Arrowsmith Investment Ltd is developing proposals for a landmark residential and office scheme on the corner of Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street.
Carefully designed to retain and enhance the existing Briton’s Protection public house, Apex Tower will provide approximately 72 high-quality residential apartments within a slender and striking 26 storey building, adding to the cluster of other tall buildings in this growing part of the city centre.
Complementing the taller building, the proposals also include a new seven storey building located between the Jurys Inn Hotel and the Briton’s Protection pub on Great Bridgewater Street, which will provide a mix of apartments and commercial office space.
Prior to submitting a planning application, Arrowsmith would like to invite feedback from members of the local community.
Introducing Arrowsmith Investment Ltd.
Arrowsmith Investment Ltd is a property development company with a growing presence in the North West. Currently they have active schemes in Stockport, Salford and Trafford. The Apex Tower proposals mark Arrowsmith’s first scheme in Manchester city centre, with the intention of delivering a residential-led development in a sustainable and growing area of the city.
Site location and context
The Apex Tower site is in the heart of Manchester city centre, an area that is growing and evolving.
The proposed site is located on the corner of Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street in the Deansgate area of Manchester. The site includes two parcels of land. The first is located directly on the corner, bounded by Great Bridgewater Street, Albion Street and Trumpet Street. It is a vacant piece of land which currently provides a small number of parking spaces. The second parcel of land is located in between the Briton’s Protection pub and the Jurys Inn hotel, bounded by Great Bridgewater Street and Trumpet Street.
The area in the vicinity of the site is characterised by office, leisure, hotel and residential uses, with the Bridgewater Hall concert venue and Manchester Central Convention Centre located nearby.
The existing Briton’s Protection pub will be reinforced by these proposals, which seek to retain the pub’s strong presence at street level, with the main section of the tower starting at the upper floors.
In recent years, this part of the city centre has become home to a cluster of tall buildings, including Axis Tower, the Beetham Tower, Great Northern Tower and – further afield – the emerging tall building cluster at Deansgate Square. A clutch of consented developments will add to this list, with planned developments at Whitworth Street West (35 storeys), the Viadux development on the former Bauer Millet unit off Albion Street (40 storeys), as well as further tall buildings within the Great Jackson Street development framework area.
The plans for Apex Tower have been designed to complement this emerging cluster of tall buildings. The tower will form a stepping down in scale of these taller buildings and will contribute to Manchester’s development as a world-class city.
Site location plan
Tower heights
Tall building cluster
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Our Proposals
The Apex Tower proposals will create a unique landmark building, with only 3 apartments per floor, in a highly sustainable location within Manchester city centre, helping to further enhance the area by providing excellent residential opportunities.
As demand for housing in Manchester city centre grows, Apex Tower will be a much-needed sustainable and inclusive residential offer, close to amenities and public transport connections.
Apex Tower will provide approximately 72 high-quality 2-bedroom residential apartments within a slender and striking 26 storey building, adding to the cluster of tall buildings in this growing part of the city centre and providing panoramic views across the Manchester skyline.
Complementing the taller building, but providing a step down in scale towards the Jurys Inn hotel, the proposals also include a slender new seven storey building located between the Jurys Inn hotel and the Briton’s Protection pub on Great Bridgewater Street, which will provide four high quality apartments and approximately 250 sq m of commercial office space.
Taken together, and alongside plans to enhance the public realm at street level, these proposals will create an exciting and well-connected residential-led development in the heart of the city centre.
Indicative image of development proposals with our aspirational ideas for public realm improvements.
Indicative image of development proposals.
Design approach
The building responds to some important design aspirations. It seeks to connect two separate parts of the City at an important turning point where Albion Street meets Great Bridgewater Street. It provides an enhanced setting for the existing historic Briton’s Protection public house, but at the same time marks an edge of the tall building cluster, forming a transition is scale stepping down towards the City Centre.
In this way Apex Tower not only defines an important location in the city but it also responds in a sensitive way to the immediate, and the wider surrounding buildings.
The taller block is formed by two façades. A robust red terracotta façade that references the traditional materials in the area, and a glassy sweeping curve that faces the more modern contemporary buildings.
To respect and allow the existing Briton’s protection to be seen as a stand alone building, the taller building is cut back over three storeys, so the pub is seen in its own right. At the upper levels the building will overhang and create newly enhanced public realm, supported by columns.
A sweeping glazed façade will add a sleek and modern feel to the building, and will echo the curved nature of the adjacent Manchester Central building.
Nearby curved buildings
Materiality
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Manchester Central
A combination of old multi-brick with red sandstone base and a steel and glass vaulted structure.
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The Midland Hotel
A combination of elegantly detailed red terracotta to the upper level and a sculptured polished buff stone podium with wrought iron detailing.
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The Hilton Hotel
A combination of elegantly designed glazed curtain walling, moveable glass panels and steel.
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Bridgewater Hall Theatre
A combination of metal panels with red sandstone punctured with steel and glass.
Public realm
The Apex Tower proposals also include the potential to improve the external spaces around the site, along Great Bridgewater Street and Albion Street. The aim is to enhance the environment for pedestrians around this area, which is currently a car-dominated environment.
The images shown here are indicative, as some of these spaces fall outside of the site boundary, but they show an ambition to widen footpaths and include landscaping to make this a greener and more attractive pedestrian priority environment. As part of these proposals, there is potential for an extended outdoor seating area for the Briton’s Protection pub, alongside improvements to the Jurys Inn Hotel to be developed.
Indicative image of potential public realm improvements.
Indicative plan of potential public realm improvements.
Heritage
A sensitive approach to the Briton’s Protection, a Grade II listed building will be taken throughout the development period.
At the heart of the design evolution has been the consideration of the Briton’s Protection and preserving its importance as an historic local landmark and a Grade II listed building. The Apex Tower proposals will enhance, rather than impact, the pub.
The taller building on the junction of Albion Street is set back significantly to ensure the Briton’s Protection will remain a prominent and visually distinct building. The entrance to the apartments in the tower building will be glassy and transparent and set back from the street edges.
The right side of the pub, featuring a traditional brick wall and original pub sign, will remain visible as the lower floors of the tower are stepped back, leaving the gable wall almost entirely exposed. In addition, the beer garden will remain unchanged and will not be overlooked.
The Briton’s Protection in 1979
Connectivity
The scheme seeks to address the current lack of connectivity between St Peters Square and First Street, by creating a stepping stone of active frontages and a landmark building, that will act a physical reference and will help to connect the key route into the city from the south.
Located next to Deansgate Station and Deansgate/Castlefield tram stop, the Apex Tower development is highly accessible and well connected. The site is close to other tram stops and is easily reached from the Oxford Road mainline station.
To encourage active travel, Apex tower will include 100% cycle provision for residents, as well as cycle parking spaces for visitors. There will be 3 parking spaces provided, including an accessible space and an electric charging station.
Ground floor plan
First floor plan, showing cycle parking
Sustainability
The Apex Tower proposals have been designed to maximise sustainability. Approaches include:
Providing domestic hot water heating using Air Source Heat Pumps, which also utilise the ‘waste’ heat from bathrooms and kitchen to produce hot water.
Using a Mechanical Ventilation with Heat Recovery system to generate hot water and pre-heat incoming air, meaning there is less energy lost though heating of the outside air in the winter months.
Installing 100% LED lighting throughout.
Considering the potential for photovoltaic panels at roof level.
Have your say
We held a consultation on our proposals in November and December 2021. We would like to thank everyone who responded to our consultation and provided their views.
Our planning applications have now been submitted to Manchester City Council.
If you have any questions about our proposals, you can still get in touch with us via info@albion-st-consultation.co.uk .