New buildings, including a 36-storey round tower, will rise in what is being hailed by city bosses as the 'last piece in the jigsaw' in the rebuilding of the city's core following the 1996 IRA bomb attack.
Developers West Properties have spent almost a year drawing up the master plan after acquiring the Renaissance Hotel site for about £20m.
Long regarded as an eyesore with its closed shops and offices, the bleak concrete building at the end of Deansgate will be levelled to make way for the new complex.
The plans also show a wavy wooden walkway suspended over the River Irwell, linking two new streets that will give access down to the water.
Colin Roy, from West, said: "We have been in close discussion about the city's ambitions for this area and have worked with the architects to deliver something we believe will transform this area."
The redevelopment will include a luxury hotel, offices and more retail space. It will also have top quality living space - either a long stay hotel or apartments.
West have been given the go-ahead to consult the public ahead of a full planning application early next year.
But it's going to be some years before the bulldozers get to work.
The Renaissance Hotel is scheduled to run until 2012 and West say they will look at the wider economic climate before deciding when the time is right to go on site if plans are approved.
Mr Roy said: "This is one of the greatest sites in the city, a wonderful location close to the historic heart, next to the cathedral and right on the river.
"We will raze what is there and replace it with something that will be iconic for Manchester and the wider region.
"The entire site will be closed down and it will be developed as a whole."
Plans will be on display during a public consultation - which will also include detailed drawings, graphics and computer fly-throughs of the proposals - at an exhibition in Manchester Cathedral next Tuesday and Wednesday from 10am to 7pm. Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
in this day of hardship another hotel in manchester??
Anything would be better that what is there, and also it would stop 50% of the traffic pile up waiting to get into the car park at the rear of the hotel.
and the city doesn't need anymore apartments either - nobody can sell the ones they have!
in this day of hardship another hotel in manchester??
dessie, manchester
It isnt "another" hotel, it will replace the one that is there and will hopefully be an improveent.
Im all for it, but is it a sign of the times that it will be YEARS into the future before the old hotel is to be demolished.
Do empty hotels pay rates/tax ect? rather than appartments? it would benefit the developers to call their appartments hotels until all their rooms are sold or let? could all this hotel building be some form of con trick? i cannot see why a city like manchester needs all these hotels?
Do empty hotels pay rates/tax ect? rather than appartments? it would benefit the developers to call their appartments hotels until all their rooms are sold or let? could all this hotel building be some form of con trick? i cannot see why a city like manchester needs all these hotels?
Ace Shakespeare , manchester
What on earth are you going on about? Of course hotels pay business rates.
I did spend 15 minutes giving a thought out and serious response to your previous post. MEN in their wisdom decided not to post it on this comments board.
I dont know why.
Ace Shakespeare
Do empty hotels pay rates/tax ect?
yes, they pay the business rate as long as they are in busines, and pay as much ot as little tax as their lawyers/accountants decide, same as any other business
apparently occupancy rates in manchester are among the highest, at 74%.
city breaks are amongst the fastest growing holidays (liverpool showed 400% increase in visitors between 2000 and 2007, and they need to stay somewhere)