The Proposals

Site Location

The proposed development will be located between Gould Street, Rochdale Road and Downtown Victoria North 1 which is currently under construction. The proposals include a new build apartment building of 17 storeys, sensitively designed to reflect the fabric of the adjacent Marble Arch Inn. The proposed development will be approximately 13m away from the Marble Arch Inn, and a new area of landscaping will be delivered in this space. Located on the site is an existing vacant shop (85 Rochdale Road) which will be demolished as part of the proposals.

The area is changing rapidly, with a new Beeway cycle lane already proposed connecting Rochdale Road with Ancoats and Cheetham Hill. The site was once the coal yard associated with the large gasworks, meaning it is brownfield land and ripe for redevelopment. Its recent uses have been for car parking.

McGoff Group have been busy working to bring forward a scheme which realises the development potential of the site and aligns with the City Council’s aspirations for Victoria North. They have discussed the area with Manchester City Council officers to ensure that the site can be developed in an aspirational, yet sensitive manner, and have undertaken baseline assessments and surveys.

Proposals

McGoff Group are preparing a planning application for a major residential led project. The new urban neighbourhood will provide 153 new homes, new public realm and cycle/footpaths. The development will include a mix of homes to meet local needs. The proposed development will be built adjacent to the Downtown Victoria North 1 development and the Marble Arch Inn, providing 153 high quality units.

The proposals will deliver the following benefits:

Delivery of new homes on brownfield land to support local and national housing objectives

A mix of sizes of apartments
A new area of landscaping located between the development and the Marble Arch Inn

Provision of new public realm and landscaping
New pedestrianised routes running through the site to connect with existing and proposed development
Creation of jobs
Investment and additional spending in the local economy
Redevelopment of brownfield land to improve the visual quality and street scene along Rochdale Road

In order to accommodate Downtown Victoria North 2, the landscaping of Downtown Victoria North 1 will be amended. As agreed with the Council, a separate planning application will be submitted to amend the landscaping of Downtown Victoria North 1.

SURROUNDINGS

The site sits at the heart of the Victoria North Development Framework, to the north east of Manchester City Core. The regeneration of the area is a priority for Manchester City Council (MCC) over the next 15 years.

The surrounding area has already seen significant redevelopment, including the NOMA masterplan, creating a major employment area and the ongoing redevelopment of the areas surrounding Angel Meadows as a new residential neighbourhood. The Victoria North SRF builds on these developments and continues them along the Rochdale Road corridor towards Queen Park in the north.

Despite the area having a rich history it has lost much of the built heritage; though the historic Marble Arch pub adjacent to the site and the flat iron building across Rochdale Road help to provide a link to the area’s past.

85 Rochdale Road_future context plan.jpg

High Quality Design

The proposal will comprise of 1 building and will be 17 storeys in height.

The proposed development has been shaped by the surroundings, and the pre-cast concrete material will be red in colour to reference the Marble Arch and Block 2 of Downtown Victoria North 1.

The palette below describes the range of colours and materials which are found in the surrounding area and includes examples of the proposed red pre-cast concrete material.

The proposed scheme include articulating corners, tripartite order and horizontal banding to break up the massing, as found in the surrounding area.

The images below show window and pier detailing which have influenced the design and are found on buildings in the study area.

High Quality Landscaping

The landscaping proposals for Downtown Victoria North 2 will connect with Downtown Victoria North 1, creating a sequence of new spaces, making the current urban environment greener. The proposals will create new pedestrianised routes running through the site to connect with existing and proposed development surrounding the site. The proposals will create a platform for residents to interact and inhabit space, and will be an area which celebrate the heritage of the site.

A new area of landscaping will be delivered between the Marble Arch Inn and the proposed development, creating a space of approximately 13m separation. Below is a sketch image of what the landscaping could look like.

The following palettes of soft and hard landscaping materials are proposed.