Neville and Giggs’ St Michael’s skyscrapers would be ‘own goal’ for Manchester

The planned £200m St Michael’s skyscrapers in Manchester backed by former United stars Gary Neville and Ryan Giggs would harm the city’s unique heritage and damage its historic core, according to the Government agency Historic England.

Objecting to the plan, which includes 153 apartments at Jackson’s Row and the demolition of the historic Abercromby pub, the 1930s Bootle Street police station and the 1950s synagogue, the agency said the development would aggressively “jar against the grand civic buildings which define this part of Manchester”.

“It threatens Manchester with the loss of historic places that have soul and tell important stories about our city’s past,” it said.

The St Michael’s is being created by an international consortium comprising: The Jackson’s Row Development Partnership – which Neville and Giggs are part of – Rowsley Ltd, Beijing Construction and Engineering Group (BCEGI), and Manchester City Council.

Plans were submitted to Manchester City Council in January.

Number One St Michael’s, home to the hotel and residences, would reach 31-storeys and Number Two St Michael’s, home to the offices, 21-storeys.

The consortium believes it would transform the St Michael’s area near Manchester Town Hall and the Central Library. It will deliver “the biggest statement in architecture” Manchester has seen in modern times and will create 1,000 jobs, they have said.

“The design, height and colour of the development would dominate the Deansgate/Peter Street conservation area and dwarf the nationally-important Grade II-listed Central Library and Grade I listed Town Hall, which is one of the best in England for its expression of the city’s huge ambition during the Industrial Revolution,” says Historic England.

Video 3D modelling carried out by the developers as part of the planning application shows how aggressively the proposed buildings would jar against the grand civic buildings which define this part of Manchester, the agency said.

Catherine Dewar, Historic England planning director in the North West said, “We are deeply concerned about how this scheme would affect some of Manchester’s most precious heritage.

“It would have an impact on people’s appreciation and experience of the stunning town hall and library but it would also erase different layers of this area’s history, irreparably damaging the special character of the surrounding conservation area.

“A dynamic city like ours needs to fully embrace development but this scheme is not good enough to justify the damage it would cause to the streets around the site and to the setting of the city’s most important buildings and spaces.

“It threatens Manchester with the loss of historic places that have soul and tell important stories about our city’s past.”

Despite the criticism, Historic England says it has worked constructively with Manchester City Council and the developers over the past year and the site has potential.

It went on: “The right scheme here could create a better environment for those who live and work in Manchester and could bring life back to these streets.

“But the proposed scheme would not achieve this. The buildings are focused inwards onto new, exclusive open spaces that are closed off to the surrounding streets and public realm.

“Manchester can accommodate tall buildings, but they need to be well-designed, and in the right places, which calls for a strategic plan.

“This historic area of Manchester deserves a thoughtful scheme which responds to, and doesn’t try to dominate, its surroundings. The development should welcome people and not aggressively push itself into the existing streets, as this proposed development does.”

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