Britannia seeks council deal to avert London Road CPO

BRITANNIA Hotels has said it will work with Manchester City Council to bring forward a redevelopment of the derelict London Road fire station.

The council had given the Hale-based chain until the end of today to agree to a legally binding agreement to implement an existing planning consent for a 227-bed hotel.

If Britannia refused the local authority said it would launch a compulsory purchase order (CPO) of the semi-derelict building – three years after an earlier bid failed.

But in a letter seen by the Manchester Evening News, Britannia’s financial director Robert Ferrari said: “We would like to work in partnership with Manchester council on the development of the fire station and understand that a development agreement to be jointly agreed is being proposed.

“To that end we are happy to enter into a development agreement with the council’s co-operation. Can I suggest that you propose a range of items that you would like to see included in the development agreement and we can hopefully work together.”

A Manchester City Council spokesman said: “We are considering the contents of this letter, which we have not yet formally received, and will make a statement on our position once we have had a chance to do so.”

Hale-based Britannia, which is controlled by Alex Langsam, has owned the building since 1986 and has had several plans approved, most recently last December which was a renewal of a permission granted in 2010.

A council document prepared in late September said: “Significant correspondence has been exchanged and meeting suggestions made about possible new schemes being brought forward, but no substantive action in taking re-development forward has been forthcoming.

“The lack of genuine intention to develop the building is further underlined by the most recent engagement, which suggests a new scheme can be expected to be brought forward which is not regarded by BCL [Britannia Centres Ltd] to be viable.”

“Further, there has been no progress made by BCL in undertaking the detailed structural survey of the building which would be a pre- requisite to the definition of a robust commercial and planning profile for a successful development.”

It added: “In the view of officers the council will need to acquire the building to deliver re- development unless BCL enters into a legally binding and enforceable implementation agreement to deliver the current permission, as may be modified with the agreement of the council.”