Arrowsmith unveils vision for 26-storey Manchester scheme
Apex Tower, designed by Leach Rhodes Walker, would provide 72 apartments on the corner of Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street.
Arrowsmith Investment has launched a consultation on the 26-storey scheme, its maiden Manchester venture. The consultation runs until 8 December.
Apex Tower would be located close to Property Alliance Group’s Axis Tower and the proposed 35-storey Manchester Tower, being delivered by a joint venture between Featherfoot Whitworth Street and Altrincham-based EGCC Group.
Arrowsmith’s proposals also feature a second, seven-storey infill block between the Jury’s Inn Hotel and the Briton’s Protection pub on Great Bridgewater Street.
This will provide an additional four apartments and 2,700 sq ft of office space, which will become Arrowsmith’s new UK headquarters.
The scheme could also see public realm improvements delivered at the junction of Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street.
Arrowsmith Investment is a property development company with a growing presence in the North West, with active schemes in Stockport, Salford and Trafford.
“Our vision is to deliver a scheme which supports the city’s growth by providing a much-needed sustainable and inclusive residential offer,” said Tony Connor, head of development and projects at Arrowsmith Investment.
“We take our responsibilities as a developer seriously. We have been working with our leading Manchester-based team to design a scheme which will complement the neighbouring buildings – including the much-loved Briton’s Protection – and enhance this part of the city for everyone.”
Christian Gilham, director at Leach Rhodes Walker, added: “Throughout the design process we’ve been focussed on designing an ambitious yet complementary scheme.
“The tower has been designed to sit comfortably within the cluster of tall buildings emerging in this part of the city centre. We have been very careful to retain and enhance the setting of the Briton’s Protection pub and have carved out the lower floors of the building so that the presence and prominence of the pub at pedestrian level will remain.”
Zerum is the planning consultant and Turley is advising on heritage.
Strangulation of the Britons Protection one of the best traditional pubs in Manchester.
By Monty
Doesn’t sound a lot of apartments for 26 stories. Typical developer getting planning to flip. Be amazed if this gets moving.. Also, anyone done a wall to floor ratio check?
By KatieT
I think that’s an example of ‘just because you can doesn’t mean you should’
By Allotmentlad2
What a hideous proposal. Two pointless slivers of a building which will only serve to block all sunlight from one of the best beer gardens in the city – and for what?!
By Dan
Truly depressing. Let’s hope it doesn’t ever see the light of day
By PlanMan
Like to see them go beyond 26 floors if possible. A balcony or two would be nice too.
A little confused as to why the top of the building hasn’t been shown in the diagrams.
By MrP
Strange they don’t include any further images of the tower element in the proposals.
By Meeseeks
This is a phenomenally bad proposal. It completely overwhelms the buildings around and will ruin the beer garden of one of Manchester’s heritage pubs. Terrible terrible terrible
By John
Don’t mind the design – at least it isn’t the same as the usual boxey/cuboids across the City. However, the location of this is very strange, surely there’s a more suitable site for it?
By Vertical City
CGIs that cut off half of the scheme and a consultation website that doesn’t allow comment on the proposal. I’m struggling to think why that might be?
By Dave
That’s the beer garden ruined then!
By Disgruntled Goat
Don’t understand why it doesn’t cantilever over the public house.
By Anonymous
Once they check the covenants on the site it may be a shock! Good luck trying to get it away and actually built!
By Jim Storey
Whatever you think of the proposals, I don’t know how this could possibly be seen to ‘retain and enhance the setting of the Briton’s Protection pub’. It’s just paying lip service to heritage considerations.
By CD
Good Luck!
By GJ
‘Sustainable and inclusive residential offer.’
Yeah, right.
By Karen
I actually like this!
By Stuart
Not a fan of this
By Anonymous
This is the wrong location. A building that tall should not be adjacent to the Britons Protection which is an iconic Manchester landmark.
By James Grant
Alexa, show me a prime example of unsympathetic development
By OMG
Hmm 72 Apartments over 26 storeys that would be potentially 3 apartments per floor which won’t stack financially, design looks good though
By Pablo
I am against this development because I do not feel it will provide the affordable housing the city desperately needs By affordable I mean fir someone/families on minimum wage who work in the city centre. Also I’m not convinced that the infrastructure is in place or included in the plan ie NHS GPs, Dentists surgeries.
I feel that this development would erode any light on the outside space ( beer garden ) of the Britons Protection The Britons Protection is an iconic building & pub and deserves to be given more a more respectful place within ANY development. I personally think that landscaping should placed around the sides & back parameters so that the buildings architecture can be clearly seen from all sides and not look like it’s being squeezed out of existence – which I feel is this development would do
By Ann Carson
Why are we building on such tiny areas of land while ignoring the gigantic road next to it?
The road needs to be halved in size. Then you can look at the land again and redetermine what you want to do.
By Road Diet
Looks great! Glad they are saving the pub whilst providing 72 much needed apartments in a great location. This is how we get out of the housing crisis.
By Nathan
This is a horrendous proposal next to a historic pub. Completely out of proportion with the pub and other buildings on this block
By NickE