Work on Gary Neville 's long-awaited development in Manchester city centre is finally under way after overcoming a series of setbacks during the last decade.
The redevelopment of the former Bootle Street police station has now started.
This first phase of the £200m scheme will see a nine-storey office block built off Albert Square with a' high-end' rooftop restaurant and bar on the terrace.
READ MORE: The big developments set to change the face of Manchester in 2022
Manchester council today (January 31) granted a late-night alcohol licence for the Sky Bar premises which is not due to open for another two years at least.
It comes after residents objected to the application to sell alcohol at the rooftop restaurant and bar until 3am – but this request was scaled back.
Councillors, residents and licensing officers withdrew their objections after the applicant agreed that the terrace would close to customers at 11pm.
Speaking on behalf of St Michaels UK Propco Limited at a town hall hearing, Felicity Tulloch said that preliminary work on the site has just started and the first phase of the project, including this premises, is due to be done by 2024.
But she revealed that a 'high end' operator has already been lined up to run it.
She said: "We're applying for the premises licence now because we want to give comfort to the incoming tenant.
"We're not in a position to say at the moment who that tenant is, but that deal has not been finalised.
"But it's going to be a high-end internationally recognised and renowned bar and restaurant operator which would be in keeping with the high quality of this scheme and the development as a whole."
The restaurant will be open all day, serving breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and cocktails, according to the licensing agent from Kuits Solicitors.
The premises licence allows it to open from 8am to 3.30am every day except for Sundays when it must close by 1.30am, with last orders half an hour earlier.
Alcohol can be sold and live music can be played at the premises from 10am.
But the terrace must close to customers, except for those smoking, at 11pm.
Tulloch said the nearest residents who would be affected by any noise from the terrace will be those living within the St Michael's development itself.
She said: "It can't be that this premises causes nuisance because those units have got to be sold and they can't be disturbed."
The second phase of the scheme includes a 41-storey tower with a hotel on the lower floors with residential apartments above and a public piazza below.
The redevelopment of Jackson's Row off Albert Square was finally approved in 2018 following a long-running saga sparked by a huge backlash to the plans.
The plans were radically redrawn after Historic England strongly criticised the proposal, warning it would cause a 'high level of harm' to the historic town hall.
The green light was eventually given for the revised plans which featured a five-star boutique hotel, office space, bars, restaurants and a public garden.
Construction firm Bowmer and Kirkland (B&K) was appointed to build an office block after the five-star boutique hotel in the previous plans was scrapped.
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