Planning Permission Granted for Manchester City Centre Development

photo credit: Smabs Sputzer

Developers have received planning permission for the next step of an ambitious scheme to regenerate the northern quarter of Manchester city centre – the so-called Smithfield Project.

Manchester City Council approved developer Muse’s plans as part of its wider Northern Quarter regeneration scheme. As part of the Smithfield Project, Muse will build 77 new apartments – comprising a mixture of one, two and three bedroom flats – plus some 560 square metres of new office and commercial space. When it’s finished, the additional housing stock should prove a boon to city centre estate agents as part of Manchester’s ongoing regeneration.

The Smithfield Project has been underway for the past decade, and last year it scooped the gong for mixed-use development of the year at the Regeneration & Renewal Awards. Work on the next phase of the project is due to commence later in the year.

Manchester City Council leader Sir Richard Leese commented: "The Northern Quarter is a key element of the regeneration of Manchester city centre and this scheme is further evidence that it remains a thriving residential and commercial location."

HMV to Sell Two Manchester Music Venues

photo credit: Grey World

Music and electronics retailer HMV said this week that it is considering selling two live music venues in Manchester city centre.

HMV told the Manchester Evening News that it was in “preliminary discussions” over the sale of the Ritz and the GAY nightclub, after already concluding a deal to divest itself of London’s Hammersmith Apollo, which is being snapped up by US entertainment giant AEG. The move is part of its decision to get rid of its HMV Live arm.

It has been rumoured that AEG could be seeking the two Manchester city centre venues as well, although both the US group and HMV have remained tightlipped. All HMV would say is that “the strategic review of the remaining Live business is ongoing and the
Company is currently in preliminary discussions regarding potential options for its disposal.”

City centre estate agents will be watching developments with interest.

HMV is expecting to post profits of at least £10 million this year from sales of gadgets such as iPads, the new Google Nexus tablet and wireless headphones – as well as its traditional sales of DVDs and CDs.