English school could take up City Tower storey

An application seeking permission for the change of use of the 14^th floor at the Piccadilly offices into educational use has been put to Manchester City Council by Schroder Real Estate Investment Management.

Schroder Real Estate purchased City Tower in 2014, and has invested significantly in refurbishment and rebranding. The 14^th floor has been vacant since 2018 due to the take-up of hybrid working.

Language course provider EC English is the proposed tenant, but planning consultant CBRE has applied for dual permission for office and educational use to bring flexibility to the site.

The 14^th floor would extend to 9,100 sq ft, with a capacity of 130 people.

City Tower rises to 28 storeys and is home to a range of tenants including Sheppard Robson, the University of Law, and Plexus Legal.

Cushman & Wakefield, JLL and OBI are retained agents on the building. Agents declined to comment.

To view the change of use application, use the reference number 142020/FO/2025 in Manchester City Council’s planning portal.