A disused 19th century textile warehouse in Blackfriars can be turned into a swanky apartments after change of use plans were allowed by Salford City Council.
The detached four-storey red brick building is at the junction of Blackfriars Road and Cross Street, directly opposite The Spectrum apartment tower blocks.
It was originally used as warehousing but its last occupants were the Manchester City College of Technology, a post-secondary education company that was liquidated in April 2015.
The applicants, Beech Construction Partnership Ltd, want to add a glass extension onto the building, as well as a two-storey glass roof terrace for residents.
Currently it is fitted out as 10,000sq ft of offices and workshops on the ground and three upper floors.
The mix of flats will be five one-bed, 25 two-bed, three three-bed and one four-bed duplex.
Just up the road, at the junction with Trinity Way, the council have passed plans by FICM – the company run by Ordsall-born billionaire bookmaker Fred Done – to throw up two 12 and 16-storey tower blocks around the derelict Black Friar pub.
The freehold for the property was bought in February 2015 for £700,000.
No affordable housing is required under current planning laws because the contributions are not currently sought within high value residential areas.
The building sits right next to a Grade-listed bridge and backs onto the railway line between Salford Central and Victoria stations.
It’s around 65 feet high, approximately the same height as the Sacred Trinity Church on the opposite side of the railway bridge.
That side of the railway line forms the boundary of the Flat Iron Conservation area.
Salford City Council have allowed residential apartment blocks which abut onto the railway before, as with Albert Vaults, although they did force planners to cut the height to a maximum eight storeys.
Salford flats boom: Planners win approval on former Albert Vaults pub
No on-site car parking is proposed as part of the plans and on-street space may well be an issue with double yellow lines outside, although 42 cycle spaces will be provided as part of the build.
The agents are Paul Butler Associates.
