Fallowfield’s iconic 1960s Toast Rack building has been put up for sale by its owners ahead of a major redevelopment of the area.
The historic breakfast-themed building was sold to owner Overseas investor Estrela by Manchester Metropolitan University for a cool £5m back in 2014, now nearly a decade later it is being listed again.
A familiar sight amongst Manchester students young and old, the Grade II-listed landmark is now tipped for a big redevelopment – as the 3.71-acre site reappears on the market with detailed planning consent for over 200 homes.
Listed in a package that includes the entire Hollings Campus site – which is an area spanning four football pitches – also included in the sale are neighbouring buildings the Horseshoe, Gateway site, and Stitching Hall.
The package is being marketed by Cushman & Wakefield, with plans to include 20,910 sq ft of gym and leisure space, 7,582 sq ft of commercial space, and 154 car parking spaces, plus over 200 new flats, a gym, coffee shop, and a roof top garden.
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Image: Wikipedia
The redevelopment will mean the end of an era for one of the city’s most famous buildings, first created by Manchester City Council’s then Chief Architect Leonard Cecil Howitt to reflect its purpose as a catering college.
Originally known as the Hollings Building, its triangular shape, curling concrete arches and a circular block alongside soon led to the site being known colloquially as the Toast Rack.
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Opening to initial bemusement, the breakfast-themed building eventually became a beloved part of the Fallowfield region – especially in the student community after it was purchased by Manchester Metropolitan University.
In April 1998, The Toast Rack was even granted Grade II listed status by English Heritage – who described it as ‘a distinctive and memorable building which demonstrates this architect’s love of structural gymnastics in a dramatic way’.
Manchester Metropolitan University continued using the building until 2013, then decided to shift its student campuses further north and sold up the following year.
Four years later, The Gym Group moved in – turning the ‘Dru’m into a state-of-the-art leisure facility as part of a 15-year agreement.
In 2021, Generation Ltd was committed to delivering 210 apartments in the area alongside 20,000 sq ft of commercial space. Now it appears that that opportunity will instead be passed on to a new buyer.
Bruce Poizer, head of capital markets at Cushman & Wakefield in Manchester, told the Manchester Evening News: “The Toast Rack is one of the most striking and recognisable buildings in Manchester and we are delighted bring it to market.
“This is an incredibly rare opportunity to invest in a vibrant area that is ripe for development. Fallowfield is synonymous with student living, it is also a popular suburb for young professionals and families due to its proximity to Manchester city centre, cultural amenities and sport and leisure.
“We anticipate strong interest in this unique site and expect it to appeal to both build-to-rent and student accommodation investors and developers.”
When it comes to those incredible facilities, we’re talking a gym, a yoga studio, three outdoor terraces with views across the city, study spaces, a private dining room, a gaming lounge, and free laundry. Not to mention a coffee lounge with free tea, coffee, and breakfast cereals.
They truly have thought of everything to allow students to thrive and make the most of the Manchester life, including running social events, co-working spaces, and mental health support.
This is Fusion Manchester’s brand new state-of-the-art student accommodation in Deansgate / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (Supplied)
And as for the location? Well that’s just the cherry on top.
Fusion Manchester is nestled in the heart of Deansgate, making it less than a five-minute walk to Deansgate Train Station or tram stop, as well as being in prime proximity to the University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University which are both around 20 minutes away on foot – ideal when you’re running late for a class.
It also could not be in a better spot for making plans on the weekends with new friends, as it’s just a stones-throw away from some of the best cafes, restaurants, concert and retail spaces that Manchester has to offer.
The rooms boast incredible panoramic views / Credit: Darren Robinson Photography (Supplied)
All residents’ rent covers their utilities, superfast Wi-Fi, free laundry, regular housekeeping and access to shared facilities, as well as the building having a 24/7 reception, secure fob entry, and CCTV throughout, to keep students feeling nice and safe.
Rooms range from en-suite accommodations at £265 per week, to classic, premium, or deluxe studios from £345 per week – but hurry, as they’re booking up fast and it’s not hard to see why.
If you’d like to book a viewing or learn more about Fusion Manchester, click here.
Featured Image – Darren Robinson Photography (Supplied)
Property
Manc architects submit plans to demolish 1970s office block and make way for new residential area
Danny Jones
A Manchester-based architects has submitted promising proposals to demolish an old 1970s-era office block and make way for a brand new residential community in Stockport.
The vision seems fairly ambitious and lofty – pun intended – but the potential outcome could be stunning.
Ollier Smurthwaite (OS) Architects are the local practice behind the new housing plans, which will not only provide nearly 300 new homes but also bring part of the Stopfordian skyline down; it’s not often you hear of things getting lower when so much of Greater Manchester just keeps building up.
Sharing the first proper glimpse at what they hope the redeveloped corner of the busy A6 main road will look like, many have been pleased to see familiar red brick and a traditional feel as opposed to more glass towers.
Writing a lengthy caption alongside the social media post, the OS state, “We are preparing a planning application for the St Christopher’s site in Stockport.
“Located at the prominent junction of Wellington Road South and Longshut Lane, the proposal aims to transform the prominent corner by demolishing the existing 10-storey 1970s office block to make way for a new residential community.
“The proposals are for a modern ‘mansion’ block with taller ceilings, more windows, better communal areas and private gardens.”
It remains to be seen at what price point these apartments will be available for.
Promising a total of 278 ‘new dwellings’, the scheme will crucially see the height of the existing plot lowered to fall in line with other neighbouring properties, as St Christopher’s House currently sits well above the nearby terraces and its metropolitan style does stand out against the surrounding brickwork.
The early reception to the proposed plans looks to be largely positive, too, with one user commenting online, “A very nice looking building with character. More of these please”; another went so far as to add, “These are the sort of modern buildings that will become grade listed.”
It’s also worth showcasing what exactly these blueprints look like when they’re brought to life, such as another development over in Longsight:
Render vs Reality. We recently completed our Daisy Bank scheme in Longsight Manchester for 72 new homes. The scheme takes contextual references from Dalton Ellis Hall & Victoria Park Christian Fellowship in the adjacent conservation area.@createstreets@archi_tradition… pic.twitter.com/DasRUtaylh
Safe to say that seeing what businesses trying to regenerate boroughs actually deliver compared to their initial mock-ups is always useful.
The award-winning firm goes on to add that “the building will be deliberately stepped back from the pavement to create a planted tree-lined avenue”, which will also revolve around a central courtyard and residents’ gardens, with ground-floor flats benefitting from private patios.
CGIs of shared communal roof terraces also give the designs that added modern look, with few other places in the vicinity offering this kind of space. It could be a welcome addition to the region that is already going through plenty of change at the minute.
Another big construction scheme is the one being carried out by Capital and Centric over the new Weir Mill district, which could be transformational for the town centre.
Georgina Pellant -
20th June 2023 
