Empty 1960s council offices in heart of upmarket area to get £2.3m facelift
A former block of council offices in a Manchester suburb is to get a £2.3m facelift.
The 1960s building on Manchester Road in the centre of Chorlton is to be revamped by building firm
Construction Partnership UK (CPUK).
Manchester developer, Newpark Group & Retail Property Investments is bringing the building back to life with a mixed use scheme that will improve one of Manchester’s most popular suburbs.
CPUK has begun work on site to create three new shops at street level with 22 one and two bedroom apartments on the upper floors.
Steve Burke, managing director of CPUK, said: “The existing building is on the main road and is bounded on both sides by busy retail businesses and a car park.
“Due to this and the restrictive nature of the site, close liaison with the surrounding businesses is essential.”
He added: “The project is to form new retail units on the ground floor, including a new fully glazed curtain walled shop front to Manchester Road, with café seating behind a glazed balustrade to the front apron.
“The existing roof will be removed and we are building an additional new fourth storey which will be light weight construction and clad externally with zinc.
“The existing building will be fully refurbished to provide apartments, all existing façades will be enhanced including the replacement of all windows. The apartments will be serviced by a newly refurbished service core which includes a new lift accessing all upper floors.
“The building has secure parking and services to the ground floor retail units.”
Newpark Group & Retail Property Investments bought the former council office building in August 2016 and, with work now begun on site, expects the project to complete by the end of 2018.
Manchester Road in Chorlton is a bustling street with a range of shops including Barbakan Delicatessen and Bakery and the Unicorn Grocery Workers’ Co-operative.
CPUK is currently on site with a £2.98 million apartment scheme in one of the last remaining vacant plots in Chapel Street, Salford, building the Albert Vaults, an eight storey building with 25 apartments and a commercial unit on the site of the former Albert Vaults pub, close to Salford Central Station and just a short walk into Manchester city centre.
CPUK Group is one of the North West’s leading independent building and civil engineering companies with an annual turnover of £50m.
Founded in March 2000, the business operates from purpose-built headquarters at White Moss Business Park in Skelmersdale.
