Green Light for Office Phase of £219m Manchester Regen
26 January 2023
Two-thirds of Property Alliance Group and Starwood Capital’s Renaissance redevelopment now have planning consent, with work on the hotel element due to complete this year.
Manchester City Council has granted the developer approval for the 50,000 sq ft office element of the project, following a pivot from refurb to new-build.
“Collaboration and a lot of hard work have got us to this important stage of the masterplan for this prominent part of the city,” said Alex Russell, chief executive of Property Alliance Group.
“This project is so important to us and the city, which demands best-in-class for design and amenities to maximise its riverside location. We cannot wait to relaunch this vibrant and engaging destination for the city’s residents and visitors.”
PAG had originally planned to retain the shell of the former Premier House but ultimately opted to demolish it and start afresh, citing viability constraints.
The updated application was lodged last August and sought permission for a five-storey office building where Premier House once stood.
Construction of the office element is due to start in the first quarter of this year. OBI has been appointed as designer and letting agent, alongside JLL.
Will Lewis, founder of OBI, said the office space proposed at Renaissance would provide something new for the Manchester market.
“This is an exciting new product,” he said. “New-build office development of this nature is unique, as it enables both large corporates seeking a self-contained HQ and SMEs to take space on a floor-by-floor basis.”
The other elements of the three-part £210m Renaissance project include refurbishing the former Renaissance building into a 216-bedroom Treehouse hotel, and creating 300 apartments within a new-build 27-storey tower.
Work on the hotel is nearing completion, while PAG is awaiting approval for the residential element.
PAG and Starwood Capital acquired the Renaissance site two years ago and appointed Jon Matthews Architects to draw up plans for its long-awaited redevelopment.
To learn more about the office project, search for application number 134640/FO/2022 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
