Architects’ images featuring a first look at the new secondary school to be built in the place of Belle Vue’s iconic Showcase Cinema have been released.
Showcase Cinema – which had occupied the site of the famous Belle Vue entertainment complex since 1989 – agreed to sell the land to Manchester City Council last year, with a formal planning application to redevelop the 13-acre site on Hyde Road having now been lodged.
And now, Mancunians can catch a glimpse at plans for The Co-Op Academy Belle Vue – which will be a free school for 1,200 pupils – for the first time, before it is expected to welcome its first set of Year 7 students this September.
Documents released this week show a modern L-shaped building split into three ‘zones’.
It starts with a two-storey sports block, which will boast a sports hall, auditorium, and a drama studio, and the central three-storey building includes the school’s reception, a community hub with a library on the floor above, and a dining hall.
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An adjoining sports hall also has a separate entrance for out of hours use by the wider Belle Vue community, alongside a 140-space car park.
To the rear of the proposed building – which is currently a car park – two large playing fields will be provided, along with a multi-use games area (MUGA) and training grids, which would have three courts to accommodate tennis and basketball courts, a five-a-side football pitch, and practice areas for netball and hockey.
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Sir Robert McAlpine / Space Architects
The Co-op Belle Vue Academy will be run by the Co-Op Academies Trust.
The trust manages 26 other schools in the north of England and is expected to meet demand for secondary school places in east Manchester, with temporary accommodation for students being provided at the nearby Connell Co-op College until the new school building opens in 2023. The new school will accept 120 Year 7 pupils at Connell Co-op College this year and, once fully built, it will be able to take on 240 Year 7 students every year until it reaches full capacity in 2026.
Manchester City Council had originally planned to build a 1,200-place high school at Nutsford Vale in Gorton, but the controversial proposals were met with fierce local opposition.
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A statement submitted alongside with the planning for the Co-op Belle Vue Academy says: “The Trust has an established reputation for providing a high standard of education at its existing schools and colleges and will transfer their vision and experience to the success of the new Belle Vue Academy.
“Whilst the Academy’s primary function is to provide education and learning to 11-16 year olds, it is also intended that the premises will provide functions and facilities which can be used by the wider community throughout the week.”
You can find out more about Co-op Belle Vue Academy here.
Property
‘Own a landmark, create a legacy’ – Historic chimney goes on sale for £300k in Bolton
Emily Sergeant
How would you like to live in a big chimney?
I know that might sound like an odd question, and in some respects, it is… but we’re being 100% genuine, as over in Bolton there is currently a historic local landmark on the market with planning permission to make it into your new home, and it’ll only set you back £300,000.
‘Only’ is a bit of a stretch, but when you consider the magnitude of this property, it’s surprising that you’re able to get your hands on it for such a reasonable price.
This is Barrow Bridge Chimney.
Rising above the tranquil stone cottages and wooded valley of the stunning model village that is Barrow Bridge, this striking Victorian chimney stands as a lone sentinel of Bolton’s proud industrial past – and now, with full planning permission secured, estate agents say it offers an ‘extraordinary opportunity’ to reimagine history as a truly one-of-a-kind home.
A historic chimney has gone on sale for £300k in Bolton / Credit: Miller Metcalfe
Originally built in the early 19th century as part of the ‘ambitious’ Dean Mills complex, the chimney once crowned a thriving cotton-spinning hub founded by Thomas Bazley, who was one of the Industrial Revolution’s great innovators.
Long after the mills fell silent though, the chimney endured and remained a local landmark in Smithills visible for miles, and today this relic of the steam age is ready for its next chapter.
Approved plans for the chimney are described as being a ‘bold’ residential conversion that will honour its industrial heritage, while still creating a dramatic modern dwelling like no other in the town.
The planning permission is in place for a two-storey residence of approximately 3,939 sq ft, with a striking contemporary design blended seamlessly with practical living.
The planning permission is in place for a ‘striking’ two-storey residence / Credit: Miller Metcalfe
The approved plans include three spacious bedrooms (two with en-suites), a family bathroom, a downstairs cloakroom, and a study that can easily adapted to a four-bedroom, four-bathroom layout to suit modern family life.
What makes this an even more attractive prospect for future buyers is that the chimney is well-connected to both amenities and nature – with both independent businesses, good local schools, and convenient transport links on the doorstep, as well as parks and tree-lined walks.
“This is your chance to own more than bricks and mortar,” estate agents Miller Metcalfe said.
“It’s a chance to live inside a landmark, to shape its story for future generations, and to call a piece of Bolton’s proud industrial heritage your own. Enquire now to discover how you can transform this iconic chimney into a legacy home that will stand for generations to come.”
Fancy it then? Take a look at the property on Rightmove here.
Featured Image – Miller Metcalfe
Property
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off
Emily Sergeant
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off.
Okay, so it’s not technically closing down per se, but the current LOFT premises off Hyde Road near Piccadilly will officially close doors on 30 September, as the business consolidates its operations and relocates to its newly completed headquarters over at Trafford Park.
Unlike a typical closing-down sale, the stock isn’t old or unwanted. Instead, it’s a live snapshot of LOFT’s day-to-day business, and everything must go.
LOFT is known for furnishing properties across the build-to-rent, student accommodation, co-living, private rented, and social housing sectors, and that constant turnover naturally generates surplus – whether it be project overstock, end-of-line pieces or discontinued items making way for new collections.
The move over to Trafford Park is said to be a moment to clear the warehouse ‘completely’ and start the new chapter with a clean slate.
Manchester furniture outlet LOFT is hosting a major closing-down sale with up to 70% off / Credit: Supplied
This means that everything, from sofas and beds, to dining sets, armchairs, and home accessories, must go before the move, with prices already reduced by 50 to 70% below RRP.
Benjamin Hall, who is the Founder and CEO of LOFT, says this is the ‘biggest and best value’ sale the company has ever offered.
He explained: “As we settle into our new home at Trafford Park, we want a completely clean slate. Whether you’re a homeowner after a one-off bargain, or a landlord, agent or developer furnishing multiple units on a budget, there has never been a better time to visit.”
Emily Sergeant -
14th January 2021 
