Planners are expected to rubber stamp Manchester’s latest Spinningfields development later this week [May 8] — despite objections from some of the city’s top lawyers and its premier theatre venue.
Barristers with chambers at the Grade II listed Cobden House on Quay Street argue that the new 340,000sq ft tower — known as No 1 Spinningfields — will block out light. They are criticising the Ian Simpson design and argue the building will create a “physical and psychological barrier” along the route they, and other lawyers, take between the courts on the other side of Spinningfields and the cluster of legal chambers around Byrom Street.
The Ambassador Theatre Group, which runs Manchester’s Opera House, has also written to the city authority claiming that the demolition of Quay House and its replacement with a 20-storey tower would interrupt matinee performances and make it harder to load props and other stage equipment.
English Heritage has thrown its weight behind both objections, arguing the Allied London development will have a “harmful impact” on the settings of several nearby heritage assets, including Cobden House, Sunlight House, Royal London House, the Opera House, and the listed terraces on St Johns Street, and within the Deansgate-Peter Street, St Johns Street and Castlefield conservation areas.
The Manchester Conservation Areas & Historic Buildings Panel also already advised caution about the removal of too many 1960s buildings which are increasingly recognised as having “heritage value”. The panel has described the height of No 1 Spinningfields as having “a highly unfortunate impact on the character of this area”.
Council planning officers are, however, recommending the scheme’s approval when it goes before the full planning committee. “There are a number of tall buildings within the city centre and a tall building on this site would add and respond well to other tall buildings within the city,” their report says. “The development would improve the entry sequence into Manchester along Quay Street and would help to define a major entry point into the city centre.”
Having been involved with the scheme from the start, the officers say they are convinced that Allied London is committed to employing “best practice construction management techniques” and were determined to minimise disruption during demolition and construction.
The report concludes that “the impact of the proposal on the listed buildings would be minor” within the short term. It acknowledges there would be localised instances of harm to the settings of the Grade II listed Cobden House and the group of Grade II listed buildings on St John Street. “However, it is considered that, notwithstanding the desirability of preserving the setting of the listed buildings, this harm would be outweighed by the public benefits of the scheme,” adds the report.
Work on the 19-storey redevelopment of Quay House is expected to start this summer. In addition to its Grade A office space the new tower includes a skyline restaurant and ground floor units for restaurants, a café and shops.
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