Joint venture partners Henry Boot and Capital & Centric have secured approval from planning authorities to develop Kampus, a £200 million mixed use scheme in the heart of Manchester.
Architects Shedkm and Mecanoo designed the new scheme that will feature a botanical garden. The scheme will be built on Aytoun Street and will cover 2.3 acres.
In phase one, the scheme will see the development of nearly 500 flats across two 12-16 storey buildings, while phase two will see the renovation of two listed mill buildings. The flats will feature leisure and retail spaces at ground level.
Adam Higgins of Capital & Centric, commented: “We have worked closely with Manchester city council and importantly, the local community to create this exciting scheme, which will rejuvenate this area of our city that has been neglected for too long.
“The secret garden concept is pivotal to our vision to create a vibrant new bohemian destination for the city.”
The joint venture partners purchased the 2.3 acre Kampus location from Manchester Metropolitan University two years ago.
Demolition work will commence later in the year and the first apartments are set to be finished by 2019.
The scheme will also include a refurbishment of the existing 1960s former Aytoun Tower with the addition of a roof village of timber Dutch townhouses.
The second phase of the scheme will see the conversion of the two listed Minshull and Minto & Turner mill buildings.
Councillors approved the plans, which Historic England had warned would cause harm to listed buildings in the nearby area, including Minshull Street Crown Court and London Road Fire Station, because of their scale.
Developer Tim Heatley of Capital and Centric said he was pleased that the plans had been approved, adding that it would help the gay village remain a ‘thriving’ place by adding restaurants and shops that people will visit during the day as well as at night.
