Revamp of Manchester's iconic Debenhams building recommended for approval
Plans will see it restored to its original Art Deco glory both inside and out.
Major plans to transform Manchester city centre’s landmark Debenhams building have been recommended for approval by council bosses.
The Rylands building on Market Street is for an extensive makeover which will see it restored to its original Art Deco glory both inside and outside.
A new shopping arcade is proposed on the ground floor with a layout reminiscent of the Grade II listed building’s original 1930s layout, under plans submitted to Manchester council.
The basement would be completely renovated to cater for new shopping, dining and leisure facilities accessed from new entrances on Market Street, Tib Street and Bridgewater Place.
Most of the building’s upper floors, which are currently vacant, would be given over to 258,000 sq ft of new office space.
A proposed four-storey rooftop extension will also accommodate a further 40,000 sq ft of offices.
Parts of the building will be demolished to make for an atrium providing natural light between the second and seventh floors, while a winter garden is also planned on the sixth floor.
The cost of repairing the building and bringing it back to use is quoted at around £5.8m
German investment company AM Alpha bought the Rylands building for £87m in 2017, and it is let to Debenhams until 2039.
While the store continues to trade AM Alpha wants to fulfil its long-term aim of transforming the iconic building into one that is ‘vibrant, fully occupied and has a long term-future’
Martin Lemke, the firm’s director, said in August: Since we bought the building we had the vision to transform this iconic landmark into a vibrant, fully occupied building with a long-term future.
“Once plans are approved, we can deliver a unique office environment at a pivotal gateway location between Manchester’s central core, Northern Quarter and Piccadilly which will attract larger independent office occupiers to Manchester’s city centre, promote job creation and support post-Covid economic bounce back.”
This vision has received the backing of Manchester council planning officers, who have asked the city’s planning committee to approve the proposals on January 20.
In a report the officers describe the plan as one that would bring ‘significant economic benefits in terms of investment and job creation’ in a highly sustainable location.
“The adverse heritage impacts are more than outweighed by the extensive beneficial impacts which would restore areas of high significance,” it adds.
But the application has received 21 objections letters since it was submitted, with residents fearing that the building will cut out their sunlight.
Questions have also been asked of the scheme’s viability in light of the shift to home-working – and a drop in high street footfall – during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Rylands building was built in 1932 and served as one of Manchester’s last and largest textile warehouses before being occupied by Paulden’s department store in 1957.
Debenhams, which owned Paulden’s, decided to rebrand the store in its name in 1973.