Archive
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Atelier MB receives green light for works at Science and Industry Museum, Manchester
Atelier MB has announced it has received Listed building consent from Manchester City Council to carry out important upgrading works within the Grade I listed 1830 Station and the 1830 Warehouse at the Science and Industry Museum.
Atelier MB and Atelier Heritage were commissioned by the Board of the Trustees of the Science Museum to lead on fire door and fire compartmentation projects which form part of the wider multi-million pound conservation project at the museum, with work expected to begin in autumn this year.
Laura Jessup, Atelier Heritage said: “The Science and Industry Museum contains some of the most treasured and historically significant buildings in Manchester and it is an honour for the team to be working on them. Making sure these buildings meet modern standards while respecting their history is so important to ensure they can be enjoyed for many, many years to come.”
The Liverpool Road site was home to the first steam powered inter-urban railway for passengers and goods and boasts the oldest remaining passenger railway terminus in the world. Opened in 1830, the railway was revolutionary, allowing the public to access faster transport between the cities of Liverpool and Manchester.
When passenger services shifted to the new station at Hunt’s Bank (Victoria) the railway continued to move significant amount of freight, linking to national routes. Following its closure in 1975, the site was eventually reopened as a museum and continues as a well-loved and highly valued visitor attraction, with 2023 marking the museum’s 40th anniversary.
The 1830 Station is currently closed for conservation purposes. The first £1.9 million phase of work funded by DCMS and led by Manchester-based Buttress Architects was completed in Spring 2022 and has given the building a new roof, gutters and rainwater pipes to protect the building for future generations to come. The museum is now planning for further internal repairs alongside the creation of new learning spaces alongside the development of a revolutionary railroad and locomotive experience to tell the railway story.
The restoration work is part of a much wider multi-million-pound development project of the historic site and buildings that Science and Industry Museum inhabits, and it is all part of a plan to create a more sustainable museum.
Atelier MB is a Manchester-based architecture practice which has been working on sites across Manchester since 1980.
Find out more about the wider project at the Science and Industry Museum here:
https://www.scienceandindustrymuseum.org.uk/about-us/we-are-changing
This news announcement for Atelier MB received coverage in North West Insider and The Business Desk
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Planning granted for Daisy Bank Park at Victoria Park, South Manchester
Manchester based property development and investment company Britannia Group has announced it has received planning consent from Manchester City Council for its proposals to create Daisy Bank Park, a development of 72 new homes on the former probation centre site on Daisy Bank Road, Victoria Park, South Manchester.
A large, detached property known as Stafford House occupied the corner of Daisy Bank Road and Laindon Road from the 1890’s until it was demolished in the 1960’s to make way for the probation centre, and Britannia Group’s plans include a new 3.5 storey building to occupy the corner once again.
The new building will include 23, one bedroom apartments – six of which will be affordable – and 14, two bedroom apartments with private ground floor gardens, and parking and shared gardens to the rear.
To the south of the site a series of seven blocks will accommodate 15, three bedroom and 15 four bedroom family townhouses; two, one bed and two, two bed apartments and one, six bedroom house. All houses facing on to the road will have front and rear gardens. The houses will back on to private courtyards, shared green space and a kitchen garden. All parking is incorporated into internal courtyards which are screened from the street and each townhouse is allocated one in-curtilage parking space.
The proposals were the subject of a public consultation in September last year, at which it received a positive response. The final development will have a GDV in the region of £16.5 million.
Nick Carter, development director, Britannia Group said: “We very excite by our plans to transform the site, especially bringing a large building back to the corner of Daisy Bank Road and Laindon Road and creating much needed new family homes for the area.”
While the site is located just outside the Victoria Park Conservation Area, which dates to 1837 and includes 20 Listed buildings, the designs by Ollier Smurthwaite Architects take into consideration the characteristics of Victoria Park, including massing, height, materials and colours, as well details such as pitched roofs, projecting gables, garden walls, gate posts, door and window style and front and rear gardens.
Matt Ollier, Ollier Smurthwaite Architects said: “The scheme takes a derelict brownfield site suffering from anti-social behaviour and proposes high quality houses and apartments for inter-generational living. A strong sense of community is promoted through the front and rear gardens, shared lawns and a kitchen garden. We are also incorporating a large number of existing mature trees along Daisy Bank Lane into the development.”
Avison Young is the planning consultant on behalf of Britannia Group. Britannia Group has already started demolition works on the site with construction work to follow on within six months.
This planning announcement achieved press coverage in regional business press including Place North West and The Business Desk
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Watch the Gastonbury movie!
Here’s the film we made at our first Gastonbury event, held on 14 June 2023.
Common Projects, the team behind the plans for the transformation of the former gasholder site at the centre of Wandsworth, announced its intention for the charity to take over a significant amount of the ground floor space within the future development and become its first permanent occupier.
Find out more about the wider plans for Wandsworth Gasworks here.
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Local live music charity to breathe life and soul into Wandsworth Gasworks
On Wednesday 14 June, at “Gastonbury” a special event held at music charity Neko Trust’s ‘the dEPOT’ near Armoury Way, Common Projects, the team behind the plans for the transformation of the former gasholder site at the centre of Wandsworth, announced its intention for the charity to take over a significant amount of the ground floor space within the future development and become its first permanent occupier.
The team spoke passionately about the richness of Wandsworth’s musical heritage, and the importance of ensuring young people in Wandsworth and beyond can access training and employment opportunities within the industry.
The charity, already operating from its temporary home on the Gasworks site, the dEPOT, will work alongside developer Common Projects to deliver a music campus which will be at the heart of the proposed new community at Wandsworth Gasworks. The campus will include recording studios, rehearsal and writing spaces as well as training areas, breakout spaces, green room and artist accommodation.
Established in 2005, Neko Trust provides education and training programmes to help local young people develop their skills in live music performance and production. To date over 1000 young people have worked with the charity, and the permanent move into a future Wandsworth Gasworks will ensure its continued success.
Glen Rowe, founder, Neko Trust said: “Neko Trust is the major charity for the live music sector. Resident in Wandsworth since 2005, we are part of a thriving yet little known music scene in this part of the borough. Our education and training programmes create pathways to employment, focusing on those facing barriers to progression. We draw on the expertise of a large pool of working professionals.
“Neko wants to retain talent within the borough of Wandsworth and encourage collaboration. The charity’s young creative community share facilities with established businesses and A-list artists. We clearly share an aspiration with Common Projects for a thriving music industry in the centre of Wandsworth.
“Neko’s vision is for a more sustainable music industry with a workforce more representative of the UK population. Our mission is to help the next generation of music and live events talent to reach their potential, regardless of background.”
Steve Sanham, director, Common Projects said: “At Common we take a community driven approach to our projects. We strongly believe in culture as a driving force to help to create and bring communities together, and with Wandsworth’s rich musical heritage, working with Glen and his team at Neko Trust is a perfect fit. We are planning to create something incredibly special here at Wandsworth Gasworks.”
Invited guests to Wednesday’s event, including the Lord Mayor of Wandsworth Councillor Juliana Annan, were treated to a performance by up and coming band Carpark. The band are longtime friends of Neko Trust. Scottie said: “We are so pleased for Glen and everyone at Neko. It is going to be fantastic for us, and so many other artists like us, to have amazing facilities on our doorsteps and we can’t wait to see how everything works out.”
Music is just one part of the story at Wandsworth Gasworks. Plans submitted by Common Projects to Wandsworth Borough Council for the 1.8 hectare, former gas holder site also include:
- Opening a 150 metre stretch of the River Wandle for the first time in a century
- Creating over a football pitch worth of new public spaces and play areas
- Planting 170 semi-mature trees and improving biodiversity
- Installing a new pedestrian bridge to complete the Wandle Trail
- Improving walking and cycling routes for local people – connecting the town, the river, the site and the station
- Providing 646 new homes, 35% being affordable, across four new buildings ranging from 10 to 30 storeys
- Building 3,700 sq metres of new work space and ground floor spaces for community use as well as for new businesses
- Retaining and repurposing the 67 metre circular foundation of the former gas holder and in doing do save the carbon equivalent of over 100 new-build homes.
- Creating a zero carbon ready energy centre to provide heating for the entire development
Steve Sanham said: “Our proposals for Wandsworth Gasworks are the culmination of two and a half years of engagement with the Council and its various departments, more than 1500 local people, local businesses, and community groups. It’s been a complex process, because it’s a complex site, but it is a process we have really enjoyed. We very much look forward to seeing what the Council make of our proposals.”
“We are excited about the potential to create a dynamic new community on this under-used, un-loved industrial site. Our team has worked hard to design public parks and green spaces for everyone to enjoy, as well as creating new homes and places to do business. Wandsworth Gasworks will truly transform this corner of Wandsworth.”
Visit www.wandsworthgasworks.co.uk for more information and to watch the film which was shown at the event about the journey so far between Neko Trust and Common Projects.
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Emmott launches new residential agency Kingsdene
Louise Emmott has announced the launch of Kingsdene, a new homes sales, residential lettings and management agency. The new outfit is the result of Louise leading a management buyout of the JLL Residential operation in the north, and sees the offices in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool renamed Kingsdene.
Louise, who has worked at JLL for 20 years and been head of residential agency and development for the past five years, is joined by co directors Oliver Dolan and Lynsey Smith and the 24 employees across the three offices.
Kingsdene will remain close to JLL, working as joint venture partners and sharing local, national and international resources to best meet the needs of their developer clients.
Louise Emmott said: “When the opportunity presented itself for Oliver, Lynsey and I to take over JLL’s residential operations in the North, we jumped at the chance. We know our market inside out and have great relationships with our clients across the region.
“Kingsdene will offer unrivalled local expertise in city centre sales, lettings and property management, and this coupled with our unique relationship with JLL’s UK and global capital markets team means we have an exciting offer to help our ambitious property developer clients access international funding and investment.
“We are thrilled to be in a position where we can take the business forward in what is undoubtedly a significant period for residential development with both the rental and new homes markets performing exceptionally well. Our independence and ability to be nimble and agile will be essential to our consumer facing operations in Manchester, Leeds and Liverpool.”
Kingsdene will continue to work with new homes clients which include Muse, Clarion, Grainger and Urban and Civic. While the consumer facing side of the business will take over the estate agency on Deansgate at the Great Northern Warehouse.
Stephen Hogg, managing director of JLL’s Manchester office said: “I have worked alongside Louise for 20 years and Oliver and Lynsey for 15 years and I think it’s fantastic how JLL can support this MBO and strategic partnership going forward. The focus is ensuring our client base receives the best service and this new hybrid model of global and local advisers gives us best in class advice. I look forward to working with the team for another 20 years!”
The name Kingsdene is derived from King Sturge a nod to the 250 year old firm Louise originally joined in 2003, which was sold to JLL for circa £200 million in 2011. “Dene” is the original river which once flowed through Manchester which Deansgate is named after.
The news of Lousie opening Kingsdene was covered by national and regional titles including React News, Insider and Place North West.