Property

Work has already begun to transform old Debenhams building into £70m retail and office space

Let's bring this thing back to life.

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson - 14th November 2022

The company behind the £70m transformation of Manchester’s former Debenhams building have issued a new update, saying that work is already underway at the site.

In a new statement, global real estate investment firm AM Alpha said that the main works will kick in in 2023 – the building is set to complete in early 2025.

The plans for the iconic Grade II-listed Rylands building include a four-storey extension on the roof, facilitating 10 floors of office space, plus a shopping arcade and a leisure area.

There’ll be space left for restaurant businesses when the refurbishment completes.

The building, which stands on the corner of Market Street and High Street, has been empty since 2021 when the department store collapsed.

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The stunning art deco building has become something of a heartbreaking eyesore with its boarded-up windows in such a prominent location.

The four-storey extension to Debenhams planned by AM Alpha. Credit: AM Alpha

But AM Alpha’s complete refurbishment and modernisation is set to bring it back to life, with enabling works underway now.

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Stephan Schmid, Senior Vice President at AM alpha: “Working with listed buildings is always a great privilege.

“We are proud to be able to give this historic Manchester landmark a new future and restore Rylands to its former glory in a very sustainable way. In this way, we are also helping to achieve Greater Manchester’s 2038 carbon neutrality target.”

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Local construction company Russell WBHO, which specialises in listed and sustainable projects, will act as a construction partner for the project, while local property companies OBI and Barker Proudlove have been appointed as letting agents. 

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“It’s fantastic working with AM alpha on such an exciting project in our home town. Rylands is a well-known, impressive building,” says Will Lewis, founding director at OBI. “The property is close to bustling areas such as Piccadilly Gardens and the Northern Quarter and will appeal to many local businesses. Due to the sought-after location, we already see a lot of interest from potential future tenants.”

Gareth Russell, founder and managing director of Russell WBHO: “We are delighted to be working with AM alpha to revitalise the historic Rylands building and position it in the market as a highly sustainable building. With our extensive experience in historic preservation and sustainable building, we will make AM Alpha’s vision a reality.”

Featured image: AM Alpha

Property

Behind the doors of the eclectic £1.75m Victorian villa that’s BACK on the market in a leafy Manchester suburb

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant

Fancy a look inside an eclectic Victorian villa that’s now BACK on the market in a sought-after Manchester suburb?

The only thing is, you’ll need the small matter of £1.75 million before you can call it yours.

Of course, it goes without saying that the vast majority of people reading this article won’t have £1.95 million just sitting in their bank accounts right now, but if like us, you’ve got no shame in admitting you love looking at houses you can’t afford in places you’ll probably never live, then allow us to introduce you to this absolute stunner.

Take a look behind the grand front door of one of the finest properties the Manchester housing market has to offer at the moment.

This eclectic Victorian villa is on the market in a leafy Manchester suburb for £1.95m / Credit: Inigo (via Rightmove)

This stunning detached villa is situated on a prime residential street in Whalley Range, which is one of south Manchester’s affluent suburbs, known and loved for its wide range of amenities, good local schools, public transport links across Greater Manchester, and green spaces such as the popular Alexandra Park.

Built in 1885, the house sits among a number of grand Victorian villas built around Alexandra Park to serve the wealthy merchants and bankers looking to escape the smog of city centre.

Spanning some 3,854 sq ft, the main house has seven bedrooms and ample living space arranged across four floors, all of which estate agents describe as being “impeccably designed”, while at its rear is a recently-renovated annexe, and a landscaped garden with an established kitchen garden.

While still being steeped in history, the house has undergone an extensive restoration programme over the past decade by its current owner.

The property has undergone extensive restorations over the last decade / Credit: Inigo (via Rightmove)

Decorated to the highest of standards across all four floors, the current owner has managed to respect the Victorian sensibilities of the building, while still introducing a rich colour and material palette.

You enter the historic villa through the arched entry of the original porch, with all of the rooms and staircases situated off the grand hallway.

Some of the property’s stand-out features have to be the array of original fireplaces and bay windows, ornate ceilings, and decorative tiled floors, as well as the accommodations themselves, of course, which include a bespoke kitchen-diner, and seven spacious bedrooms, many with en-suite bathrooms and even one with a purpose-built walk-in-wardrobe.

If all of that wasn’t impressive enough as it is, the property also boasts its very-own retro cinema room and treatment space on the lower ground floor too.

Then, through a Victorian garden wall is where you’ll find the coach house, which sits separate from the main house, and has recently been built as a standalone guest space – with a kitchen, shower room, and mezzanine sleeping area above.

The property’s excellence only continues when you step outside into the garden / Credit: Inigo (via Rightmove)

The property’s excellence only continues when you step outside into the garden.

The garden has been landscaped to make the most of its large corner plot, with a decked area that unfolds from the sunroom and leads down to a lawn that’s bordered by clipped privacy hedging.

The star of the show, however, has to be the kitchen garden, which the current owner has implemented in raised beds, partly shaded by established climbing grape vines which you’ll find are full of fruit in the summer.

Like what you see? Well thankfully, the property is now BACK on the market, and for cheaper too.

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This property on Alexandra Road South is currently on the market with Tyldsley-based independent estate agents, Jamie Burke – powered by eX – for a Guide Price of a whopping £1.75 million, and if you fancy taking a closer look, then you can contact the property company to arrange a viewing.

Or you could just take the cheaper route instead and have a nosy at the Rightmove link here.

Featured image – Inigo

Property

Major up-and-coming Manchester neighbourhood to debut Shared Ownership apartments

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson L&Q at Victoria Riverside in Redbank

A brand-new development that’s part of Manchester’s ground-breaking Redbank regeneration is welcoming guests to discover more about the new neighbourhood. 

L&Q at Victoria Riverside, who have just launched a collection of Shared Ownership apartments, will be hosting a special day of tours so that Mancs can find out more about this major new development for the city. 

Once complete, L&Q Victoria Riverside will be home to an 18-storey building with 128 Shared Ownership homes, at the heart of the up-and-coming Redbank neighbourhood. 

Over the next decade, Redbank – just a short walk from Manchester Victoria station – will become a bustling corner of the city home to new schools, healthcare facilities, restaurants, and bars. 

And all just a stone’s throw from public transport links, Manchester Arndale shopping centre, and the iconic Northern Quarter. 

L&Q at Victoria Riverside marks the first phase of Victoria North, which is the biggest urban regeneration project in the North of England. 

Within the development, residents will have access to an on-site co-working space, podium gardens, gym and concierge service.

L&Q at Victoria Riverside in Redbank
L&Q at Victoria Riverside in Redbank
L&Q at Victoria Riverside in Redbank
L&Q at Victoria Riverside in Redbank. Credit: Supplied

Mancs will be able to get a glimpse of everything that’s to come with an exclusive preview day of tours and conversations with the L&Q sales team on 25 October.

The event will welcome customers who have registered interest to chat about their property search, and take tours of the brand new show home. 

Shared Ownership is a government-backed scheme that helps first-time buyers afford to get on the property ladder. Through part-buy/part-rent, buyers purchase shares in a Shared Ownership property that would otherwise be unaffordable to them. 

The sales team will be available to provide more information about Shared Ownership on the day.

Find out more about L&Q at Victoria Riverside HERE.

The L&Q at Victoria Riverside event will take place between 11am and 4pm on Saturday 25 October at Dantzic Street, M4 4DN – you can sign up for free tickets HERE.

And you can find out more about L&Q Shared Ownership via Instagram HERE. 

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Featured image: Supplied

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