquisition of London Road Fire Station is very welcome news. It’s a magnificent landmark building which had become a blight on the regeneration of the Piccadilly area during its long years of disuse.”
He added: “The council has consistently championed efforts to bring this important building back to life, and we look forward to working with Allied London – who has a strong track record of successful delivery in Manchester – to help bring forward early development proposals. Bringing this Grade II* listed building back to life will improve the appearance of the wider area, create new jobs and maximise the opportunities created through other investments such as HS2.”
A spokesperson for Britannia Hotels added: “Following an open and transparent sales process, we are delighted that Allied London has purchased the London Road Fire Station and we wish them all the best with their exciting development.”
Allied London, led by the visionary developer Michael Ingall, is also working on the St. John’s neighbourhood of enterprise, culture and living on the site of the former Granada Television Studios.
Ingall said: “We have been grateful for the huge amount of public and media support that we have received throughout the sale process and are buoyed by the scale of interest already being shown in the property, which we are calling Manchester Firehouse.
“It is very rare that we would wish to go beyond our focus of Spinningfields and St. John’s, but I believe this building presents a unique opportunity to create something truly iconic, particularly at a time when there is so much focus on Manchester as it enhances its international credentials.”
Christie + Co. acted for Britannia in the sale.
