Motel One | London Road | 42m | 14 fl | Demo

[Meadows]

I really like it!

[jrb]

Same clean lines as No1 St Peter's Square.

[VoldemortBlack]

Originally Posted by Chogmook

Bit US style 70's brutalist - I'm undecided!

I'm of this opinion.

Don't really like the colour.

If it was white like 1SPS, I would probably like it.

We'll see how it looks when it inevitably gets built.

[uklad1979]

Strange to add windows to an area which could end up covered if a tall building is put up on the monroes site. I can't see monroes lasting forever as the whole area is becoming redeveloped.

[urbnist]

Anaesthetic for the soul.



Not a bad building in its own right, but turns an interesting and historic corner of the city into a bland and souless one.

[Seasonedbest]

It looks like a downtown branch of a Wells Fargo bank in Salt Lake City. Liking this new style for Manchester - and a refreshing change from cheap crud like the First St supermarket proposal.

[ferge]

I'm all for this, I think the massing is spot on and brings all the adjoining and nearby buildings into a more cohesive balance. I also really like the new buildings squeezing in beside existing buildings, especially when you have tiny old buildings beside them - it just all makes for a more exciting city scene.

[ReissOmari]

How many rooms? Looks huge!

[flange]

Originally Posted by ReissOmari

How many rooms? Looks huge!

330 rooms.

[ReissOmari]

Originally Posted by flange

330 rooms.

Okay, looks very bold, if the materials are good then it could be a top building!

[flange]

This is the cladding detail Reiss.

Originally Posted by flange;91411457[b

Cladding Detail[/b]

[ReissOmari]

Oh nice, it has an American feel about it

[hifive605]

Its true the Monroe "bookending" buildings could have been incorporated. But Monroes' itself is definitely the highest quality heritage buildings on that plot.

The massing is good, but as with most contemporary designs it needs a little more pleasing detailing - it is possible to keep the clean-lines and elegant simplicity of a modern build whilst avoiding blandness.

Bit worried about the grey color - hopefully this will be more like a cream?

btw, whats with all the cheap ass "budget" hotels getting built in Manchester? Cant we have a high-class design with classy looking architecture for once!?

[Slow Burn]

It could be ok depending on quality of materials. Kind of reminds me of an inferior version of this building (sorry pic taken on my ipod) which I would love to see in Manchester. It's about 20 floors high

[jrb]

Here you go chaps.

The best bits.

http://www.publicaccess.manchester.g...0-dsx-0001.pdf

[Cherguevara]

I still hate it.

[jrb]

Recommendation APPROVE

http://www.manchester.gov.uk/egov_do...evelopment.pdf

[rolybling]

I like it, it's just a shame it's a complete nightmare for pedestrians around there. Also this building is another reason why something needs to be done with the Fire station and pronto.

[flange]

£30m Motel One plans set for approval

27th June 2012

By Mike Fahy - Assistant Editor

PLANS to introduce a new £30m German "boutique" budget hotel on London Road in Manchester could be given the green light tomorrow despite opposition from campaigners.

An application by the Motel One chain to build its second UK hotel in Manchester on a site between Britannia Hotels' London Road Fire Station and Carlyle Group's Piccadilly Place development has been recommended for approval by planning officers ahead of a committee meeting tomorrow.

The scheme, which has been designed by Hodder + Partners, will see a part 14-storey and part seven-storey L-shaped building being developed on a site that currently contains five buildings which wrap around Monroe's pub.

The 330-bed hotel would be built once all five existing buildings, including the Hotel International and the basement-level Legends nightclub, are demolished.

The plans have faced opposition from campaigners as Legends is the site of the former Twisted Wheel nightclub that was the birthplace for the Northern Soul movement.

Campaigners argued that the club, which hosted live shows from black artists such as Ben E King and Ike and Tina Turner before it closed, already attracts visitors from around the UK and should be preserved.

They also argued that other suitable brownfield sites are available nearby.

Retention of the cellars was discussed with the site's owner, Olympian Group, which bought the properties from administrators following the collapse of the Targetfollow Group. However, this would have restricted the scale of the building to the extent where the proposed hotel would not be practical.

English Heritage has also argued that the proposed hotel "will cause substantial harm to the setting" of the Grade II*-listed Fire Station, while local residents have complained that it could block sunlight and cause access problems. In total, some 113 complaints have been received against the development.

Despite this, council officers have recommended that the scheme is approved.

"Whilst there is some activity within the buildings, their overall appearance at this key gateway site is not consistent with improvements that have been achieved elsewhere within the immediate and wider area," the report to the planning committee states.

It also states that the hotel would secure £25-£30m of direct investment in the local economy and create new jobs, as well as improving perceptions of the city by "providing a well-designed building opposite a principal entrance to the Piccadilly Station."

http://www.thebusinessdesk.com/northwest/

[Joydivison82]

Great - that is legends gone then . So now we are down to just one proper rock club and one which is full of egos and twits.