Defence Online

Ambitious plans to create four new buildings at the St John’s development in central Manchester, including a 52-storey skyscraper that would become the city’s tallest tower, have been given the go-ahead.Manchester Quays Two’s full planning application for the redevelopment of a site to be known as St John’s Place bounded by the River Irwell to the west, New Quay Street to the north, Gartside Street to the east and Quay Street to the south has been approved by Manchester City Council’s planning committee. Manchester Quays, which is behind the St John’s scheme, is a joint venture between Spinningfields developer Allied London and Manchester City Council.The 3.2-acre site earmarked for redevelopment sits in the northern part of the wider 13-acre St John’s regeneration scheme centred around the Old Granada Studios complex.There are currently two main buildings on the plot. The former Globe & Simpson Building at 88-100 Quay Street, which was built in the 1930s and features an Art Deco clock tower, was previously occupied by ITV as a business service centre. And the Albert Shed building facing the River Irwell, which was built in the early part of the 20th century, now provides valet parking for the Manchester Marriott Victoria & Albert Hotel.The applicant is proposing to demolish both buildings. It has secured permission to construct a 52-storey skyscraper on the Globe & Simpson site featuring a hotel and residential space and a neighbouring eight-storey aparthotel with restaurant and retail space, as well as an 18-storey residential building and a four-storey residential building both with ground-floor retail space, and new public realm.Manchester’s current tallest building is Beetham Tower at 47 storeys high.Across the St John’s Place scheme, there would be 387 accommodation units. Nadler Hotels has been lined up to create a ten-storey hotel within the skyscraper, with the luxury boutique hotel brand planning a 110-bed hotel for its first foray into Manchester.