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.”
Huge new aparthotel planned for Manchester’s Gay Village
Daisy Jackson
Plans have been revealed to transform an underused building on the edge of the city’s iconic Gay Village into a 261-room aparthotel.
If it all goes ahead, Boulton House on Chorlton Street will turn into Joyce by The James, delivering serviced apartments to visitors to Manchester.
This exciting new chapter is planned for a 1970s office block in the city centre, which will be redeveloped and extended.
The building was acquired by The James, a family-run developer and operator, last July. They already operate an aparthotel across down close to The Printworks.
It will operate under their short-stay brand Joyce by The James, offering luxury short-term serviced apartments for stays anywhere between one night and 12 weeks.
Each apartment will ‘combine the comfort of home with the convenience of high-end hospitality’ with an opening date pencilled in for 2027.
Guests would have access to a 24-hour on-site management team, a social lounge, outdoor terrace, business lounge, gym and games room.
The plans also include ground-floor commercial space to activate the street, step-free access, and a zero-parking strategy to encourage sustainable travel.
Joyce by The James hopes to contribute to the Council’s ambition of being the most visited city region outside of London and a top 20 European destination by 2030.
A Manchester-based team including SimpsonHaugh, Deloitte and Font Comms are advising Joyce by The James, with ambitions to boost the vibrancy of the Chorlton Street, Major Street and Bloom Street intersection.
The existing site of the proposed Joyce by The James aparthotel in the Gay Village. Credit: The Manc Group
Aron Azouz, Co-Founder at The James, said: “Joyce by The James will give Boulton House a meaningful role in the life of the future neighbourhood.
“Our ambition is that through the creative and dynamic refurbishment of the building as it enters the end of its current life cycle, the Joyce remains as a long-lasting part of the fabric of Chorlton Street and the Gay Village neighbourhood and makes an improved contribution to the area’s energy, character and identity.”
Grant Sulkin, Co-Founder at The James added: “We understand the value of listening to the local community as part of the planning process.
“We want to hear from people who know and love this part of Manchester, their insight will be vital in helping us get this right and we are excited to introduce Joyce by The James to the public!”
The James are now inviting local residents, businesses and community groups to share their views on the plans, with public consultation open until Friday 16 May 2025.
Joyce’s team will be hosting a drop-in event on Thursday 8 May, 3-7pm at the Boulton House Foyer, 17-21 Chorlton Street, Manchester. There will also be an online Q&A on Tuesday 13 May from 6-7pm – head HERE for more.
You can live in a Greater Manchester manor house from the 1700s
Thomas Melia
There’s a manor house which dates back to the 1700s that’s just gone on the market in Greater Manchester.
Now, obviously, we know Manchester is the best place on Earth and, naturally, people have been wanting to live here since the 18th century (and even earlier).
Westerhill House in Ashton is a property that dates back to 1764, and now you could be the next lucky owner to live in this five-bedroom property, which really is a piece of living history.
The legacy of this property spans more than just this country house site, as the previous tenants – who inhabited the house until 1964 – actually provided the rivets for the Eiffel Tower on behalf of their company, Park Bridge Ironworks.
The grand entrance to this 1700’s manor house in Ashton.The hamlet in which this Greater Manchester property resides.Credit: On The Market
One particular room in this manor house features the work of a well-known Mancunian architect, Donald Reeve Buttress, who spent more than a decade at Westminster Abbey until his departure in 1999.
On the estate agent’s website, each room is described as being individually detailed with its specific role in the house, and if you think you don’t have enough space for all your stuff, think again.
This 1700s character manor house has a room for just about anything you could possibly think of, including a billiard room (posh word for pool) and a wine cellar – I know which room I’ll be accidentally getting myself locked in once a week…
This Ashton historical property spans three floors, with the downstairs being the smallest in size with only one room, while the ground floor boasts 10 and the first floor has eight designated rooms.
As you enter the living space, there is an entrance hall that leads to a bigger hall and a staircase; meanwhile, there is a breakout room immediately on the right side leading to a toilet and a dedicated boot room. Handy.
On your left-hand side as you step through the front door, there is another bigger breakout room which hosts the impressive billiard room and seating area, which is a considerably large space.
The conservatory designed by architect from Westminster Abbey.The main hall which leads to various rooms in this 1700s Ashton manor house.Credit: Supplied
Step through to the main hall and you’ll find doors leading to the dining room, kitchen space and a lounge which has an adjoining conservatory.
It’s this very conservatory that was designed by none other than Buttress himself, who worked at Westminster Abbey for 11 years as the ‘Surveyor of the Fabric’.
Any loyal Ashtonians will also be impressed with the stained glass window in the inner hallway, which also happens to contain a depiction of the ‘Black Knight of Ashton-Under-Lyne‘.
Moving upstairs, you find a wide landing which leads to all four bedrooms and three bathrooms, two of which are en-suites.
This 1700s manor house is currently listed for offers in the region of £750,000, and although it may be historic in age and interior, in terms of broadband, the property apparently has super-fast broadband.
The billiard room with adjoining seating area.Curved seating area overlooking the stunning garden space.
Ever get bored of looking around this magnificent and interesting mansion’s four walls? This house is situated in a lovely hamlet located close to Daisy Nook Country Park.
Of course, we understand that a lot of us reading certainly can’t afford a property of this nature, but when the manor house is rooted in this much history, it would be rude not to have a snoop on the official site.
Oh, and if that wasn’t enough browsing for you, there’s a three-bed coach house up for sale in this same exact Ashton hamlet, also dating back to the 1700s. Cool, right?
Daisy Jackson -
5th July 2023 
