Apartment block on the Curry Mile re-submitted months after being rejected

The four-storey building would contain 42 new apartments

A revitalised plan to build a 42-home apartment block on the edge of Rusholme has been tabled by developers after being refused last year.

The site on the corner of Wilmslow Road and Grandale Street would consist of 30 two-bed and 12 one-bed flats. The ground floor, currently home to Huqqa Lounge Café, would be split into space for six commercial units for shops and cafes.

Views Holdings Limited have reduced the height of the block, changed aspects of the design and increased parking to 15 spaces following Manchester Council’s refusal in December 2022.

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A lack of parking and increased traffic was among council officers reasons for refusing the application. Five reasons for refusal were listed in the decision notice published last week. Firstly, the proposed development would increase demand for on-street parking in an area already experiencing high levels of demand, it said.

Secondly, the location of windows close to the northern boundary of the site could prevent the redevelopment of the neighbouring site, the notice stated. The development would also increase activity on the surrounding residential streets through 'comings and goings', vehicular movements and noise, it said.

The third floor apartments would fail to provide an adequate standard of living due to limited access to natural daylight and sunlight, the notice also stated. And the siting and scale of the development which would back on to the pavement in Wilmslow Road would be an 'over-dominant' feature, it said.

A planning statement said: “The proposals have been carefully and considerately designed to respond to the surrounding context of Wilmslow Road. The proposed use of the site will also introduce activity and natural surveillance into the locality.

“It is therefore recognised that the proposal will enable a number of benefits to be realised.”