Manchester City Council approves proposals for over 5,000 new student beds

A scheme put forward by the University of Manchester to redevelop its Fallowfield campus has been approved, as have plans for a 737-bed development proposed by McLaren Property and Kadans.

The University of Manchester's £400m plans to redevelop the Fallowfield campus will see the 20-storey Owens Park Tower demolished, along with other 1960s halls, and the construction of new facilities designed by Sheppard Robson.

Property Alliance Group (PAG), Moda, McLaren Property Group, and Kadans put forward proposals to build a £450m PBSA and life sciences scheme at Upper Brook Street were also approved. 

Proposals to build a six to nine storey science building, and a nine to 23-storey building advanced by PBSA Mclaren Property and Kadans were brought to Manchester City Council's planning committee for the fifth time yesterday, where they were granted approval.

The firms involved in the development are Sheppard Robson, Re-form Landscape Architecture and planning consultant Avison Young. 

Also at the Upper Brook Street site, PAG and Moda had requested planning permission to build 328,000 sq ft of life sciences accommodation and three PBSA towers, 12, 14, and 29 storeys tall, which will provide 983 student beds. Planning was also granted for this scheme. 

The proposals for Fallowfield campus are for a mixture of towers to be built, with the tallest buildings at 15-storeys, which would be located centrally. Buildings along the western and southern edges of the site would be lower at between 19 and 25m.

On the project team for the Fallowfield redevelopment are Sheppard Robson architects, Turley planning consultants, engineering firm Buro Happold and architecture and urban design firm Landscape Projects.