Mindel House set for hostel conversion

A PLANNING application has been submitted to convert the Mindel House office building in Manchester city centre into a 301-bed backpackers’ hostel.

Planning consultancy Hourigan Connolly has submitted the application on behalf of Visit Journeys, which currently operates three hostels in London and one in Brighton, to convert the five-storey building into a hostel – its first in the north of England.

The building is currently occupied by Rathbones, but an application for its conversion is is likely to be heard by Manchester City Council next month.

Hourigan Connolly’s senior planner Richard Lomas said: “Our application is based on the fact that there is not much provision of backpackers’ accommodation in the city and this site lends itself well to that.

“It’s close to the heart of the Village and to the transport hubs of Chorlton St bus station and Picadilly rail station.”

Mr Lomas added that it has held plenty of pre-application talks with council planners about the conversion of the Grade II-listed building on Minshul St. He said that the existing coversion into office use hadn’t been particularly sensitive to its heritage.

“Part of our application is to expose more of its original features and brickwork columns.”

The building is currently financed by Dunbar Bank, which has supported Visit Journeys’ plans for the scheme.