Votes on ‘cereal box’ towers and suburban venue have been deferred twice
How the new skyscrapers set for Great Ancoats Street could look. (Image: Liquid Funding Business)
It could be D-Day for two Manchester planning sagas next week as their applications will be debated for the third time.
A bid to build skyscrapers with 752 homes on the site of Stockton’s furniture store on Great Ancoats Street and an application to keep a mosque’s marquee in Whalley Range will go before councillors on Thursday (January 15), after both were deferred twice in November and December.
The planning committee voted to defer the Stockton’s application in November after local councillors criticised the design as ‘an unimaginative cereal box’.
Piccadilly councillor Sam Wheeler said: “This breaks the framework SimpsonHaugh wrote by four storeys. That topped out at 45 storeys and this is taller than that.
“So we are seeing, at the first development, you can ignore the [strategic regeneration framework], you can ignore councillors, and you can ignore residents and that’s simply not correct.
“If we are going to accept another unimaginative SimpsonHaugh architectural cereal box then I propose a site visit to see what will be inflicted on the city.”
A month later, a last-minute report commissioned by residents in neighbouring Oxygen tower on their loss of light forced another delay. However, after reviewing the report, council planners have stuck to their original recommendation of approving the development.
In Whalley Range, the British Muslim Heritage Centre’s desire to retain a temporary marquee for three more years has turned into a suburban battle, with thousands of letters of support and objection sent to the town hall.
First erected 12 years ago, the College Road marquee is used for religious services and weddings, but neighbours claim late-night events give rise to inconsiderate parking and unacceptable noise levels from loud music, chanting, and supercars revving their engines.
The British Muslim Heritage Centre marquee that’s causing a stir in Whalley Range(Image: Manchester council)
After deferring for a site visit in November, the mosque was given another month to show it can better manage marquee events in December. However, a council report said: “Since December 18, there have been issues with fireworks, and the external lighting to the marquee being left on after 11pm on [Boxing Day] December 26.
“On December 28, guests were leaving the marquee just after 11pm, cars were still parked on site and there was shouting and car doors slamming. Another complaint references the presence of cars associated with an event on January 1 still present at 10:56pm, with the Clarendon Road exit locked all evening, and no visible security presence.”
Planners have stuck to their guns and are recommending planning permission is refused, effectively shutting the marquee down.
The planning committee will discuss both items at 2pm on Thursday, January 15. You can watch it online here.
