Plans worth hundreds of millions of pounds have been submitted to replace outdated student halls with modern high-rise university accommodation.
The proposals, which will now be considered by Manchester city council, involve the demolition of Cambridge Halls near Manchester Metropolitan University in Manchester city centre, and their replacement with two buildings of 30 and 24 storeys respectively, providing accommodation for some 2,300 students.
The plans show the complex will have 'internal and external rooftop communal amenity space', with ground floor areas designated for commercial and community use. National student accommodation developer Unite Students announced in May that it had entered into a joint venture agreement with Manchester Met to develop 2,300 new student beds at an estimated total development cost of £390 million.
The new site at Cambridge Halls, designed by architect Cartwright Pickard, is scheduled for completion in 2029 and 2030, according to Unite Students. The existing student accommodation, built near MMU in the 1990s, currently offers around 800 beds but is no longer considered suitable for students' needs.
Consequently, the university has committed to closing the existing accommodation on the site, with work expected to begin later this year.
The plans outline a 'phased' schedule of works, with more than1,100 beds slated for completion by 2029 and an additional 1,200 set to be ready by 2030. A central courtyard is also part of the proposal, reports .
The existing route through the site along Cavendish Street would be removed, with pedestrians and cyclists redirected along the adjacent Boundary Street West, according to the proposals.
A design and access statement by Cartwright Pickard said: "Internally the buildings will provide a highly varied mix of accommodation for the students with cluster bedrooms, post grad bedrooms, studios and fully accessible bedrooms.
"The students are provided a mix of study spaces, social spaces, gyms, and wellness facilities including external amenity and recreation areas within lower courtyards and also roof-top areas."
Gyms and sports facilities would be located on the seventh floor of both towers, with flats featuring typical shared kitchens.
The university, the plans add, has developed a 'wider masterplan' for both All Saints and Birley Fields. One objective is to "create a world class campus that unifies the existing, new and proposed estate faculties with a re-imagined public realm and a character that is reflective of Manchester Met".
Turley, the planning consultant, stated in a report supporting the planning application that 190 jobs would be created.
It is estimated that the new development will generate £9.7m in annual spending on local amenities, with further expenditure from visiting friends and family of students also anticipated. According to a 2023 report submitted to Manchester City Council, the city requires an additional 5,440 to 11,320 student beds by 2030, indicating a significant under-provision of student accommodation relative to the size of the student population.
The report, compiled by Turley, highlights the need for more purpose-built student accommodation in Manchester, identifying the Cambridge Halls site as one of 20 potential locations to address this demand.
Andrew Fallon, chief property officer at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: "We are delighted to announce our partnership with Unite Students for the redevelopment of Cambridge Halls. This joint venture will provide much needed additional purpose-built student accommodation in Manchester, right on the doorstep of our university.
"The project will not only enhance the quality of housing for students, but also benefit the surrounding community through new health, wellbeing, and retail offerings."
Joe Lister, CEO of Unite Students, added: "Partnering with Manchester Metropolitan University to redevelop Cambridge Halls and deliver much needed, high-quality and affordable accommodation for 2,300 students is a hugely exciting step for Unite Students. Our joint-venture partnership will provide further support to Manchester Metropolitan University in meeting their accommodation needs at a time of real housing shortage, so they can focus on providing a world-class experience for their students."
