It won’t be resolved until next year
How the new skyscrapers set to be built where Stockton’s furniture is on Great Ancoats Street could look. (Image: Liquid Funding Business)
The future of a proposed 50-storey skyscraper containing 750 flats remains uncertain after its planning application was delayed for a second time.
Developers Liquid Funding Business first unveiled its plan to build a 752-home, 25- and 50-storey towers on the site of Stockton’s furniture store on Greater Ancoats Street last year, and it looked set to secure planning permission last month. However, after local councillors criticised the design for being ‘another unimaginative cereal box’, Manchester council’s planning committee decided to visit the spot to see the impact it may have.
The plan was recommended for approval on Thursday (December 18) — but has been halted once again thanks to a last-minute, 1,000-page report.
Planning director Julie Roscoe explained: “We have received a very late residents report. It runs to 1,000 pages. It’s beyond the cut-off for late representations.
“That said, the applicant is fully aware of the report. The applicant has asked members to consider delaying the application.”
The scale of the taller tower is bigger than anything Great Ancoats Street has seen(Image: Liquid Funding Business)
It wasn’t the only item to be deferred at Thursday’s planning meeting, with the British Muslim Heritage Centre in Whalley Range’s application to keep a marquee used for weddings and religious services also delayed to give the centre more time to address issues raised by residents, like parking and noise.
However, the most controversial decision of the afternoon came when councillors voted to approve the redevelopment of Chorlton in the face of ‘thousands of objections’. PJ Livesey planned to knock down the old Chorlton Cross shopping centre and replace it with a taller building featuring 262 flats, commercial spaces, and a makers’ yard.
“This application is too high density and could be damaging for Chorlton,” argued resident objector Catherine Brownhill.
(Image: PJ Livesey)
“It risks making the same mistake as Graham House, an eyesore we thought would be removed — not repeated.
“Chorlton deserves a plan that respects its character, meets genuine housing need and gives us a true district centre that we can be proud of. Chorlton deserves better.”
However, PJ Livesey agent Chris Argent said building upwards was necessary: “Chorlton is an area of high housing demand.
“The contribution of this brownfield site should be maximised with high density. A far less dense scheme would maintain and perpetuate affordability issues the community feels.”
Other applications approved include an extension in Abraham Moss, demolishing a former garage on Seymour Road in Crumpsall to make way for a community centre, and building two artificial football pitches, a multi-use games area, a skate park,and a new pavilion with cafe and changing rooms at Wythenshawe Park.