The Arch Company has secured planning permission for the redevelopment of 10 derelict railway arches on Corporation Street in Manchester.
The railway arches are set to be transformed into new premises for food and drink, leisure and retail businesses.
The design of the arches incorporates high-quality materials that will restore an attractive appearance to the elevations on Corporation Street, creating a ‘street’ of arches that the developer believes will appeal to potential tenants in the current marketplace.
Santosh Patel, strategic account director at Pick Everard, which provided structural, civil, mechanical and electrical services advice to The Arch Company, said: “Manchester is famously proud of its industrial heritage, and this project not only maintains and celebrates that history, but rejuvenates it in an exciting and innovative way to bring added social value to the city’s modern landscape and its residents.
“Seeing this project to completion will bring a new offering to Manchester, further regenerating its town centre in a way that makes sense within its larger community. The new spaces present a great opportunity for independent retail, restaurant, and other leisure businesses to develop in an area that will grow and thrive with them.”
Alan Soper, studio director at Stephen George + Partners, which designed the scheme, added: “By any standards, arches are not a ‘normal’ building type and each can differ considerably in height, depth and shape; realising the potential of these previously overlooked spaces takes experience and good technical know-how if we are to refurbish them to modern occupancy standards.
“Our previous experience with old, historic or listed properties, and the ability to work within the existing building fabric, has proved invaluable in realising some of these schemes, as too has our technical knowledge of building regulations, particularly in relation to ventilation and fire security.”
