Proposals to convert city centre site into 187-room hotel
Plans have been submitted for a new 187-room hotel in the heart of Manchester city centre.
Manchester-based Buttress Architects has been appointed by Criterion Capital to develop proposals for the refurbishment and conversion of the Royal Buildings, on the corner of Mosley Street and Market Street, Piccadilly Gardens.
London-based Criterion Capital is owned by billionaire entrepreneur and philanthropist, Asif Aziz. He is known for owning and operating key landmarks including the London Trocadero and Criterion Building in Piccadilly Circus.
Criterion acquired the building earlier this year.
The submission proposes the existing office space on the upper stories and the ground floor entrance of the Royal Buildings will be converted into a facility providing 187 rooms over four floors, operated by the Zedwell brand.
Plans include retaining commercial use at the ground floor frontage.
The proposals seek to retain the high quality external elevations and any upgrades to the fabric of the building should be in keeping with the surrounding Piccadilly Gardens.
The application says the site is incredibly well connected to the city’s main transport lines , with two key tram stops, Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens, located next to the site and the central Piccadilly train station located just a 10-minute walk away.
It also sits at the top of Market Street, one of the city’s main shopping streets and next to the Grade II-listed Ryland’s building.
The existing surrounding land use is a mix of retail and food and beverage, with offices and hotel use, which mainly occupy the upper floors.
The property extends across six floors, including a basement level.
The first to fourth floors house office units, which are also currently mostly vacant.
Royal Buildings were constructed in 1909 following the demolition of the prominent Royal Hotel, which was famous as the site of the formation of the English Football League in 1888.
It was designed by Manchester architects Messrs J W Beaumont & Sons and was constructed with retail units at ground floor, and offices occupying the upper floors.
Main reception is planned for the first floor, with most of the check-in process done digitally. Therefore, a small reception area is proposed for one or two members to staff to manage.
The plan layout for each floor is based around the standard room model for the Zedwell brand, which depends on cost-efficient accommodation, creating compact and efficient rooms which are mostly internal within the plan. This allows for a plan layout with corridors that wrap around the external facade.
