Manchester city council is to meet tomorrow to approve a compulsory purchase order on a major city centre development site, after losing an expensive battle to purchase the site in 2011.
The council will make a renewed push to secure the London Road Fire Station, owned by Britannia Hotels Group, where a Grade II-listed building has been laying largely dormant since 1986.
The gateway site has consent for a 100,000 sq ft hotel with 227 beds, but the council says Brittania has made little progress in the past three years. It is expected that, if bought, the council would pursue a leisure-led scheme on the site.
Manchester sought a CPO on the building in 2010, rejected by a government inspector after a public inquiry in 2011 at which BHG gave assurances to develop the site quickly.
Argent had been selected to bring forward an alternative scheme, but communities secretary Eric Pickles questioned the financial viability of the backup.
Argent had wanted to turn the historic site – built in 1906 and neighbouring the developer’s Piccadilly Place project – into a major mixed-use project led by a music and arts venue.
The saga cost Manchester more than £1.5m in legal fees. In June this year the council dismissed as “pure speculation” market rumours that a second CPO attempt would be made.
The city is now accusing BHG of not having carried out the initial structural surveys it promised within 12 weeks of the 2011 decision.
Now the council executive is being asked to approve a CPO unless it receives written confirmation within six weeks that BHG will enter a legally binding implementation agreement.
Manchester city council leader Sir Richard Leese said: “London Road Fire Station is a wonderful landmark building with the potential to make a significant contribution to the regeneration of the Piccadilly area.
“But over more than a quarter of a century, it has been allowed to blight this part of the city centre instead. The building’s current owners have presided over its deterioration and disuse. Despite making public commitments to bring it back into use, they have so far failed to demonstrate any genuine intention to do so. In this case, their inaction speaks louder than words.
“We are giving them one last chance but they need to act quickly to take it. The people of Manchester have waited long enough for this fine heritage building to be brought back to life, and we will do everything in our power to make sure this happens.”
chris.berkin@estatesgazette.com
