Huge glitzy makeover for Ancoats skyline as soaring towers bring 758 flats and landmark public space
Two huge towers are set to come to Ancoats which developers say will ‘set the standards’ for the neighbourhood.
Plans to build on the site of the Stockton’s furniture shop, on the corner of Store Street and Great Ancoats Street, were first revealed last October, but developer Liquid Funding Business (LFB) has now confirmed final details of the project.
In a planning application submitted in late May, the firm said it hopes to build a 50 storey ‘residential tower’ and a 25 storey office and apartment block on the site, which has been for sale since 2020.
“We are thrilled to present our vision for the future of Ancoats,” said LFB’s Daniel Green in October. “This development represents a significant investment in the area, providing much-needed housing and commercial opportunities while enhancing the public realm.
“Our development will complement the proposals for Central Retail Park as well as set the standard for future developments coming forward in the area.”
The taller tower, called building A, will contain 558 flats in all. Little sister building B will host 200 apartments and 43,000 sq ft of office space.
Across the two buildings, which also make room for cafes and shops, 262 flats will be one-bedroom, 486 will be two-beds, and 10 are three-bedroom apartments.
All 758 homes are listed for ‘market housing’ in the planning application, so no affordable housing is included in the development.
No car parking spaces will be built, but 974 cycle storage spots are planned for residents and workers.
Another key feature is a large new square, featuring greenery and places to sit, around both buildings. LFB says some 55pc of the site will become public realm, far more than the 30-40pc Manchester council earmarked in a 2022 regeneration blueprint.
That same document also identified a maximum height of any towers at 45 storeys — so LFB’s proposal may need to be modified to meet council parameters.
Development is also expected to come on the opposite side of Great Ancoats Street, after planners approved a bid to build a Civil Service campus on the former Central Retail Park recently. Roughly 7,000 people will work in the hub once it’s built, with a new city centre park also planned for the area.