Bruntwood and Select Property Group have secured planning approval for Phase 1A of Circle Square, the brand new neighbourhood set on the former BBC site in Manchester city centre.
Manchester City Council’s planning committee approved the proposals at its first meeting of the year this afternoon and construction will now begin on this first phase of the £750m Oxford Road mixed-use development that offers office, retail, serviced apartments and private residential accommodation as well communal spaces that will be open to members of the public.
The approved Phase 1A includes two serviced apartment buildings delivered and managed under Select’s award-winning Vita brand as well as surrounding areas of public realm space, including riverside walkways along the River Medlock. Vita at Circle Square will feature 600 state-of-the-art luxury serviced apartments for single and multiple occupancy, including 22 stylish duplex penthouses with external terraces.
Central to Circle Square will be two collaborative spaces designed to encourage a blend of people and businesses to come together. The Green and a 20,000 sq ft pavilion will provide additional events space for the city, offering huge opportunities for a wide variety of staged and pop-up events, both indoor and outdoor.
Mark Stott, CEO of Select Property Group, said: “Today’s approval is a major milestone in our joint venture partnership with Bruntwood and for the Vita Student brand. We are looking forward to expanding our award-winning Vita Student offering to a second Manchester site, which will be ready for the September 2017 academic year.
“Securing approval for the first phase is a significant part of our vision to create a new neighbourhood for the city, which will be complemented by future phases featuring extensive green areas as well as commercial, residential and retail buildings that are to be considered by planners.”
Chris Oglesby, CEO at Bruntwood, commented: “Bruntwood and Select Property Group share a long-term commitment and desire to create an exceptional and extraordinary new community at Circle Square.
“Traditionally, creating such a significant new district would take a decade to deliver. By working collaboratively and in cooperation, we have already been able to dramatically reduce this timeline, such that, a new community of c. 1.42m sq. ft. of floorspace will be delivered in the next 3 and a half years.
