Archive: Mar 2017

  1. Metis is first to sign at Northern Assurance Buildings

    OBI Property announced Metis real estate advisors has taken space in the recently refurbished Northern Assurance Buildings on Albert Square, Manchester.  The firm has taken 2,139 sq ft on the 5th floor.

    Metis is moving its team of 11 from The Offices (serviced offices) on King Street into Northern Assurance Buildings.  The building is owned by the LJ Partnership and forms part of The Albert Estate* which has undergone a £3 million transformation.

    The Grade II Listed Northern Assurance Building was designed by Manchester-based architect Waddington and Sons and built in 1902.  OBI Property designed and project managed the recent refurbishment which has seen the enhancement of the Listed features coupled with the modernisation of the internal workspace.

    Richard Lace, transactions and asset management, OBI Property said: “Northern Assurance Buildings and the wider Albert Estate provide the perfect blend of character Listed building features with modern super-connected workspace in a desirable central Manchester location. The space is appealing to occupiers from a wide and diverse range of sectors and with other space under offer we look forward to announcing further transactions in the near future.”

    George Haddo, LJ Partnership said: “We are delighted to welcome Metis to The Albert Estate.  The estate is a community of dynamic businesses, across many sectors, based in the heart of the city.”

    JLL is the joint letting agent with OBI Property. Metis represented themselves.

    The news was featured in several publications including Place North West.

  2. Tim Groom Architects receives planning for two apartment schemes in Baltic Triangle and Ropewalks, Liverpool

    On 28 March 2017, a Manchester-based practice, Tim Groom Architects received planning approval from Liverpool City Council for two, separate residential schemes for property developer Iliad Group – New Bird Street and St Michaels II – located in The Baltic Triangle and Ropewalks areas of Liverpool respectively.

    New Bird Street is a 156 apartment development.  The design draws from the historical industrial use of the Baltic Triangle area and the many mills that occupied it.

    The building looks to restore the urban edge to the surrounding streets and sets up a perimeter block with an internal courtyard.  The pitched roof form incorporated into the design is a distinctive element within the area both historically and now, through the modern industrial sheds of the Baltic Creative Units.  The dense massing is broken down through a series of larger carvings creating external terraces and deep balconies.

    The ground floor will be commercial space, specifically aimed at creative industries which looks to relate to the nearby Baltic Creative.  The units will form a relationship with the internal courtyard creating a vibrant space for residents and commercial occupiers alike.

    St Michaels II is the second phase of the St Michaels development and will act as an opening link from Bold Street, through the Ropewalks and ultimately to the Baltic Triangle and historic waterfront.

    Comprising 120 apartments, the predominant material in St Michaels II is brick, which is synonymous with the Baltic Triangle.  Significant details such as the entrance foyer will be accentuated with bronze aluminium, while the brickwork will comprise of two tones, with a warm buff/grey to the majority of the building and a darker grey/blue brick forming a plinth element to the lower portion of the blocks.

    The news was published by Architects Journal.

  3. FEC reveals designs for Angel Meadow at NOMA, Manchester

    Far East Consortium (FEC) International Limited revealed the designs for its first project in Manchester – Angel Meadow.  The scheme is a £200 million residential development comprising 754 homes across four buildings bordering Angel Meadow Park.  It forms part of the city centre’s NOMA neighbourhood, which is extending the city centre northwards with a mix of commercial and residential space.

    Gavin Taylor, regional general manager, FEC said: “Angel Meadow provides an unrivalled opportunity to create an international calibre neighbourhood within NOMA in the heart of the City.  It’s a privilege to work on such an exciting site for our first development in Manchester.

    “Working with 5plus and Planit-IE our plans are to build over 700 new homes of mixed tenure across the four plots, while bringing new commercial and leisure uses to street level, and bringing the park itself into the heart of the community.”

    The four plots around Angel Meadow Park are on Gould Street, Aspin Lane and Old Mount Street.

    In brief the design proposals include:

    • A 41 storey landmark residential tower, which will include large two-bedroom apartments with winter gardens, designed with families in mind. The winter gardens are located every seven levels animating the tower into glazed stacked boxes.  The building will have ground floor retail and leisure spaces with a new elevated park with direct links into the Angel Meadow Park.
    • Two roads – Aspin Street and Old Mount Street, will be closed, in part, to cars. On Aspin Street, the two proposed 22 and 17 storey apartment buildings, will have active ground floor uses bringing Aspin Lane back to life and mending this connection with the City.
    • There will be five, three-bedroom townhouses on the ground floor building on Old Mount Street with 131 apartments above. There will be a new route through the building, which is part nine and part 12 storeys, for residents from neighbouring buildings into the Park.

    Jon Matthews, 5plus Architects said: “It is clear from our early engagement with the local community that Angel Meadow Park is much cherished amenity and by developing new homes around it, we hope to see the area thrive.

    “Our proposals give everything back to the street.  New connections in and around the park are created, older connections are enhanced.  The buildings are designed to work as a family of modern homes around the meadow – reinforcing the sense of place.”

    Angel Meadow is just a five minute walk from Victoria Station for mainline rail and Metrolink services.  It sits on the edge of the rapidly developing NOMA neighbourhood and is very close to the vibrant Northern Quarter with its many highly successful independent bars, restaurants and music venues.

    Manchester Place Chief Executive Paul Beardmore said: “The City continues to need high quality homes to support the region’s economic growth and we are pleased to see the development plans for Angel Meadow being brought forward in detail. It is a significant milestone.”

    The designs for Angel Meadow are out for public consultation until 7 April 2017 and in addition to being available online there will be two public exhibitions of plans. The formal planning application is expected to be made to Manchester City Council by end of April.

    Subject to planning, building work is expected to begin by the end of the year with the first homes complete in 2019.  It is expected the apartments will be mix of tenure with the emphasis being made on long term occupancy.

    The plans were revealed at MIPIM – you can watch the broadcast of the event here The plans were featured in many publications including Place North West  Construction News, BD, Manchester Evening News, Building

  4. Public consultation for Angel Meadow residential development

    Far East Consortium International Limited (FEC) has announced the start of a pre-planning application public consultation for its proposals for a landmark residential development on four plots around Angel Meadow Park, forming part of the city centre’s NOMA neighbourhood.

    The designs, by Manchester architects 5plus, are for four buildings which border Angel Meadow Park.  They will provide a mix of one, two and three bedroom apartments, as well as five town houses in the proposed building on Old Mount Street.

    Gavin Taylor, regional general manager, FEC said: “We are hugely excited about our plans for Angel Meadow and realise it is important to share them with our neighbours before we make a formal planning application.  Angel Meadow is an unrivalled opportunity to create park-side living in central Manchester.

    “We hope people are as enthused and excited about our proposals as we, and the rest of our team are, and we welcome feedback and comments.”

    A total of 754 homes are planned across the four buildings which, it is proposed, will range from nine storeys to a landmark tower of 41 storeys.

    Jon Matthews, 5plus Architects said: “Our proposals give everything back to the street.  New connections in and around the park are created, older connections enhanced.  The buildings are designed to work as a family of modern homes around the meadow – reinforcing the sense of place.  Working with landscape architects Planit-IE our proposals include the removal of cars from parts of Aspin Street and Old Mount Street.”

    In addition to engaging with local stakeholders during the design process, FEC and its team which includes 5plus Architects and HOW Planning will, this weekend, be distributing information leaflets to over 3000 residential and commercial neighbours to the scheme to inform them of the consultation.

    Images and information about the proposed scheme are available at www.engage.coop/angel-meadows/ until the consultation period closes 7 April.  There is a feedback form on the website and people can submit questions and find out more information by emailing info@engage.coop or calling Freephone 0800 032 8546 (the consultation team is available 9am-5pm Monday to Friday, with an answerphone provided out of hours).

    Public exhibitions of the plans will be held at Band on the Wall, 25 Swan Street, Manchester, M4 5JZ on Thursday 23 March from 2.30pm to 7pm and on Friday 24 March from 11am until 3pm.  Members of the design team will be at both sessions to discuss the plans.

    In addition a presentation of the plans will be made at the property conference MIPIM on Wednesday 15 March at 09.30am (GMT), it can watched live here http://manchesteratmipim.com/

    Gavin Taylor said:  “Manchester is a truly global City and our plans, vision and ambition for Angel Meadow reflects that.  It is only logical we present our plans on an international stage as well as providing our local neighbours with the opportunity to provide feedback.”

    FEC was selected by The Co-op and Manchester Place as development partner for the scheme in summer last year and it is the first project in Manchester for the international property developer.

    Geoff Player, director of commercial & investment property, The Co-op said: “This is an important next step for the second phase of residential development at NOMA.

    “With Moda Living’s Angel Gardens scheme already underway, the Angel Meadow sites create an opportunity to redefine city centre living as part of a vibrant, mixed use neighbourhood.”

    The Manchester Evening News was one of several publications which covered the consultation announcement.