Great news great mates!

Another fantastic design! :)

Work begins in the nesxt few weeks and will take twenty months to complete!

http://img280.imageshack.us/img280/4798/peakmount27dq.jpg

http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view01.jpg

http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view03.jpg

http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view02.jpg

http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view04.jpg

Looks quite nice. What is it about these designs with uneven windows though?

Looks quite nice. What is it about these designs with uneven windows though?

Well!

First it was the slopy roofs, then the glass buildings, and now the uneven thin windows!

Wonderful! :)

Good news that this is starting within 2 weeks.

I presume that the MRI car park will open soon which has enabled this development to get off the ground finally. This development will totally transform the area. Provan and Makin are good architects. I'd like to see them do more.

Nice to see key workers being taken care of! Our Council, along with the property developers really do know what their doing!

I prefer the old burger king that was handy for my old manchester school of engineering building

Why is there an unfinished building next door in the last render?

Why is there an unfinished building next door in the last render?

It's a new build for the Medical School I think - another Incubator?? Last time I went past here, it looked much more advanced than this pic. Maybe theyre still using the original pics. This building student/key worker accom has been on the cards for yonks. Glad it's finally starting - nice design too.

oo..this I like....early attempt to extend the city centre southwards

I like this one. It looks so clean and modern and 21st Century.

I prefer the old burger king that was handy for my old manchester school of engineering building

Wasnt it a wimpy?

Looks good.

Wasn't it a Happy Eater? I think it was..

It was a little chef wasnt it?

It was Happy Eater, then Little Chef. Happy Eater's logo was a weird PacMan style dude. I used to whinge at mammy and pappy to take me there when I was young. They had a giraffe(or elephant, forget which) in their playground too.

It was ace. For a kid. With hindsight, I was making mi padrés pay extortionate money for service station food.

Yep it was the same for me with the super sausage in Towcester. Why oh why does greasy service station food appeal to the littl'ans so much?

Its the same with car ferry food, actually mmmm I'm off to Holyhead.

x

One half was a little chef, the other half was a burger king. Trust me, I kept them in business.

About time this started, I'm sure it was due to begin this time last year.

It's started :cheers:

Walk past this site constantly. Today there were some workers were 25% through putting up that metally wall panelling around the side so they can start work on construction.

There were a couple of stacks of grey breeze(?) blocks outside on the ground too.

Don't have a camera phone so I couldn't get any pics tho :cry:

Two drilling machines on site today. Things moving along nicely.

Upper Brook Street is a hive of activity.

Good news jrb, if these city planning type people put their minds to it Upper Brook St could be Manchesters secret weapon up its sleeve. Its a major road into and out of the centre yet its virtually a baron land for pedestrians, a big fat nothing until you reach the rear of St Mary's Hospital when theres a little life roaming around. It does seem a massive waste of potential to extend the city out beyond its present boundaries. Upper Brook St should be buzzing like Oxford St/Rd is about 200 metres away.

Good news jrb, if these city planning type people put their minds to it Upper Brook St could be Manchesters secret weapon up its sleeve. Its a major road into and out of the centre yet its virtually a baron land for pedestrians, a big fat nothing until you reach the rear of St Mary's Hospital when theres a little life roaming around. It does seem a massive waste of potential to extend the city out beyond its present boundaries. Upper Brook St should be buzzing like Oxford St/Rd is about 200 metres away.

To be honest Roly, Upper Brook Street is looking really impressive at the moment. There are numerous developments stretching from the MRI to the Mancunian Way and beyond. When everythings finished, Upper Brook Street will make a fantastic gateway in to the city centre. (Pics coming up next week)

Couple of pics from Friday.

Wow... covers a larger area than I'd expected. Cheers jrb! :D

Second crane gone up here today.

where is Plymouth Grove?

where is Plymouth Grove?

Keep going out of Manchester past 5th Avenue Club. After about 3/4 of a mile there's a road that shoots off to the left at an angle. That's the fella.

Is that just past where it crosses Brunswick street? I went for a walk round there the other day. Where did the architects of that damned boulevard get the idea that people that who live in council houses are 4'6" and afraid of daylight? It's a shame all the university money trickles down Wilmslow road and not across towards Ardwick.

^^ No its further down.

Follow Upper Brook Street down as far as the new Chemistry and Bioincubator extension is. This image is the junction of Upper Brook Street and Plymouth Grove.

http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view02.jpg


The Brunswick Estate is in line, I think, for a PFI funded regeneration scheme as per Grove Village and Miles Platting so hopefully we will see some radical changes to that area just south of the UMIST campus.

It's the street I meant though, I obviously just walk very fast.

Are these PFIs going to just be flashy new council estates, or are the proposing a mix of private and social occupancy?

They are a mix. Take a look at Grove Village. I don't know what your knowledge of the estate was before they started work and even though they have been quite conservative in certain respects, the transformation is quite something. Ive put some information on the main thread about it, taken from PRP architects' website who seem to have provided masterplanning and architectural services for the development. Assuming it goes through, Im hopeful Brunswick will see similar if not more ambitious transformation.

Gleeson Homes are selling the private elements and Harvest Housing providing the social rented (and presumably affordable ownership) elements. I have read that there is now a very long waiting list amongst council tenants for accommodation on this estate.

If it'll help your barings, it's the site of the old Happy Eater/Little Chef 5 star Michelen eateries that would often host private parties for the like of Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise, who would often order a Scientology burger which consisted of 100% ground nonce.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/fallow/bf7eed63.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v480/fallow/aec8a2e6.jpg

I really like this development. It's so clean, crisp, tidy, sleek, bright, neat, different.

Quick pic snapped today, tried to get the same angle as the original render from memory.
http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c196/taelifoo/plymouth-tower.jpg

(I was sure it looks far too small render for 13 stories)

for reference
http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view01.jpg

I remember Plymouth Grove as a little kid, lots of villas and stout Victorian houses. I hadn't been down that way for a few years until yesterday and was dismayed to see that someone was erecting some very unattractive small houses. You could see by looking at them that they will be lucky to last ten years.

I cannot understand why it is necessary to build ugly when with a little effort you could build attractive. These are no better than the housing stock they are replacing.

Oh do fuck off you witless troll :bash:

I remember Plymouth Grove as a little kid, lots of villas and stout Victorian houses. I hadn't been down that way for a few years until yesterday and was dismayed to see that someone was erecting some very unattractive small houses. You could see by looking at them that they will be lucky to last ten years.

I cannot understand why it is necessary to build ugly when with a little effort you could build attractive. These are no better than the housing stock they are replacing.

Thats a refurbishment of an already existing council estate you're talking about. Many of those blocks have already been up more than 20 years!!

http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/images/banknotes/current/50/50_front.jpg

Are you drunk golddigga?

What he's talking about is a refurbishment of a pre-existing radburn style council estate. There is demolition and rebuild involved but no rebuild has as yet taken place on the Plymouth Grove side.

http://www.3d-screensaver-downloads.com/images/free-cat-screensaver/big2.jpg

I remember Plymouth Grove as a little kid, lots of villas and stout Victorian houses. I hadn't been down that way for a few years until yesterday and was dismayed to see that someone was erecting some very unattractive small houses. You could see by looking at them that they will be lucky to last ten years.

I cannot understand why it is necessary to build ugly when with a little effort you could build attractive. These are no better than the housing stock they are replacing.

i totaly agree, there was an interesting programme on more 4 a few weeks ago about british house design, i'm a firm beliver that good design doesnt have to cost the earth.
what i find strange is that people like to keep their clothes up to date and their interiors and funature up to date but want to live in new houses that would not look out of place in salford quays (annother missed oportunity)

If you look at some Manchester locations (and Salford Quays) some very good quality houses (not flats) could have been built to attract professional
buyers into the city centre but we have missed that chance.

For example some of the London Squares are superb but there are similar examples in more local areas like those properties clustered around Heaton Moor Park. If I remember rightly St. John Street is also a good example of what I mean. Perhaps some have been built in Manchester and I have missed them, I rather hope so.

So many parts of Manchester which were blessed with fine housing had them replaced with modern low cost housing which is not really cost effective in the long run as they don't last. Liverpool has many of these areas still surviving and I hope they don't make the same mistake.

Taken last week.(inside the car)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture253.jpg

What the fuck is that nutter in the car right in front of you trying to do?
Been watching Mad Max maybe or seeing he is coming from Levenshulme he didnt realise that, unlike in Albania where here has fled to seek asylum here, we drive on the left and usually try and keep on the road!

What the fuck is that nutter in the car right in front of you trying to do?
Been watching Mad Max maybe or seeing he is coming from Levenshulme he didnt realise that, unlike in Albania where here has fled to seek asylum here, we drive on the left and usually try and keep on the road!

Probably just purchased it from that 3rd, 4th, 5th hand open air garage (ex hyper wash site) opposite Plymouth Grove. You know, the one where Johnny Ball works. (think of a number) Car prices, not failed Albanian asylum seekers wishing to purchase a reliable Lada or Trabant.

What the fuck is that nutter in the car right in front of you trying to do?
Been watching Mad Max maybe or seeing he is coming from Levenshulme he didnt realise that, unlike in Albania where here has fled to seek asylum here, we drive on the left and usually try and keep on the road!

lol I reckon he's spotted jerb with the camera, paranoid he's thought about swinging the car round but noticed the lamp post so just casualy dismounts the curb pretending nothing happened and hoping no one saw it

lol I reckon he's spotted jerb with the camera, paranoid he's thought about swinging the car round but noticed the lamp post so just casualy dismounts the curb pretending nothing happened and hoping no one saw it

Pherhaps he thought I was working for the immagration service?

Probably just purchased it from that 3rd, 4th, 5th hand open air garage (ex hyper wash site) opposite Plymouth Grove. You know, the one where Johnny Ball works. (think of a number) Car prices, not failed Albanian asylum seekers wishing to purchase a reliable Lada or Trabant.

We live in a fucked upside down country where i am breaking the law when i go 6 miles over the speed limit at three in the morning on an empty road and get fined 60 quid yet unregistered cars are blatantly sold illegally, 100 yards from a police station, and nothing is done about it.
Also i get a parking ticket because i park in an empty parking bay in a dead end street, not blocking any traffic or causing an obstruction, on a Saturday morning where it becomes free after 12 o clock anyway yet you cant get through Longsight because its a free-for-all where anyone and everyone parks on the blooming A6!
Have you ever seen a traffic warden in Longsight?
Ever?

Not the best quality as its another piccie taken on my phone, but heres the progress of this one, and look no cars on the pavement anywhere!

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y25/dirtyred619/Photo-0023.jpg

Went past a couple of days ago, boy have they thown this up with some pace. Great scheme.

what part of plymouth grove is this.i lived in longsight all my life but i've not been there since 1999 so i'm having difficulty placing the exact location.is it more or less opposite the royal infirmary?

The shot above is heading away from town with the Infirmary on the right. The site used to have a Happy Eater type, er, eaterie on it!

The shot above is heading away from town with the Infirmary on the right. The site used to have a Happy Eater type, er, eaterie on it!
that,s more or less what i thought.nice one!

Taken today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture099.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture100.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture103.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture124.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture122a-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture123.jpg

Anyone else in favour for the erection of a plaque or something in memory of the Happy Eater? I for one had one great kids bash there when I was growing up. Happy memories!

Anyone else in favour for the erection of a plaque or something in memory of the Happy Eater? I for one had one great kids bash there when I was growing up. Happy memories!

I always wondered who ate in there! It was you!

I had visions of businessmen setting off from a high powered meeting in the city centre and suddenly realising half a mile into their journey that they need a meal. Or conversely someone travelling all the way to Manchester and deciding to stop there to prepare themselves for the last part of the journey 500 yards down Upper Brook Street.
Its the urban version of Burtonwood services.

Thanks for the pics jerb I'm looking forward to this one, I know its only flats but I like the design and its location

Yep, me too. Thanks for the pics jrb.

http://www.provanandmakin.com/PROJECTS/891PLYMOUTHGROVE/view03.jpg

I always wondered who ate in there! It was you!

I had visions of businessmen setting off from a high powered meeting in the city centre and suddenly realising half a mile into their journey that they need a meal. Or conversely someone travelling all the way to Manchester and deciding to stop there to prepare themselves for the last part of the journey 500 yards down Upper Brook Street.
Its the urban version of Burtonwood services.

I sometimes popped in there as a student to get a nice full breakfast before popping across the road for my lectures :) Your right though, odd place for it

Taken this evening with my mobile. Looking good. It's already having a massive impact on Upper Brook Street.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture098.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture092.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture099-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture100-1.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture102.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture101.jpg

Blimey! Your mobile takes as good a picture as my posh camera!
.............sort of!

Blimey! Your mobile takes as good a picture as my posh camera!
.............sort of!

I lied! Sort of..... Photoshoped them.

I went past this yesterday ,, its a lot bigger than i thought .

Upper Brook St as huge potential to be a great road into the city , from MRI to the city centre there are quite a few plots of land that are ripe for development ,, this will in turn pull the University campus closer to the city centre ( i dont know if that made sense ) lol .. im bolloxed im off to bed :)

Happy new year btw :)

Today.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture292.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture293.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture296.jpg

Compare. Eight months on.

tlhf. 27th May 2006.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c196/taelifoo/plymouth-tower.jpg

jrb. 7th Febuary 2007.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v397/jrb041067/Picture296.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/2215229266_6e06342eda_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2133/2215229388_50e451f850_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2087/2214437073_f505d5525b_o.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2399/2215229558_0b1773d87a_o.jpg

Looks smart.

nice one Ste i've not seen it complete before

i like the form but it looks a bit dull. then again the weather isnt helping it!

i like the form but it looks a bit dull. then again the weather isnt helping it!

you're right. i think it's actually an off-white bright cream colour. quite bright.

Compared to some of the student blocks going up down the M62, this is of good quality!

crap didnt realise this was student acom, for that its pretty snazzy! shows how much i just look at the pretty pictures instead or actually doing some reading!

That looks quite nice .

Whats that thread rating all about?

1980's sumtime

http://www.hotlinkfiles.com/files/911207_kfvbu/mcrhappyeater.jpg

2006

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c196/taelifoo/plymouth-tower.jpg


anyone got an up2 date same view

Compared to some of the student blocks going up down the M62, this is of good quality!

crap didnt realise this was student acom, for that its pretty snazzy! shows how much i just look at the pretty pictures instead or actually doing some reading!

I think its "key worker" not student, aimed mainly at nurses in this location.

I think its "key worker" not student, aimed mainly at nurses in this location.

Student nurses? :lol:

I think its "key worker" not student, aimed mainly at nurses in this location.

Like a locksmith?!?! :nuts: :lol:

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008002.jpg?t=1201541620

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008004.jpg?t=1201541755

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008006.jpg?t=1201541789

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008003.jpg?t=1201541815

Whats that thread rating all about?

the forum FAQ says,
You may find a small menu on thread pages which allows you to 'rate this thread' with a number between 1-5.

Casting a vote for threads you view is entirely optional, but if you think that the thread is superb, you might rate it as a 5-star thread, or if you think that it's unspeakably dismal, you might choose to rate the thread with a single star.

Once enough votes have been cast for the thread rating, you may see a set of stars appear with the title of the thread in the thread listings. These stars reflect the average vote cast, and can allow you to quickly see which threads are worth reading if you are on a very busy forum with a lot of threads.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/2215229266_6e06342eda_o.jpg

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008002.jpg?t=1201541620

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008004.jpg?t=1201541755

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008006.jpg?t=1201541789

http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg270/SteKnight/Manchester28012008003.jpg?t=1201541815


A very elegant set of buildings. Provan and Makin have done a great job here. I believe the usage is split student cluster flats and self contained key worker accommodation.

Cheers for the pics Ste ,, this has turned very nice .

Upper Brook as got loads of potential , hope more developments of this quality follow .

I live here!

No key workers, all students from what I can tell.

I stand corrected if that's the case. What's it like to live there?

Its not bad. Nice as far as student halls go.

But the development went a bit tits up and over schedule. When I moved in, the court yard was still a building site with none of the flagging or grass laid down.

Also, the entire ground floor on the Upper Brook Street side was supposed to be let to retailers with a canteen also meant to have been in place. None of that has come to fruition so far and I believe there is still some building work being done on that floor. Which is a shame really as it would be nice to have some kind of vending machine or anything on site. As it stands its a walk to Tesco for anything to eat or drink and that isn't open 24 hours. A lot more could be done with Upper Brook Street.

Overall though its a decent place to live. Just a shame that I have an external facing flat which overlooks the drab streets of Brunswick, the cemetary and the awful 'Plymouth Grove' apartments. Those facing internally get the courtyard view. Those high up on the Upper Brook Street side get a wonderful view of the City at night.

Oh, I forgot to mention - the bathroom situation is a joke!

Imagine the size of the toilet on an airplane. Take that and stick it into a students room. Also try and fit the shower in there and you have some resemblance of the insanity of it. Whenever the shower is used, the entire bathroom gets completely soaked and if you are not careful it leaks out of the door and onto the room carpet.

but I digress.

I live here!

No key workers, all students from what I can tell.

Designed to bring affordable accommodation to key workers and students from the Manchester’s Royal Infirmary and Universities this 262,000sq.ft. landmark building provides 116 two bedroom key worker flats, and 358 student bedrooms as well as amenity space, office accommodation and retail space.
Elevational treatments and variations in height from 8 to 9 and then 13 stories break up the mass of the building externally, whilst a secure internal courtyard over basement parking gives separate outside haven to students and key workers on varying levels.
http://www.makinarchitecture.com/public/view.php?id_category=2&id_project=6

http://www.makinarchitecture.com/public/view.php?id_category=2&id_project=6


There are definitely two types of flat, but i'm fairly certain that both are taken up by students. If there are key workers here, there are definitely less than 116 of them and I am yet to meet or hear about one.

The company who has the lease on the place is Cosmpolitan Student Homes

http://www.cosmostudents.com/properties/manchester/index.php