Controversial plans for an office block in Manchester city centre and student accommodation off Oxford Road have not got the green light. But almost 100 new homes were approved by the planning committee on Thursday (July 6).
Councillors gave the go ahead for affordable housing to be built in Openshaw as well as allowing a former nursery, probation offices and community centre in Victoria Park to be demolished to make way for 72 new homes. However, the committee deferred its decision on two developments at the meeting.
A site visit is set to take place before the two schemes are considered again. Two smaller scale applications were also approved at the town hall meeting.
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Here are all the decisions made by the council's planning committee this week.
DEFERRED: Demolition of Reedham House for 14-storey office block
Plans for a new 14-storey office building in Manchester city centre - which would involve demolishing part of the Grade-II listed Reedham House - have led to objections from national heritage groups. However, town hall bosses told the committee that the Victorian building on King Street West has been heavily modified since it was used as a showroom for horse-drawn carriages.
Speaking on behalf of developer Property Alliance Group, planning agent Ellie Philcox said the scheme would bring back an 'underused' building back to life. But councillors were concerned by the comments from Historic England and Save Britain's Heritage and called for a site visit before a decision is made.
Former planning chair Basil Curley's bid to defer the decision was backed by rest of the committee. He said: "Once you lose a building, there's no way back."
DEFERRED: 261 student beds with Victorian villa conversion off Oxford Road
Residents associations, tenants unions and a heritage group have objected to plans for student accommodation near Whitworth Park. The scheme involves converting listed Victorian villas and building a new block of up to nine storeys.
Speaking on behalf of several groups at the town hall meeting, Thirza Asanga-Rae said the site is surrounded by low-rise family housing and argued that the height of the new tower would feel 'oppressive and overbearing' for residents. She said: "This is very much an area for family housing with need for more."
Developer Cityside said the city needs more student accommodation and that 10 pc of the 261 beds would be offered at a discount to students who need it. But Ardwick councillor Tina Hewitson 'could not envisage this building on this street' saying it seems 'too high' and called for a site visit which was agreed.
APPROVED: Flats at former nursery and probation centre in Victoria Park
Planning permission was granted for 72 homes in Victoria Park. A former day nursery, probation offices and community centre in Laindon Road are set to be demolished to make way for the 41 apartments and 31 houses in the scheme.
Six of the new apartments planned for the site in the Rusholme area would be sold at a discounted price with 12 more flats to be made affordable if grant funding is approved. However, the planning application was subject to 16 objections which raised concerns about Victoria Park being 'overpopulated' with local infrastructure such as schools, GPs and hospitals now 'struggling'.
Nevertheless, local councillor Ahmed Ali said he and the other Rusholme representatives are supportive of the scheme. The committee approved it.
APPROVED: Affordable housing in Openshaw as part of new council project
Plans for 24 house and cottage flats in Openshaw were also approved. All of the homes on the patch of grass bounded by Brigham Street, Meech Street and the back of Connie Street would be sold or rented as affordable housing.
The scheme, which has been submitted by housing provider One Manchester, is part of a council project which aims to create hundreds of new affordable homes. Project 500 involves Manchester council selling small plots of land it owns to affordable housing providers at a discount so they can be developed.
The first phase seeks to provide 378 new, low-carbon affordable homes on 27 sites across the city, mainly in north and east Manchester. One objection has been received for this application which the planning committee approved.
APPROVED: Rear dormer in Chorlton and HMO extension in Withington
The committee was also asked to consider two smaller schemes which have been subject to objections. One application was for a rear dormer and four roof lights on the front of a family home in Chorlton as well as new roof glazing.
Eight letters of objection were received to the proposal relating to the Whalley Avenue property, citing concerns about visual and residential amenity. The committee also looked at plans for a two-storey extension to a five-bedroom house in multiple occupation (HMO) in Withington which received objections.
The extension would not create any additional rooms at the property in Cotton Lane, according to the plans, but instead increase the size of the shared living space and one of the bedrooms on the first floor. Two objections were made by local residents in addition to the representations from two ward councillors.
Both of these applications were approved by the planning committee.
