First glimpse of possible scheme on ‘one of city’s finest remaining freehold sites’

Indicative images of what could replace an established family-owned retail site in Manchester city centre have been revealed.

Stocktons Furniture announced last month that it intends to relocate from its current site on Manchester’s Great Ancoats Street.

The firm has appointed agents McLoone Property and Ken Bishop Consulting to look at opportunities to redevelop the one-acre site which is situated adjacent to Property Alliance Group’s 32-storey Oxygen development and opposite the council-owned Central Retail Park.

The current Stocktons site has been described as, arguably, one of the finest remaining freehold sites within Manchester’s inner ring road.

In line with Manchester City Council’s wider master plan, an indicative scheme has now been prepared which shows three separate buildings with prominence to Great Ancoats Street.

The alternatives could be a full residential scheme comprising up to 850 apartments, or otherwise 600 apartments across two blocks, with the third providing approximately 150,000 sq ft of office space.

Bids are being sought for the site by the end of this month.

Proposals for site

Ken Bishop, principal of Ken Bishop Consulting, said: “Despite current circumstances, there is still clear demand for well-designed and well-located residential developments in Manchester city centre.

“The lifestyle attractions of the retail and leisure opportunities of city centre living remain, and due to the shortage of development land in suburban and rural areas the growth of residential in the city will continue to expand.”

He added: “The Stocktons site, being in close proximity to the Northern Quarter and Piccadilly Station, is ideally suited to meet this demand.”

The current Stocktons Furniture showroom covers 50,000 sq ft.

A “more functional retail space with warehousing” is being sought by the family-owned firm.