Defence Online

The latest phase of Manchester city centre’s Circle Square development – an 18-storey tower comprising a hotel, energy centre, offices and retail space – looks set to be given the green light.Details to redevelop the former BBC site on Oxford Road were revealed earlier this year, with the wider masterplan including a 36-storey tower, a concert hall, office space and hundreds of apartments.It is being brought forward by joint venture partners Bruntwood and Select Property Group, who subsequently launched four planning applications with Manchester City Council. Plans for a ten-storey multi-storey car park were approved in June. However, the latest proposals to appear in front of Manchester councillors are a revised version.Now, planners hope to construct a part-12, part-18 storey scheme which would include a hotel and an energy centre, as well as a car-park, ground floor commercial units, office space, a gym and restaurants and bars, all of which was approved under the original application.The 150-bed hotel would be from the 12th to 17th floors, while the 1,100 spaces would cover the ground to 11th floors.The energy centre would be gas fired and provide heat and power for all of Circle Square. If given the green light, it would be located within a ground floor double height space with smoke ducts rising through the car park and hotel to roof level.A report to councillors said the facility is “effectively a boiler house but on a larger scale”.Manchester City Council has been recommended to approve the proposals on 17 November 2016.