Whitbread and Dominvs Group have submitted plans for a mixed-use office and purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) scheme in Manchester.
One Medlock Street, which will provide commercial office space and PBSA across two buildings of 13 and 37 storeys respectively, is situated within Manchester City Council’s First Street Development Framework area and forms part of the city’s Southern Gateway.
The proposals include the demolition of an existing five-storey Premier Inn hotel to make way for 36,000 sq m of flexible, Grade A space. The adjoining PBSA building will provide 1,014 high-quality rooms. The scheme will also provide new public realm, including a landscaped pocket park and rain garden.
Plans for the site have been designed by local architecture studio Jon Matthew Architects and landscape architect Planit-IE.
Jay Ahluwalia, principal director at Dominvs Group, said: “We’ve worked in partnership with Whitbread to create a mixed-use scheme that will provide an attractive, sustainable and well-connected hub for work, study and living in a huge boost to Manchester’s Southern Gateway. While contributing to the continued regeneration of the First Street area through new community amenities and green spaces, One Medlock will provide much-needed student housing in a city where over 50,000 students lack access to purpose-built accommodation.
“Dominvs Group’s portfolio ranges from hotels to residential and office spaces, and we are constantly expanding our £2.4bn pipeline by working with universities, local councils and other local stakeholders to meet the most pressing demands of those communities.
“After careful consultation with the wider community, we are pleased to submit this application to Manchester City Council to serve the needs of the community in the First Street area and the wider city at large.”
Richard Pearson, senior development manager at Whitbread, added: “Manchester is one of the most popular locations for Premier Inn customers in the UK and we want to ensure our hotels in the city provide a consistently high standard of accommodation for our guests.
“We have recently invested in new rooms in Manchester city centre, including the new 157-bedroom Premier Inn on Princess Street as part of the Circle Square development, just a short walk away from the site at Medlock Street.
“Working with Dominvs we now have the opportunity to realise the true potential of the Medlock Street site by creating high-quality workspace and student accommodation at an important gateway to the city centre.
“As well as generating funds to reinvest in our network, the development will meet the demand for high quality office accommodation in the city and deliver much needed student accommodation within Manchester city centre.”
