Bookie Fred’s plan for 250 flats in the Northern Quarter
BILLIONAIRE bookie Fred Done’s property firm has revealed plans for two ‘unique and iconic’ developments in the Northern Quarter – one of which is for the same site where blueprints for a huge hotel were rejected.
The Salford businessman’s company Salboy wants to build a block of around 50 flats in Shudehill and another of around 200 apartments on Tariff Street.
Artists’ impressions have been published ahead of a public consultation, which launches next week.
The ‘high-quality residential development’ on Shudehill is for the same site where plans for a 13-storey hotel were turned down by Manchester council’s planning committee earlier this year.
Salboy bosses say the new plan will provide ‘around 50 high specification residential units, including one, two and three-bed apartments, plus town houses, duplex and unique penthouses.’
There would be a smaller area of ground floor commercial space.
The Tariff Street development would be bounded by Port Street and Brewer Street.
Salboy is proposing ‘another highquality residential development comprised of three new buildings, providing another 200 new homes.’
The three buildings would vary in height from ten to 13 storeys.
Designs also include a secluded inner courtyard, roof garden, undercroft car parking and a commercial unit on the ground floor.
Planning applications for both proposals have yet to be submitted.
A public consultation to discuss them will take place on Wednesday, September 12, between 3pm and 7pm at the Centre for Chinese Contemporary Art on Thomas Street.
The image provided of the Shudehill development appears very similar to plans submitted twice by Salboy for a 13-storey hotel, stretching down to a lower height in the Northern Quarter.
In the new proposal, Salboy says the firm is ‘looking to receive feedback on height options for the Shudehill side of the scheme, prior to submitting a planning application.’
Bosses added that they believe the new plans, courtesy of architects 5plus, are ‘more sympathetic to surrounding buildings.’
During a bizarre planning saga in 2017, councillors told Salboy to take away the application and make it smaller, but twice the firm brought back identical designs. In February, the planning committee ultimately voted to reject it.
City centre councillor Joan Davies, speaking against the application, said it looked like ‘a giraffe among a bunch of hamsters,’ a reference to its height, although she added: “It lacks the grace of a giraffe.”
Simon Ismail, director at Salboy, said: “We are confident that we have come up with two unique and iconic developments to add to the Northern Quarter scene and are excited to share our plans with the surrounding community.
“The public consultation phase is a very important step and we are keen to know the thoughts of the local residents and businesses. We will then be able to incorporate these ideas and opinions in our final planning applications. We truly believe Manchester is the best place to live in the UK and we are fully committed to helping it become one of the most influential and liveable cities in the world.
“We respect the unique character and buzz of the Northern Quarter and believe these designs will sit naturally alongside existing buildings but also help the area develop and grow.
“We were naturally disappointed not to have previous proposals for Back Turner Street approved and we have worked hard to resolve the concerns raised.
“This revised residential scheme will provide the sort of homes not currently available in this neighbourhood, allowing people to put down roots and contribute to a growing community.”