I was'nt expecting that plot facing Vantage Quay to be built on , for some reason i thought the Simo apartments were for the land where that little cafe on the corner is .
And was'nt that a really nice midrise planned for the Piccadilly Block 1 space ?fronting Gt Ancoats St
( cant find the bloody render )

http://i15.tinypic.com/4ver04z.jpg

The scaffolding on the Ducie St side is now down on Issa Quay ,, it looks very neat ,

the website has now been relaunched for Piccadilly Basin

http://www.piccadillybasin.com/

If you go to gallery there are some small render's that have'nt been seen before ,for some reason you cant enlarge em , unless one of you computer whizz kids can :),im not sure about that Simo effort fronting Gt Ancoats St

the website has now been relaunched for Piccadilly Basin

http://www.piccadillybasin.com/


Does the Ancoats residential building in this scheme (boring flat 5 storey job with "Modern" on it) replace the original Simpson design (the one that looked like a version of the CJC building but about 12 storeys)? It would be a shame if it's all low rise on Gt Ancoats St - we need more curtain wall and height along here not more buildings the height of ILVA!

I'm hoping that the mini CJC design is further down on Houldsworth street near Lever Street - just seems a bit odd that both would be off houldsworth street and both be designed by Ian Simpson. Let's hope we're talking about two different buildings here and the mini CJC hasn't been scupperred.

Us heritage nazis are pretty strict about the heights of buildings round here and at the moment we seem to winning at Piccadilly Basin. I personally think keeping a uniformity of height around the basin is important and let talls have other sites.

Guess Piccadilly Tower slipped through the net there then, by some 50-odd floors!

Guess Piccadilly Tower slipped through the net there then, by some 50-odd floors!

'Round the basin' choggers -'round the basin'!

Pay attention at the back!

Hehe, i'm only jesting!

Smaller buildings around the basin do of course make the expanse of water seem bigger than being surrounded by talls, which would make it become like a insignificant 'pond'!

Which is why the Irwell feels like a canal, being surrounded by 15+ storey buldings on either side!

Hehe, i'm only jesting!

Smaller buildings around the basin do of course make the expanse of water seem bigger than being surrounded by talls, which would make it become like a insignificant 'pond'!

I thought you may be!

Yes the amount of water does need to be substantial to set off tall buildings properly.
Salford Quays and Canary Wharf yes. A piddly little canal no.

They've started fitting in the windows of the BDP office block next to Issa Quay .

And theres formwork going in on the site next to ILVA

Though I'd put this one in here. Not quite Piccadilly Basin, but close enough.(across the road) Drove around town this morning(5.30am) on my way home from work. Drove past Piccadilly Basin and turned right onto Great Ancoats Street, directly opposite the entrance to the hideous Ancoats retail park. To the right of the traffic lights excavation and piling work is taking place.(big time) The site is behind the proposed 13 storey hotel.(see below) Did a bit of investigation on the Planning portal and came up with the (only) possible proposal for this site?(below) Link to planning application below map and renders.

http://www.swfoulkesarchitects.com/images/ancoats01.jpg

Site Of Former Laystall House
Laystall Street
City

RESERVED MATTERS APPLICATION for external appearance and landscaping following approval of Outline Application 068295/OO/2003/C3

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/1-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/2-2.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/6-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/4-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/3-1.jpg

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/associateddocs/MCCList1.aspx?078448/MO/2006/C3

Re my post on this thread June 19th, that site has been active for a while.

Hmm...not liking that one.

http://a2.vox.com/6a00b8ea074b861bc000bd98e727aab1b4-500pi
I shall call it the 'Ming Building', after myself.

Obviously Flash Gordon never got that job in the planning department else we'd have been spared this monstrosity.

If it were made with some local, olden-day bricks from ancoats it might be better. But then it wouldn't suit the style of the building.

Its like some of the crap on Oxford Road that are mere 'fillers' for the street, which only serve to get in the way when good developments sprawl into the locale.

http://a2.vox.com/6a00b8ea074b861bc000bd98e727aab1b4-500pi
I shall call it the 'Ming Building', after myself.

Obviously Flash Gordon never got that job in the planning department else we'd have been spared this monstrosity.

If it were made with some local, olden-day bricks from ancoats it might be better. But then it wouldn't suit the style of the building.

Its like some of the crap on Oxford Road that are mere 'fillers' for the street, which only serve to get in the way when good developments sprawl into the locale.

I'm sure the bricks will be special order only.(Ancoats red) :lol:

Not sure about that one

It looks like an American college dorm, very 1960s

Looks as though they're expecting something to be built on the the white house site in the future.

Looks as though they're expecting something to be built on the the white house site in the future.
Its not about expecting, you just cant have windows looking into land that someone else has the right to build on; you cant compromise the ability of that land owner to build on their site with your development.

I dont see anything wrong with it, in fact I quite like it. Whats so terrible? Are we all having another bout of dodgy render = bad building-itis?

I quite like it. Well the front portion anyway.

It'd be much better without the taller section. I've not read the spiel but what purpose does it serve? The windows seem impractical.

Looking at the lower section it just seems like a bog-standard new-brick with these seemingly fashionable slim, unsystematicaly arranged windows and floor to ceiling glass units at the base. Whilst any opportunity for retail great I'm not really a fan of these in this type of area, particularly for individual units. If the shop doesn't poster the windows they look very exposed and empty shops are not inviting. The grey grills(?) at the base of the shop frontages are a nice touch though.

The way some of the windows are stepped back is good, but it seems that is the only thing slightly original about it.

Definately the tall section would be better left on the drawing board. It shows too much sheer brick and looks dated (not to mention pointless).

Both approved.

083680/FO/2007/C3 25/06/2007 Land Bounded By Tariff Street, Rochdale Canal And Marina Piccadilly Basin Manchester Erection of new building (part 6 / part 9 storeys) comprising ground and upper ground floor restaura... Application Approved

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JK70XSBCK3000&searchtype=WEEKLY

083678/FO/2007/C3 25/06/2007 Land Bounded By Great Ancoats Street, Port Street, Tariff Street And The Rochdale Canal Piccadilly Basin Manchester Erection of two 6 storey blocks with ground (plus mezzanine) floor commercial uses (including retail... Application Approved

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.gov.uk/publicaccess/tdc/DcApplication/application_detailview.aspx?caseno=JK6Y6ZBCK3000&searchtype=WEEKLY

Marketing Manchester signs up for Piccadilly Basin

MARKETING Manchester, the organisation that promotes Manchester to visitors and businesses, has signed up for a 15-year lease at Carvers Warehouse, in the £250m Piccadilly Basin development.

The 7,130 sq ft of office space over two floors, is in the block redeveloped by Leeds-based Town Centre Securities.

Consulting engineers Martin Stockley Associates has agreed to take 6,275 sq ft on the top two floors of the historic building. Refurbishment of the 22,000 sq ft building is due for completion later this year.

Marketing Manchester, which was represented by Lambert Smith Hampton, aims to move into the development in December, from Churchgate House on Oxford Street.

Piccadilly Basin has witnessed a flurry of activity in recent months, with the framework rapidly rising on the 31,450sq ft headquarters building for BDP Architects.

It will be the first naturally ventilated commercial building in Manchester to be branded "excellent" by building standards experts.

Planning permission has also been granted for phase two of the 87,583 sq ft Eider House, designed by Ian Simpson Architects.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1016737_marketing_manchester_signs_up_for_piccadilly_basin

Marketing Manchester signs up for Piccadilly Basin

17/ 9/2007


MARKETING Manchester, the organisation that promotes Manchester to visitors and businesses, has signed up for a 15-year lease at Carvers Warehouse, in the £250m Piccadilly Basin development.

The 7,130 sq ft of office space over two floors, is in the block redeveloped by Leeds-based Town Centre Securities.

Consulting engineers Martin Stockley Associates has agreed to take 6,275 sq ft on the top two floors of the historic building. Refurbishment of the 22,000 sq ft building is due for completion later this year.

Marketing Manchester, which was represented by Lambert Smith Hampton, aims to move into the development in December, from Churchgate House on Oxford Street.

Piccadilly Basin has witnessed a flurry of activity in recent months, with the framework rapidly rising on the 31,450sq ft headquarters building for BDP Architects.

It will be the first naturally ventilated commercial building in Manchester to be branded "excellent" by building standards experts.

Planning permission has also been granted for phase two of the 87,583 sq ft Eider House, designed by Ian Simpson Architects.

The BDP HQ building on Ducie St

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1592.jpg?t=1190223781

These pics are from the basin (and surrounding Piccadilly) area:
http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/006-7.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/007-6.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/008-8.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/009-7.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/010-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/012-5.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/018-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/019-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/020-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/021-6.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/022-5.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/023-5.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/025-3.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/026-5.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/027-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/028-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/029-4.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/030-3.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/031-5.jpg

Piccadilly plans cleared

24/ 9/2007

PLANNERS have approved plans for new shops and offices at Piccadilly.

Leeds-based developer Town Centre Securities has been granted planning permission for the next phase of the £250m Piccadilly Basin project - 40,000 sq ft of new shops, 4,166 sq ft of new offices and another 159 apartments.

Development director Richard Lewis said: "This brings us one step closer to achieving a sustainable, true mixed use regeneration scheme."

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1017482_piccadilly_plans_cleared

Does anyone know exactly where this is? Does it relate to the approvals posted by jrb above?

canal burst its 'banks' today and caused some localised flooding in the basin. Fire brigade and british waterways on the scene.

Piccadilly plans cleared
Does anyone know exactly where this is? Does it relate to the approvals posted by jrb above?

It fonts onto Gt Ancoats St next to Ilva (the carpark side, i.e. the opposite side to that with the proposed hotel). And of course jerb posted about it before the MEN - first with the news as always.

:poke: - I would have used the we salute you smiley jrb. But for some reason poking appears to be the done thing nowadays and I wanna look cool.

http://www.piccadillymanchester.com/images/20070927pic.jpg

Approval has been granted for the Retail Village at Piccadilly Basin.

The next stage of the £250m Town Centre Securities Piccadilly Basin scheme incorporated two applications, the first for 58 apartments with a waterside restaurant and the second, a larger application for retail space, offices and an additional 159 apartments.

Richard Lewis, Development Director of Town Centre Securities, says; “This latest vote of confidence in Piccadilly Basin brings us one step closer to achieving our vision. The retail units and additional apartments will superbly complement the existing offering and, along with the refurbishment of Brownsfield Mill, further enhance the blend of historic and new buildings already within the scheme.”

The offices are well underway with refurbishment of the historic listed Carvers Warehouse. The refurbishment is due for completion during 2007. Detailed consent has also been granted for Phase 2 of the offices, the 87,583sq ft Eider House again designed by Ian Simpson Architects.

Richard said: “We have taken great care to extend our commitment to sustainability and the green agenda to this new phase and are working in line with the eco-homes criteria in order to achieve, at the very least, an EcoHomes rating of Very Good. All elements of this varied and exciting scheme are progressing well and with the planning now approved for the next phase, Piccadilly Basin is realising its potential.”

In addition to the offices, there are 140 luxury apartments within the two stylish residential buildings, Vantage Quay and Jacksons Warehouse, which overlook the canal.

For more information please visit the Piccadilly Basin microsite. www.piccadillymanchester.co.uk/

BDP building .
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1626_0002.jpg?t=1193153176

Great refurb , its looking great .

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1627_0002.jpg?t=1193153288

From Gateway House

IQ

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g317/crushbrook/IMG_2906.jpg

sarah

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g317/crushbrook/IMG_2905.jpg

light tower

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g317/crushbrook/IMG_2904.jpg

Went past the Carver's warehouse conversion this afternoon , looks like a really good job they've done, externally it looks nearly finished ,

cheers for the pics Crush , good to see one of the old timer's popping in lol

That carpark at Piccadilly Basin would make a fantastic park .

BDP HQ building , the wraps are coming off now

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1746.jpg?t=1199021907

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1747.jpg?t=1199021950

From the canal side

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1751.jpg?t=1199022020


Issa Quay next door
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1748.jpg?t=1199022083

The art deco refurb on the other side of the carpark

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y12/ANTEATPETE/100_1752.jpg?t=1199022141

That refurb looks absolutely stunning :cool: BDP aint bad either.

another nice refurb... like the post office. and in 30 years we won't have any stripey windows to replace.

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/026.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/025-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/024-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/023-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/020-1.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/018.jpg

Cheers for all the pics Marky ,, the BDP building is looking great , i like where it connects to Issa Quay .
Dale St and Ducie St are looking a lot better now all the untidy hoarding's from Carver's and Issa are being taken down .

That carpark at Piccadilly Basin would make a fantastic park .

http://i59.photobucket.com/albums/g317/crushbrook/IMG_2906.jpg

http://i168.photobucket.com/albums/u180/markydeedroppics/City%20Centre%202008/025-1.jpg

With entrances like the one above and the canal running alongside would make an amazing park in my opinion. Right behind the largest and main station for the city, next to new projects like Picc Tower, at the end of the end of Dale street and just down the road from Stevenson Square would be great for linking the area up and expanding the city feel upwards.

Unfortunately if you look at the Picc Basin Masterplan:
http://www.piccadillybasin.com/about/masterplan.html
it looks as if almost all of it is going to be/has been built over. Never realised the amount of construction in this area though. Nice to see the barren surface carparks on google earth are turning into something!!

Is the entrance for the basin staying, looked to me on the masterplan its dissapearing, could have misread it though?

With entrances like the one above and the canal running alongside would make an amazing park in my opinion.

Definately. I've been saying that for ages.

I hadn't seen the masterplan before but it looks like they are going to put a little park on Dale Street car park. Its certainly better than nothing.

With entrances like the one above and the canal running alongside would make an amazing park in my opinion.

yeah we need more places for prozies and rent boys to hang out.

yeah we need more places for prozies and rent boys to hang out.

Always going to be an issue with small parks in the back streets but just gate them and lock them after dark.

You get on the spot fines for walking through closed parks at night, in New York.

http://www.manchesterconfidential.com/property/index.asp?sessionx=IpqiNw86KDTjNwB6IaqiNwA

Back to our roots: Carver's Warehouse
Phil Griffin dissects Manchester’s last standing 18th Century Warehouse

Marketing Manchester has moved out of the Tootal building on Oxford Street and hopped up the Rochdale canal to Dale Street and Piccadilly Basin.

I guess the move is partly spiritual. Closer to the roots of the thing. The Manchester mills, I mean. Drew Stokes and his marketing team are in the lowest two floors of Carver’s Warehouse, which is a Manchester equivalence of William the Conqueror’s White Tower in the Tower of London, having been commissioned and built by Yorkshire men. Carver’s is stone, cast iron and timber warehousing built by William Crossley, the Rochdale Canal Company’s engineer in 1806, ten years before the Battle of Waterloo and 24 years before the Railway Age kicked off in Manchester. Built out of Yorkshire millstone grit, Carver’s is altogether alien amongst the Manchester brick. Its stolid, brooding presence is un ably reminiscent of isolated moorland farms.

The Yorkshire men have held their ground. Two hundred years on, their big stone building has a chic new annex and bright new tenants. Appropriately the new owner and developer is Leeds based Town Centre Securities. Their Piccadilly Basin is hanging together nicely, around a master plan by Ian Simpson Architects. On Great Ancoats Street there’s ILVA furniture store; as handsome a retail shed as you’ll find anywhere. There are Conran designed apartments, nicely converted warehouses, and a showy new HQ building for architects BDP that dips its toes in the canal. There are some stinkers too, but that’s cities for you. Carver’s closest neighbours are three former warehouse buildings, including a smart white faience number from the 1930’s that Maghull Property Developers is converting to apartments.

Carver’s used to have a plumber’s merchant and bathroom supplier on the first floor. It was chaotic and what you could probably describe as under-utilised. When areas get “improved” improvised businesses such as this move on. At this stage in the Northern Quarter cycle there is still a rough mix of tenants and residents that gives the area an identity unlike any other in the city.

Marketing Manchester was invited to the building by Martin Stockley, the structural engineer who was involved in early work at Piccadilly Basin. Stockley moves his business to the top two floors of Carver’s and actively promotes other creative businesses to join the community.


And there is a quite genuine community around these narrow streets and warehouses. The Dale Street / Hilton Street axis is a proper bit of evolving city and it’s happening at a pace that allows at least some small businesses to keep up.

Carver’s never had a presence on Dale Street. It has now. The new bit adds atrium space off the street, lifts and a stair rising through the building and connecting via sloping bridges to the variety of floor heights in the old building, through original goods handling slots. There’s half a dozen full height stone-faced fins that rise up the front of the building to the left of the door. The gaps between them are glazed. To me they are fussy and over-detailed. I don’t think this is bad architecture, but it seems at odds with its immediate, weighty environment. This street-facing box also has a glass lid, a clerestory bringing light in to the building. In order to achieve this the big steel truss that holds the building together at the top is cut with large holes. The detail isn’t comfortable.

Marketing Manchester’s basement is divided by monolithic stone pillars. They feel pre-industrial, almost monastic. Whatever the resonance for the people who work here, it is a space of great character, which has to be a bonus. Martin Stockley and Stan Broster, the architect who has completed the scheme, must have been on a bit of a voyage of discovery. I don’t think all their solutions are entirely comfortable, but I’m pretty sure they are pragmatic. In the end recycling old buildings is cost-effective. They’re the grain of the city, the interesting bits. They put the story on to the pages. Marketing Manchester has the job of promoting the city world-wide. They can present the shiny new bits and quote the square metres of prime commercial space. And they can invite people to the office and tell the story of mills, canals and warehouses, and the early assimilation of Scotsmen, Yorkshire men, and all-comers who came to make money in the city and ended up being part of it.

The photographs come courtesy of Len Grant.

From Crains.

Drop in confidence halts retail scheme
Plans for speculative build at Piccadilly Basin are on hold until market picks up
By Simon Binns


Town Centre Securities has put the brakes on plans for the Retail Village element of its Piccadilly Basin scheme, as it waits for confidence to return to the retail market. The Leeds-based developer has plans for three retail-led buildings on the site, at Great Ancoats Street (28,500 sq ft), Brownsfield Mill (15,000 sq ft) and Tariff Street (12,000 sq ft).

However, Richard Lewis, development director at TCS, told Crain's that it would continue to be patient over the development and take time to assess the market.

“It's no secret retail is in crisis,” he said. “Occupiers will talk to you, but they don't want to push ahead. So it's not really the climate for speculative retail builds.

“We are seeing a period of consolidation, like a lot of people.

“We'll wait for the market to pick up and try to accumulate some interest.”

ILVA is the flagship retail tenant on site, signed up on a 25-year lease. It recently appointed a new store manager, Jonathan Crawley. Lewis said the furniture retailer was doing “all right, but no better than that”.

TCS is lending its own support to the retailer by using its ranges to furnish 14 residential apartments it is developing at the former Daisy and Tom toy store on Deansgate.

However, Mark Ruby, owner of Manchester bar chain Kro, has decided to end his operation of the in-store coffee shop at ILVA. It is thought that poor trading figures are behind the decision, but Ruby was unavailable for comment.

TCS is pushing on with other plans to transform Piccadilly Basin, though, including proposals for a huge curved office building called Eider House, which will comprise 100,000 sq ft of office space.

Lewis said the company had been talking to the Co-operative Group about a possible move to the site, but discussions had only been informal.

Floorplates


“To be honest, the Co-op wants big floorplates so there's nothing to say it would necessarily suit them,” he said.

“But we are in discussions with a number of people. Ideally, we'd like a 50 per cent part pre-let to let us start building.”

Lewis said TCS was targeting various government departments and also had plans to site a hotel at Eider House. “We certainly wouldn't rule it out,” he said. “The hotel market is one where there is still plenty of demand.”

Building Design Partnership will move into its new offices on the Ducie Street side of the site on September 2, taking the 31,450sq ft building it designed for itself at £19.75 per sq ft.

Stephen Redfearn, business director north for BDP, made the decision to move the company and its 250 staff to the site, from a final shortlist of two which also included Amec's Smithfield development in the Northern Quarter.

Redfearn said he was attracted by the regeneration potential of the site. “The area is lagging behind the rest of the city in some regards, but it has bags of potential,” he said. “We're not accountants or lawyers, so it wasn't important to go to a Spinningfields-type development. But we would prefer to see the rest of the site focus on office developments, as opposed to residential.

“Transport links are good to this site though, and as the city centre fills up, Piccadilly Basin could come in to its own and take a lot of overspill.”

An office building comprising 32,000 sq ft of space is set to go to planning in the next few months, said Lewis.

There are also plans for a block containing 58 serviced apartments and 9,000 sq ft of retail space.

“We think there is niche interest in the serviced apartments market,” said Lewis. “We have a long-term plan for the site, though. We're prepared to be patient.”

From http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/

TCS signs ‘green' car hire deal with WhizzGo
30 June 2008, 11:38

Town Centre Securities is creating a pay-by-the-hour car club for residential and commercial occupiers at its Piccadilly Basin scheme in Manchester in a bid to reduce carbon emissions.

Tenants will have access to two low emission Citroën cars based at the scheme's Tariff Street car park.

Glyn Akesson, environmental manager at Town Centre Securities,said: "We are continually looking for ways to achieve best environmental practice and this latest partnership allows us to offer an innovative, eco-friendly solution for our tenants' needs. Despite Piccadilly Basin being well located for all transport links, just next to Piccadilly train/ tram station, we appreciate that most people require the occasional use of a car. By having the option to hire a car by the hour our tenants can demonstrate their environmental commitment by utilising the public transport links most of the time and still have peace of mind knowing that a car is available should they need one."

Charlotte Morton at WhizzGo continues: "Developments such as Piccadilly Basin offer exactly the kind of city centre location that our service requires and we are delighted to bring our service here to provide residents and businesses alike with access to a car for private and business use whenever they need one."

Members of WhizzGo, which launched its first car club last year, pay a £49.50 annual membership fee to receive a smart card which is then used to book a car over the phone or online. After booking, the smartcard is used to unlock the car after which the user types in a security code into the on-board computer to release the keys from within the glovebox. Cars can be booked minutes or months in advance and accessed 24 hours a day, seven days a weeks, 356 days a year.

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/

Design firm joins creative mix at TCS' Piccadilly Basin
14 July 2008, 14:58


Interior designer No Chintz has moved into Carvers Warehouse within Town Centre Securities' Piccadilly Basin development following a successful first 12 months of trading.

No Chintz has taken 1,000 sq ft on a flexible lease at the newly restored, listed building on Dale Street. The firm moved in this month joining existing tenants Marketing Manchester, Martin Stockley Associates, Arca Architects and Four 23 Creative Agency. The studio's clients include Urban Splash and Harvey Nichols.

Carver's Warehouse is part of the 400,000s q ft office content of the mixed-use Piccadilly Basin, which covers 12.8 acres. Quoting rents at Carvers Warehouse are £18/sq ft.

G-Star Raw (clothing) has signed up for the 1st floor of Carver's Warehouse.

Interesting move. What I like about this is that it will open the building to the public. Its certianly a cool building for a clothes shop but its a little tough to find. Go news for the are though, I'd say.

It wont be a clothes shop it will be G Stars regional office.


G Star takes space in Carvers Warehouse

By Simon Binns

Acting on behalf of clothing retailer G Star (UK) Ltd, the Manchester office of DTZ has acquired 3,550 sq ft of office accommodation at Carvers Warehouse, Piccadilly Basin in Manchester.

Carvers Warehouse is a restored listed building with 22,263 sq ft over six floors and forms part of Leeds-based Town Centre Securities’ 12.8 acre mixed-use development at Piccadilly Basin. G Star will join occupiers such as Marketing Manchester and Love Saves the Day in the building.

Rob Yates, office agency director at DTZ, advised on the deal.

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080901/FREE/809019993


G-Star's Piccadilly move

David Thame

9/ 9/2008

ULTRA-cool clothing brand G-Star is to move to Town Centre Securities' £250m Piccadilly Basin scheme.

G-Star Raw will occupy the first floor of Carvers Warehouse, totalling 3,550sq ft. The firm will relocate from Hilton Street in Manchester following the fit-out towards the end of this year.

G-Star manager Erik Tijsma said: "We have been looking to relocate our sales office and showroom into a location that best reflects our brand and feel that Carver's Warehouse achieves this goal. As the oldest surviving stone warehouse in Manchester with listed status, Carver's Warehouse perfectly matches our `raw' brand elements.

"Piccadilly as an area has a strong industrial heritage and the building itself has been used for various retail and manufacturing purposes over the last 200 years. It is the ideal location to showcase our exciting new collections to the retail `heavyweights' of Manchester."

Lambert Smith Hampton are joint agents on Piccadilly Basin and, with Cushman and Wakefield, represented Town Centre Securities. DTZ acted for G-Star.

http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/business/s/1065916_gstars_piccadilly_move

duh! That explains it. I think it was Loves Saves the Day that was making me think of shops. Cheers, flange.

Brakes on at Piccadilly Basin

18th November 2008

PROPERTY group Town Centre Securities today said it had no plans to continue the development of a key office schemes in Manchester as market conditions remain tough.

TCS said conditions in the property sector remain "extremely challenging" with continuing falling property prices and a lack of bank lending.

The Yorkshire-based group said that there was potential tenant interest in its site at Piccadilly Basin in Manchester but without "significant" pre-lets it would not start further development.

Chairman Edward Ziff called for the Government to support the property sector by addressing the issue of rates being levied on empty buildings.

"The threat of more business failures is constant and we are increasingly concerned about the potential burden of empty rates. Having watched the government support the banking sector, I hope that they move to ease the impact of empty rates on the property industry before it is too late," he warned.

Mr Ziff said that TCS continues to make progress with a performance in line with the board's expectations.

He added: "It is a time for consolidation. The defensive quality of our portfolio, with a diverse spread of tenants, will stand us in good stead. Our robust and secure financing arrangements continue to provide a stable foundation for our business.

"Our focus is on protecting our resources and conserving capital, to ensure that we will be ready to take advantage of opportunities which emerge as the investment and development markets show signs of recovery."

TCS has net debt of £210m compared to £212m a year ago, with 90% at fixed rates while its capital expenditure on current refurbishment projects is £4m.

In an interim management statement, TCS said: "There is no indication yet that the fall in property prices is arresting or of any willingness on the part of the banks to open for new property lending business.

"It remains to be seen whether governmental support for the UK banks, and similar initiatives worldwide, will stabilise the financial system; however, with the base rate cut to 3%, there is now the prospect that as financial markets unlock, recovery can begin.

"The position of TCS is unchanged. We are securely financed, and with the benefit of a number of sales in October and November, believe we are well positioned to take advantage of the attractive opportunities that will emerge as the market reaches the bottom of the cycle later in 2009. "

Staples and Cotswold are occupying its retail property on Deansgate in Manchester with a tenant for the first floor soon to be secured; Phase 1 of its Central Retail Park in Rochdale has been completed, it added.

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/6730-brakes-on-at-piccadilly-basin.html?news_section=4148


Developer: Piccadilly Basin scheme needs ‘significant pre-let’

By Simon Binns

Leeds-based developer Town Centre Securities (TCS) will not progress its Piccadilly Basin mixed-use scheme without “a significant pre-let,” it said today.

In its first Interim Management Statement, for the year ending 30 June 2009, the company said conditions in the property sector were “extremely challenging” but said there was also tenant interest at the scheme, which is bounded by Dale Street, Ducie Street and Great Ancoats Street in the city centre.

The developer was dealt a major blow when furniture retailer Ilva was forced to leave the scheme’s flagship shop as the company went into administration.

“Marketing continues of our 120,000 sq ft building, with an open retail consent,” said the company. “We have a preferred strategy in place and are marketing the opportunity aggressively.

“There is potential tenant interest at Piccadilly Basin in Manchester. In the current environment it seems unlikely that there will be progress in the short term and no development would commence without a significant pre-let.”

The company also owns the former Daisy & Tom toy store on Deansgate in Manchester. Staples and Cotswold are in occupation and TCS is “optimistic” that a tenant for the first floor will be secured shortly.

The company said it was “securely financed” and “well positioned to take advantage of the attractive opportunities that will emerge as the market reaches the bottom of the cycle later in 2009.”

On 29 October 2008, TCS had net debt of £210m, which it expected to fall by the half-year end, December 31, 2008.

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081118/FREE/811189981/1026/-/-/developer-piccadilly-basin-scheme-needs-significant-pre-let

TCS are pathetic. This site should be used for a massive office development as it's next to the rail hub. They don't have the money or the vision to develop it properly. I couldn't believe that they opened a tin shed for ILVA and then a crass multi story car park. Hopefully they'll sell the site on to someone with some ability to build very large office blocks which the area is perfect for. So this is probably a blessing in disguise as a retail led development would be a disaster due to the low footfall.

There's images of some of the forthcoming phases at Piccadilly Basin on the TCS website

http://www.tcs-plc.com/piccadillybasin.html

There's images of some of the forthcoming phases at Piccadilly Basin on the TCS website

http://www.tcs-plc.com/piccadillybasin.html

they have a website on piccadilly basin projects itself http://www.piccadillybasin.com/gallery.html

TCS are pathetic. This site should be used for a massive office development as it's next to the rail hub. They don't have the money or the vision to develop it properly. I couldn't believe that they opened a tin shed for ILVA and then a crass multi story car park. Hopefully they'll sell the site on to someone with some ability to build very large office blocks which the area is perfect for. So this is probably a blessing in disguise as a retail led development would be a disaster due to the low footfall.

Compare the site to Greengate, 1st Street, Victoria, Chapel Street, Boddies and New Islington, for example. Progress in comparison is very good.

Not only that but with BDP they've got the best new build of the year and Carver's Warehouse the best refurb of the year. It is already a fairly pleasant area now and if the car park wasn't there it has the potential to be a destination in itself.

Also when entering the city via Ancoats the Basin provides the first sign of life and feel that you have reached the city centre.

It's a shame they've been left with the shell of ILVA, but in truth they should have spotted the Trafford Centre's Homewares extension and went down different route. Viewing the renders of future builds the retail again shows furniture shops and ILVA has hopefully proved that this isn't gong to work.

Compare the site to Greengate, 1st Street, Victoria, Chapel Street, Boddies and New Islington, for example. Progress in comparison is very good.

Not only that but with BDP they've got the best new build of the year and Carver's Warehouse the best refurb of the year. It is already a fairly pleasant area now and if the car park wasn't there it has the potential to be a destination in itself.

Also when entering the city via Ancoats the Basin provides the first sign of life and feel that you have reached the city centre.

It's a shame they've been left with the shell of ILVA, but in truth they should have spotted the Trafford Centre's Homewares extension and went down different route. Viewing the renders of future builds the retail again shows furniture shops and ILVA has hopefully proved that this isn't gong to work.

I don't think progress is good with this at all. They've been mucking around with the site since before Beetham was constructed. The tin shed they put ILVA in was a gobsmacking mistake - I'm pretty sure it'll end up being demolished in 10ish years time after a considerable period of dereliction. I do agree that the warehouse conversion is good but that's a reflection on the quality of the old building more than TCS.

This area should be a major extension to the core of the city but TCS seem only to have the resources to treat it like an out of town retail park rather than a Canary Wharf style opportunity to build density in one of the few areas outside of London that sits ontop of a major transport hub (in Piccadilly).

I don't think progress is good with this at all. They've been mucking around with the site since before Beetham was constructed. The tin shed they put ILVA in was a gobsmacking mistake - I'm pretty sure it'll end up being demolished in 10ish years time after a considerable period of dereliction. I do agree that the warehouse conversion is good but that's a reflection on the quality of the old building more than TCS.

This area should be a major extension to the core of the city but TCS seem only to have the resources to treat it like an out of town retail park rather than a Canary Wharf style opportunity to build density in one of the few areas outside of London that sits ontop of a major transport hub (in Piccadilly).

Aye, this.

ILVA basically validates the shit retail park across the road by doing effectively the same thing (only a bit prettier). That area deserves so much more than this kind of out of town retail. There are other developments (eg. Islington Wharf, even fooking Sarah Village) which are helping to urbanise Great Ancoats Street but when other developers are putting up shit like this, showing no confidence in the area, it undermines all the other surrounding development.

http://www.tcs-plc.com/thejewel.html

New render at Piccadilly Basin showing the Jewel building gone up .

http://www.tcs-plc.com/thejewel.html

New render at Piccadilly Basin showing the Jewel building gone up .

Nice find H. Can't place it from the renders. Anyone.

Its situated next to the arch entrance to the carpark facing Issa Quay on the opposite side of the canal ,fronting onto to Dale St ,,

Its situated next to the arch entrance to the carpark facing Issa Quay on the opposite side of the canal ,fronting onto to Dale St ,,

Cheers H. :)

The new render is also up on the hoarding near Issa Quay.

I agree with many of the comments above.

I know this area well having lived or worked around it for many years (and being a Linda's Pantry regular) and despite it's seedy reputation (or indeed lack of awareness) amongst your average Mancunian I think this was crying out for a top quality high-density mixed use waterside scheme.

It's location and accompanying facilities are fantastic. Waterside setting, two minutes walk from the major rail hub (and the all-important London/Airport link) and tramstops, no shortage of cheap car-parking nearby and plenty of facilities for staff and visitors (from hotels to supermarkets and cofee shops) due to the ongoing revitalisation of the Piccadilly area.

I saw it's huge potential leading to a small-ish but perfectly (ok, ok, "decently" would have sufficed) formed combination of Spinningfield style office/retail space and Castlefield style leisure and residential.

Now don't get me wrong I know it can't all happen at once (and certainly not in the current climate) but the underlying strategy and ambition just dont seem to have been there. BDP and Carvers warehouse and fantastic; Vantage Quay and the old warehouse next door are fine. But Ilva? The Car Park?

Just shocking. Not only poor in execution, inappropriate in function and genrally short-sighted but disjointed and lacking any feel of an underlying holistic approach to the area. Each building looks like it's just been dropped in from a great height.

Landscaping may paper over the cracks but I just feel the area should have had real focus and character and intensity and a few trees and some hard-landscaping is never going to give it that.

At least the property boom ebbed away just as it was lapping at the doors of Linda's. If it was a choice between Eider House or home-made cheese and onion pie chips and gravy on a Friday I know which I'd choose...

Cheers

Thom

The board with the images went up middle of last week, had been meaning to grab some snaps but hadn't got round to it. There is also a large photo/plan showing all the sites and naming the individual buildings that doesn't seem to be on the website, but the Jewel images weren't on there straight away either. I actually really like the Jewel scheme, that and the Simpson stuff the other side of Moon are really promising.

I like the look of the jewel too.

Main thing i don't like about the masterplan is the building on the grassed area near the canal basin. We need open space in the city and its a shame they want to get rid of this lovely open space. Get rid of the car parks, yes but not the park.

Ilva site a priority for landlord TCS

19th May 2009

COMMERCIAL property group Town Centre Securities today said that property values were stabilising against the "constant challenge" of administrations, pressure on rents and occupier demand.

The Yorkshire company, which is a major investor in the North West at the Piccadilly Basin in Manchester, said it was focused on finding a new anchor tenant for the 120,000 sq ft site vacated by the failed Scandinavian home furnishing store Ilva.

It said plans for the site on Great Ancoats Street, Manchester, are "well developed"

The company said in a trading update: "Our preferred strategy is for a mixed retail scheme that will attract tenants as a home/lifestyle destination store.

"We are confident about the unit's potential and we hope to be in a position to make further announcements with our preliminary results in September."

TCS also has a development on Deansgate in Manchester and has recently let a unit to restaurant operator Bem Brasil.

Chairman Edward Ziff said: "Our substantial exposure to 'value for money' retailing stands us in good stead, and we will ensure that we continue to put the right tenant in the right property paying the right rent."

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/

At least the property boom ebbed away just as it was lapping at the doors of Linda's. If it was a choice between Eider House or home-made cheese and onion pie chips and gravy on a Friday I know which I'd choose...


Ah, I miss working across the road from Linda's :(

Ah, I miss working across the road from Linda's :(

Me too, though I am a stone lighter.

I saw some portacabins and other stuff like flood lights, etc on the surface car park opposite Golforium on Dulcie Street. Any idea whats going on??

I think they maybe related to the Piccadilly Tower site. Not sure though. Note they have tarmac rolling machines too.

This is the office building next to Piccadilly station. Iwas unsure about the blue and yellow panels from the renders, but on initial impression I'm cautiously optimistic. I think it will work well on this fringe area.

http://i180.photobucket.com/albums/x284/gshutty/DSC00718.jpg

The railway building looks awesome I was afraid that's going to be disaster but I change my mind now.Good stuff.

TCS signs architect practice to Carvers Warehouse

10 Dec 2009, 16:26

Michael Hunt

Town Centre Securities, the Leeds-based developer active in Manchester and Rochdale, has added architect practice The Harris Partnership to its line-up at the Carvers Warehouse office building within the £250m Piccadilly Basin development in Manchester.

The award-winning practice is relocating from its existing premises at nearby Dale House, having taken a ten-year lease on 2,200 sq ft on the second floor of the Grade II-listed building. The relocation coincides with the 25th anniversary of The Harris Partnership and its ten-year presence in Manchester.

Built in 1806, Carvers Warehouse has had many of the original period features retained and was opened in May last year by Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council.

Ben Battye, associate director of The Harris Partnership, said: "Carvers Warehouse provides the perfect environment for an architectural firm. Its aesthetic appeal with its exposed stonework and beams, combined with its central location close to Piccadilly station and picturesque waterside setting, were all key factors in our decision making.

"The relocation accommodates our recent growth and allows for future expansion needs while providing a signature office location for our staff and clients alike."

The architect firm joins existing Carvers tenants, Marketing Manchester and G-Star Raw.

Carvers Warehouse is part of approximately 400,000 sq ft of office accommodation in a variety of new and historic buildings at the 12.8-acre site.

Joint agents alongside Lambert Smith Hampton are Cushman & Wakefield.

http://www.placenorthwest.co.uk/news/archive/4977-tcs-signs-architect-practice-to-carvers-warehouse.html

Looks like the old Ilva store may soon have some more new tenants...

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/news/21757-new-tenant-on-horizon-at-piccaddilly-basin.html?news_section=4150

Town Centre Securities Plc (LSE: TCSC) has another retailer interested in moving into the 120,000 sq ft former ILVA store in Manchester's Piccadilly basin.

Last year Aldi took 16,000 sq ft of the space vacated when the Danish furniture chain shut down its UK business, but today Town Centre said a further unit was under offer but did not name the potential occupier.

The Leeds-based property developer said the remaining space at Piccadilly Basin represents 50 per cent of its total voids.

The company also said it sold a Manchester office building let to a single tenant – probably a reference to the sale of a building on Dale Street near Piccadilly for £7m which wasn announced in an interim statement in November.

Town Centre said total sales in the six months to December 31 amounted to £17m and generated a small profit above June 2009 valuations.

The company posted an interim pre-tax profit of £31.5m, compared with a loss of £72.9 in the same period of 2008. Net asset value per share rose to 257p from 202p in June 30, 2009.

The interim dividend is 3.02p compared with 2.75p and group borrowings have shrunk to £146.7m from £185.3m in June thanks to repurchase of debenture stock from Royal Bank of Scotland and property sales.

Chairman and Chief Executive Edward Ziff said: "Our close attention to balance sheet management has left us in a robust position and we look, selectively, for opportunities to acquire stock that fits into our longer term strategy. Nevertheless, we continue to regard 2010 with caution and are ready for any change in market conditions that may occur. I am delighted we have reinforced the long-term financing of the company.”

http://www.crainsmanchesterbusiness.co.uk/article/20100224/FREE/100229955/1026

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/bay12.jpg

View from the car park, Piccadilly Basin. It's a shame the ex ILVA store now blockS out the conTinuas view from Ancoats to East Manchester.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444724-1.jpg

Not sure if this has been see yet? Only noticed it on Saturday on one of the hoardings.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture114444729.jpg



The JEWEL.

The Jewel is set to be office number 4 at Piccadilly Basin, and will total around 50,000 sq ft of Grade A office space. The striking, raking column design of the planned building has achieved a BREEAM Excellent.

These superb modern offices will be set within a prime location in the heart of Manchester, and they will also enjoy a prominent canal-side location.

http://www.tcs-plc.co.uk/thejewel.html

BDP trying to improve their outlook...
BDP & Manchester Garden City campaign for greener spaces in Piccadilly

Friday, August 13, 2010 9:37:21 AM

As part of the Manchester Garden City campaign, a planting scheme for the canal embankments surrounding the Dale Street car park have been developed by Piccadilly-based architects BDP.
continues here... (http://www.piccadillymanchester.com/pic-life/BDP-and-Manchester-Garden-City-campaign-for-greener-spaces-in-Piccadilly.aspx)
http://www.piccadillymanchester.com (http://www.piccadillymanchester.com/pic-life/BDP-and-Manchester-Garden-City-campaign-for-greener-spaces-in-Piccadilly.aspx)

Conceptual PDF here,
http://www.piccadillymanchester.com/images/Piccadilly%20Basin%20Garden%20City.pdf

Whoa Jrb!

Can I donate some dosh for your photobucket account as too quickly do those pictures disappear!!

Can not make my mind up about Jewel. It must be that brown. Reminds me of all the very worse of 70's Piccadilly and how that was built to erm blend erm in with the polluted black bible black of Victorian Mancunia.

A little more on the BDP/Manchester Garden City project,

http://www.bdp.com/News/Events/2010/BDP--Manchester-Garden-City-campaign/

and the website for the wider campaign, not much on it at the moment,

www.manchestergardencity.org.uk

http://i55.tinypic.com/6t08le.jpg

Got a vague feeling that this development had a thread of it's own but not sure and thought this would be the closest thing to it. I was strangely impressed when I saw these buildings whilst cycling along Great Ancoats Street today. They seemed to fly up in no time at all last year and they've really filled in that bit of land very nicely

http://i306.photobucket.com/albums/nn252/Cityplanner/100_0839.jpg?t=1287148874

Manchester Confidential.

Garden City scheme underway
Piccadilly Basin could be first of many in the city
Date Published: 04/04/2011 16:59:09

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/images/201144story-postcardpicbasincopy.jpg

WORK has started on Manchester’s first Garden City scheme, which will be in Piccadilly Basin.

Funding for the project has come from Manchester City Council and its city centre management company, CityCo and planting will start in May.

On the south side of the canal, sweet pea, runner beans and as herbs such as chives and sage will be planted. On the opposite bank, wild flowers including poppies, camomile and corn flowers will be sown in blocks, to provide a haven for native butterflies, bees and dragon flies.

Members of the local business and residential community are being asked to volunteer to help transform the canal bank.

Manchester Garden City is an independent initiative supported by CityCo and Manchester-based architect and design practice BDP, which has its head office in Piccadilly Basin. The scheme is also trying to secure £5,000 of funding from The Co-operative’s ‘Join the Revolution’ initiative.

Steve Merridew, environmental designaAssociate at BDP and a founder of the Manchester Garden City scheme said: “This initiative started as an informal chat between friends so it’s great to see things starting to take shape.

“We are trying to create a brand which can provide the vision, expertise and framework under which individuals and organisations can deliver Greening initiatives in the city centre.’’

Gary Ellis, operations director at CityCo, said: “Piccadilly Basin is the first of several Garden City schemes we’ve identified across the city. This is part of a longer term strategy to bring nature back to the city centre and provide food sources for local residents.



“What we’re trying to do is create a model that others can adopt. We see it as a bit like a franchise where various organisations can help own and grow the brand, greening the city as they go. We also plan to install more bat boxes and duck houses in the coming weeks.”

Councillor Nigel Murphy, executive member for environment at Manchester City Council, said: “The garden city project will create another green space within the city centre providing a picturesque retreat where visitors can step out of the hustle and bustle of city life to discover an island of tranquillity.

“Manchester City Council is dedicated to developing a low carbon economy aiming to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 41 per cent over the next decade. We believe passionately that cities must lie at the heart of plans to tackle climates change and the garden city is one of many steps we must take to reduce carbon emissions.“

The Garden City project is supported by Leeds-based Town Centre Securities who own the land at Piccadilly Basin.

Manchester Confidential.

Garden City scheme underway
Piccadilly Basin could be first of many in the city
Date Published: 04/04/2011 16:59:09

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/images/201144story-postcardpicbasincopy.jpg

WORK has started on Manchester’s first Garden City scheme, which will be in Piccadilly Basin.

Funding for the project has come from Manchester City Council and its city centre management company, CityCo and planting will start in May.

On the south side of the canal, sweet pea, runner beans and as herbs such as chives and sage will be planted. On the opposite bank, wild flowers including poppies, camomile and corn flowers will be sown in blocks, to provide a haven for native butterflies, bees and dragon flies.

Members of the local business and residential community are being asked to volunteer to help transform the canal bank.

Manchester Garden City is an independent initiative supported by CityCo and Manchester-based architect and design practice BDP, which has its head office in Piccadilly Basin. The scheme is also trying to secure £5,000 of funding from The Co-operative’s ‘Join the Revolution’ initiative.

Steve Merridew, environmental designaAssociate at BDP and a founder of the Manchester Garden City scheme said: “This initiative started as an informal chat between friends so it’s great to see things starting to take shape.

“We are trying to create a brand which can provide the vision, expertise and framework under which individuals and organisations can deliver Greening initiatives in the city centre.’’

Gary Ellis, operations director at CityCo, said: “Piccadilly Basin is the first of several Garden City schemes we’ve identified across the city. This is part of a longer term strategy to bring nature back to the city centre and provide food sources for local residents.



“What we’re trying to do is create a model that others can adopt. We see it as a bit like a franchise where various organisations can help own and grow the brand, greening the city as they go. We also plan to install more bat boxes and duck houses in the coming weeks.”

Councillor Nigel Murphy, executive member for environment at Manchester City Council, said: “The garden city project will create another green space within the city centre providing a picturesque retreat where visitors can step out of the hustle and bustle of city life to discover an island of tranquillity.

“Manchester City Council is dedicated to developing a low carbon economy aiming to reduce the city’s carbon emissions by 41 per cent over the next decade. We believe passionately that cities must lie at the heart of plans to tackle climates change and the garden city is one of many steps we must take to reduce carbon emissions.“

The Garden City project is supported by Leeds-based Town Centre Securities who own the land at Piccadilly Basin.

Cityco really are a bunch of jokers, this is the equivalent of putting floral sticky-backed plastic on your wheelie bin.

It's a small measure, but does that mean it's not worthwhile at all?

Exactly , try it .

Better than it being some gravelled wasteland for years on end .

Manchester Garden City is an independent initiative supported by CityCo and Manchester-based architect and design practice BDP, which has its head office in Piccadilly Basin. The scheme is also trying to secure £5,000 of funding from The Co-operative’s ‘Join the Revolution’ initiative.

http://www.manchesterconfidential.co.uk/Property/General/Garden-City-scheme-underway_17665.asp

If anyone wants to vote for the Garden City project(or any of the other schemes) in the £5k 'Revolution' contest,

http://www.co-operative.coop/join-the-revolution/get-involved/view-the-revolutions/?rid=2&lb=vcd&pi=0

great idea this. give the city a good vibe and it is more likely to attract outside investment.

Place North West.

M&S and Pure Gym sign at Piccadilly Basin

9 May 2011, 10:35


Marks & Spencer and Pure Gym have signed leases totalling 38,678 sq ft with Town Centre Securities at the Urban Exchange development in Manchester.

There is now just one retail unit of 7,233 sq ft remaining to let to on the ground floor of the 120,000 sq ft building. Other tenants include Aldi and GO Outdoors, which opened on 1 April.

Marks & Spencer signed a lease for a 19,353 sq ft ground floor unit which will become an outlet store. CB Richard Ellis represented Marks & Spencer; Town Centre Securities represented itself.

Twenty-four hour gym operator Pure Gym agreed a 15-year lease for 19,326 sq ft over the lower ground floor. Cushman & Wakefield and BNP Paribas represented Town Centre Securities and Pure Gym was unrepresented.

Yorkshire-based contractor GMI Construction has been appointed to carry out both store fit-outs. Work on the Marks & Spencer outlet is due to begin shortly with the store scheduled to open in the summer.

The deals represent the tail end of the turnaround in fortunes for TCS at the 120,000 sq ft building which was left vacant when Danish furniture retailer Iilva went into administration in 2008.

Edward Ziff, chairman and chief executive of Town Centre Securities, said: "To be in a situation where a prominent building of this magnitude is left vacant presents many challenges and we are incredibly proud to have been able to overcome these to create a successful scheme in the midst of a challenging economic climate. We have always had confidence in the whole Piccadilly Basin scheme as it occupies such a key site within the city of Manchester and the major retailers we now have in occupation will undoubtedly ensure its continued success."

The Manchester offices of BNP Paribas and Cushman & Wakefield are handling enquiries in the remaining retail unit at Urban Exchange.