IQ plans spring 2019 start date for Echo Street
Demolition of Chandos House is due to start in the winter after developer IQ Student Accommodation secured planning consent to replace the building with nearly 500 co-living units across three towers of 25, 20, and 14 storeys.
The project secured planning permission from Manchester City Council last week, and IQ has now started the search for a construction partner to deliver the scheme ahead of a start on site in the second quarter of 2019. Demolition of Chandos House is due to begin by the fourth quarter of this year.
Designed by Sheppard Robson, the development is to replace Chandos House with 642 bedrooms aimed at graduates and young professionals. Of these 94 units are proposed to be for students, which will provide 242 bed spaces in a mix of cluster accommodation and studio flats.
Private apartments will range in size between studio and four-bed apartments, and they will be operated on a private-rented model. Rent for apartments will be all-inclusive, covering council tax, internet, utilities, and cleaning; while a deposit of a week’s rent will be required to secure a home.
Alongside this there will be amenity spaces, work areas, lounges, and a gym. There is also a nursery planned for the ground floor.
The towers are stepped in height and clad with red-and-purple brick, changed from an initial iteration revealed last year that showed a metal façade. Granby Row is to be narrowed and re-aligned to create a “more attractive” pedestrian environment while there are also plans to have a food and beverage unit facing Vimto Gardens.
Rob Roger, chief executive of IQ said: “There is a clear need for affordable and high quality accommodation aimed at young people who are taking their first steps in their career; and we believe that Echo Street provides just this.
“Echo Street provides flexible accommodation within an environment that encourages community, through well thought out collaborative social and working spaces – not too dissimilar to the benefits experienced as a student at University.
“We believe developments like Echo Street will help to retain and attract recent graduates and urban professionals to Manchester, further supporting the major growth that this vibrant city is experiencing.”
IQ Student Accommodation is backed by Goldman Sachs, Greystar, and the Wellcome Trust. The professional team on the project includes Turley as planner; Vectos as transport consultant; and Cundall as building services consultant.
Nice, finally some design that turns me on.
By Elephant
Ding dong elephant
By Anonymous
Ooh dear my Impostor is back. I would never put such a crass statement in a post on here.This Elephant is obviously used to titbits off a high shelf. I am opinionated and annoying true but I hope never crude.
By Elephant
This is a wonderful and much needed development, a massive improvement on Chandos House, a dirty looking concrete 1960’s eyesore. That said, more of these type of developments with flexible, all inclusive, easy to rent features, built close to Transport hubs, need to be built for ‘Key Workers’, for example those in the Construction & Health services, who arrive in Manchester in their thousands for specific periods/ fixed term contracts. Most of them couldn’t afford the Aparthotels (or require more flexibility) and end up in budget Hotels like Easy in the Northern Quarter or Travelodge, Ibis Budget etc. and that creates a shortage of rooms for budget social visitors to Manchester.
By Bilderburg Attendee
Bilderberg has let the cat out of the bag. This is a giant hostel / short stay hotel. And it’s not pretty.
By Unspun