Plans to build a 55-storey high-end student accommodation skyscraper and a SME incubator in Manchester city centre have been revealed.
Specialist student housing developer Student Castle have put forward proposals for the Hulme Street scheme, which would also see an area of the existing multi-storey car park partially de-constructed to reconfigure the layout.
Featuring 850 studio apartments, the 165-metre tall purpose-built accommodation has been designed for undergraduate and postgraduate students to live, study, relax and enjoy the city.
Other features of the ‘contextual Manchester red brick building’ are 6,000 sq ft of communal and ancillary spaces for student use and 259 secure cycle storage spaces.
In addition, the SME co-working operation will boast 8,000 sq ft of high quality space over four floors. Students and postgraduates residing in the building will be given the chance to work alongside start-up professionals in a supportive incubator environment.
There will also be a common area on the top floor of the Hulme Street building – adjacent to the 37-storey development at 1 GMS which Student Castle previously developed – offering panoramic views across the city.
Architects Glenn Howells are design leaders on the project on behalf of GMS (Parking) Ltd.
The planning submission proposes to reconfigure and reduce the size of the existing multi-storey car park in order to release this exciting development opportunity on the surplus part of the site. Student Castle intends to open the landmark scheme towards the end of 2022.
Edward Cade started Student Castle in 2010 alongside Jacqui Hawthorn with a clear vision to change the perception of traditional student accommodation.
He said: “The building will become a new Manchester landmark and provide spectacular views over the city.
“The building also presents a significant windfall opportunity to redevelop a portion of an existing multi-storey car park adjacent to Manchester Oxford Road Station into a fully managed purpose-built student residence.”
Prior to submitting plans, the height of the proposed building has been developed alongside consultation with the Places Matter! Design Panel and Historic England.
The proposals have also undergone an extensive local authority, statutory and public design review and consultation process.
Alan McCartney, Studio Director for Glenn Howells Architects, said: “The design proposes a contemporary interpretation of the contextual red brick buildings present in and around Manchester.
“Its proximity to the local universities, transport hubs and the city core makes the site location ideal for an emerging student development, combined with an ambitious vision to design high quality student living where students would want to live.
“The provision of SME incubation space also offers opportunities for small businesses to have an affordable workspace.”
Deloitte is the planning consultant on Hulme Street, WSP the structural and M+E engineers while AECOM is project manager.
Ed Britton, Assistant Director of Deloitte Real Estate, said: “The Hulme Street project will directly meet the need to improve and increase Manchester’s range of student accommodation by providing high quality purpose built accommodation and will help encourage students out of city centre apartments. The SME incubator space will help nurture growing businesses and supports the strategic growth objectives of the City and Oxford Road Corridor. The scheme demonstrates exceptional design quality and will make a positive contribution to the emerging Oxford Road cluster and Manchester’s skyline.”
