More details have been revealed for Gary Neville’s £400m city centre development, St Michael’s.
The former Manchester United legend threw open the doors to the site this week as construction gets well underway.
Including in the plans for St Michael’s – 15 years in the making – is a 41-storey skyscraper, a rooftop restaurant, and a 162-bed 5 Star international hotel.
That’s not to mention the 217 luxury residences, which go on sale after summer as part of a joint venture between Relentless Developments and property developer, Salboy.
St Michael’s will also save and refurbish the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub, which was initially set to be demolished before the developers u-turned and folded it in the plans.
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The tiny pub, one of the few structures remaining in the area from the time of the Peterloo Massacre, will be dwarfed by the new tower but encompassed in the overall St Michael’s vision.
Phase One of the scheme, which expects to be the first fully Net Zero Carbon commercial development in the city, is due to complete in 2024.
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This part includes the highly-anticipated rooftop restaurant, a new opening for Japanese-Peruvian restaurant Chotto Matte.
There’ll also be two other food and drink outlets top and tailing the building.
Watch a fly-through of the St Michael’s development below
Construction is taking place behind the original frontage of the Manchester City Police headquarters on Bootle Street, which is being preserved.
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A public square will see the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub retained and substantially refurbished.
Also included in No.1 St Michael’s is nine floors of ‘best-in-class’ office space, which will set a new headline rent for offices in Manchester.
In the coming weeks, work will begin on the landmark 41-storey tower, which will be the home of the 5 Star hotel and the luxury apartments, plus another 75,000 sq ft of office space.
Signing of the upscale hotel operator is in the works, and is due to be announced this autumn.
The St Michael’s development will bring £120m investment to the city, and create more than 3,000 jobs.
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The scheme has been designed by Skidmore, Owings & Merrill (SOM) and Hodder & Partners, with Bowmer and Kirkland working on No.1, and Salboy’s exclusive build partner Domis set to break ground on No.2 in the coming weeks.
The lobby at St Michael’s. Credit: SuppliedSt Michael’s Square. Credit: SuppliedThe terrace at St Michael’s. Credit: Supplied
Gary Neville, director at Relentless Developments, said: “This is an extraordinary scheme that has been no less than 15 years in the making and we believe it to be the most sustainable commercial space in the city. I’d like to thank all our partners who have been with me on this journey and remained committed to the vision to transform this pivotal area of the city into a global landmark.
“We’ve worked so hard to create a development that is distinctive in both its imaginative design and heritage as well as its location connecting the city’s business district with the historic civic quarter. Signing a deal with two of the world’s most reputable law firms and setting a new headline rent as we launch is testament to that.
“Progress is now beginning to accelerate as we approach the latter stages of No.1 and we set our sights on the world-class leisure and residential elements that will be delivered for No.2.”
No.1 St Michael’s (phase one) is a joint venture between Relentless Developments and global investment firm KKR. Nicky Barker, Managing Director and Head of Asset Management at KKR Europe Real Estate, said: “We are delighted to reach this important milestone and look forward to realising the vision for the exceptional regeneration project in the heart of Manchester alongside our partner, Relentless. We’re proud that the St. Michael’s project is being developed with the aim of achieving net zero carbon in construction and operation and targeting a BREEAM Outstanding rating.”
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A joint venture between Relentless and renowned property developer, Salboy, is enabling the delivery of No.2 St Michael’s (phase two). Simon Ismail, Co-Founder of Salboy, said: “Salboy and Relentless share a passion for delivering this new world-class development in the centre of Manchester. We are really looking forward to delivering No.2 St Michael’s, with the help of all of our dedicated partners. When complete, this long-awaited development will raise the bar for the city’s residential, hospitality, workspace and leisure offerings.”
Gary Neville on site at the St Michael’s Development launch, Manchester. Credit: leeboswellphotography.comGary Neville on site at the St Michael’s Development launch, Manchester. Credit: leeboswellphotography.com
credit: leeboswellphotography.com
Councillor Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “St Michael’s will be a defining regeneration project for our city centre. Following a long road to bring this challenging, long underused site forward, it’s a welcome milestone that construction will start over the summer on a new icon of our city’s skyline – and the latest destination neighbourhood for Manchester – supporting the city’s growth and creating employment opportunities.”
Neil Black, Manchester Office Head at Pinsent Masons, said: “Manchester is an important market for legal and professional services serving as a hub for investment and development across the North West region. As a multinational business collaborating with a range of domestic and global clients, it’s exciting to see the region thrive as a leading UK business centre. Our move into St Michael’s signals an important era for us as we continue to develop and invest in our people, clients and communities across the region.”
Keith Feeny, Director of IT and Operations at Hill Dickinson, said: “We are delighted to be among the first commercial tenants to sign up to phase one of this remarkable new development. Our decision to invest in St Michael’s represents our commitment to the continued growth of Hill Dickinson, our commitment to the wider cultural investment in Manchester as a city and a real desire to improve the sustainability of our operations. We believe this project will help us deliver on all three.”
Campaigners set up petition to pedestrianise Tib Street in the Northern Quarter
Danny Jones
Local campaigners in Manchester have set up a new petition to hopefully pedestrianise what they have deemed the ‘untapped’ Tib Street in the Northern Quarter.
And not only do they arguably have a strong point, but the proposal might have legs, too.
Even if the name Tib St doesn’t quite ring a bell, if you live centrally or have been to the city centre enough times, the chances are you’ll likely have walked down it at least once or twice.
More importantly, you could be walking, drinking, eating and plenty more there soon, if the people behind this petition pull off the plans they’re hoping to put in place with the help of Manchester City Council.
Staging a small, simple but considered and definitive demonstration on Friday, 24 October, a group of Manc businesses, residents and volunteers gathered to hold out the banner seen above, calling for exactly what it says: for local authorities to pedestrianise Tib Street.
They believe it has more potential. (Credit: The Manc Group)
Having seen the success of nearby Thomas Street and Edge St, which have become two of the busiest parts of what is already one of Manchester’s most vibrant districts and cultural hubs, they essentially want a piece of the action – and you can’t exactly blame them.
While at least part of the road is well utilised with the likes of Northern Soul, Evelyn’s, MyThai, and other independents sit pretty tucked away up into the slightly raised buildings above street level, with that recognisable bridge hanging above, the thoroughfare as a whole still remains a bit of a bottleneck.
It’s arguably even more so further down the street as you head more towards Ancoats, too, with the backstreet sitting behind the likes of Tib Street Tavern, Matt and Phreds, and The Butcher’s Quarter still mainly reserved for little more than deliveries and people trying to secure a shortcut.
Nearby native Fiona Moinuddin, who has rallied to try and get the Council on side in the past, says: “Pedestrianisation has already transformed other parts of NQ, and Tib Street should be next.
“This is about making our streets safer, supporting local businesses, and giving people space to enjoy our city centre. I’m calling on the Council to listen to residents and act.”
In fact, there have already been calls to roll back the road to a bygone era and bring back one particular treasured piece of its heritage.
Before it was known for lorries, diversions and traffic, it was home to a rather famous bit of artwork.
Chatting with the Tavern’s co-owners on the day, Rory O’Keefe and Jon Dootson, they told The Manc that “it’d be so much better for the street to be closed.”
“We’ve obviously got Dorsey Street, which could be opened up and turned into a terrace of a sort of community garden, and just tidy this area up and make it look a lot nicer for the city – it’ll be great for businesses as well.”
“I think there are too many cars coming down here. Obviously, everything’s mainly featured on Stevenson Square, and we feel a little bit left out around the corner.”
They also noted that although it’s been great to see how their Thomas and Edge St neighbours are thriving, not to mention they’ve been around for over two decades themselves, they have sadly lost a lot of business due to the disparity – especially when the sun comes out.
We also spoke to Matt and Phreds‘ boss, Claire Turner, who said: “Tib would be really good for pedestrianisation, so we can have some outdoor furniture, maybe even bring some live music into the street in the summer; it would just kind of tie everything together with the rest of the Northern Quarter.
“I understand it’s not going to be for everybody, but I’m hoping the council will logistically sort everything out so that there’s still plenty of access for deliveries etc., but I just think it’s a positive thing for all of us.”
If you’d like to get behind the movement, you can sign the petition to pedestrianise Tib Street HERE.
Law requiring landlords to repair hazards within 24 hours comes into effect
Emily Sergeant
Landlords will now have 24 hours to repair hazards reported to them as a new law comes into effect across England.
The law taking effect today comes after a ‘landmark’ new social housing bill – which was given the Royal Ascent to become law in July 2023 – was proposed and approved in early January last year.
‘Awaab’s Law’ is named after Greater Manchester toddler Awaab Ishak, who tragically died in 2020 as a result of prolonged exposure to mould in his Rochdale home, a coroner ruled back in 2022, and following his death, the Government had been pledging to deliver the new reforms.
But today (Monday 27 October), the first part of the law finally comes into effect.
This means that all social landlords – generally the local council, or a housing association – will from now be required to repair any hazards which are reported to them within 24 hours.
Landlords must also investigate ‘significant’ damp and mould within 10 working days of being notified, and then make properties safe in five working days.
For both types of hazards, they must also write the findings to tenants within three working days of inspection.
On top of that, as part of the reforms, landlords now must also consider the circumstances of tenants which could put them at risk – including young children and those with disabilities or health conditions – and alternative accommodation must also be offered if homes cannot be made safe within the required timeframes.
Awaab’s Law is being called a ‘lasting legacy’ to the two-year-old.
“Everyone deserves a safe and decent home to live in and Awaab Ishak is a powerful reminder of how this can sadly be a matter of life or death,” commented Housing Secretary, Steve Reed, as Awaab’s Law comes into effect today.
“Awaab’s family has fought hard for change and their work to protect millions of tenants’ lives will live on as a legacy to their son.
“Our changes will give tenants a stronger voice and force landlords to act urgently when lives are at risk, ensuring such tragedies are never repeated.”
More of Awaab’s Law will be phased in both next year and in 2027 to make homes safer from more hazards, the Government has confirmed.
Daisy Jackson -
5th July 2023 
