£18m Silk Works scheme approved

PLANNING permission has been granted for an £18m office scheme branded The Silk Works on the edge of Spinningfields in Manchester.

Heny Book Developments’ developed has won unanimous support from city planners, paving the way for the 50,000sq ft new accommodation to be built.

It will incorporate an unprecedented amount of amenity space for occupiers, including space for a ground floor independent coffee shop to be established.

The eight-storey Silk Works scheme on Atkinson and Scott Place will comprise the refurbishment and extension of Invicta House, adding a further 35,000sq ft to the existing 15,000sq ft building with 6,000sq ft office floorplates.

The new extension will sit behind the existing façade on Atkinson Street. The new build element will be cladded in COR-TEN weathered steel, making The Silk Works the first office building in Manchester to use this material.

The scheme was revised and tailored throughout the pre-application period to reflect the comments received from key stakeholders.

Adam Brady, director at Henry Boot Developments, said: “We’re really excited to be bringing something completely new to Spinningfields with this really special building offering something completely different for the city’s increasingly design-conscious tenants.  

“This development will really up the game in terms of the relaxed co-working environment on offer which gives the next generation of occupiers something other to choose from than the standard corporate glass box.

“Manchester continues to be a priority market for Henry Boot Developments and this scheme now adds into the £250m of development that we have already committed to commence in the city over the next two years.”

NJL Consulting acted as the planning consultant. Northmill Associates is the appointed architect for the scheme.