Demolition of 1970s building in Manchester underway

Demolition of a vacant 1970s building in Manchester is now underway.

The six-month site clearance project will knock down Peterloo House at 3 St Peter’s Square to make way for developer Property Alliance Group’s new hotel.

Russells Construction has been tasked with carrying out the demolition work and constructing the 20-storey hotel, which will sit behind the new One and Two St Peter’s Square office buildings.

Alliance secured consent for the plans last year.

Leisure operators Motel One and Staycity Aparthotels are signed up to run the site, with Motel One occupying the first eight floors, with 328 hotel rooms, and Staycity taking floors nine to 20, providing 256 studios and one- bedroom apartments.

The Motel One entrance will be accessed from Dickinson Street and St Peter’s Square. The Staycity reception will open onto Back George Street and Dickinson Street.

Once Russells has cleared the site, enabling works will start to allow for the construction of the 20-storey tower and a basement level.

Alliance said between 80% and 90% of the old building will be recycled. Much of the concrete and brick will be crushed for use as fill in the new building’s foundations.

Architects Stephenson Studio designed the scheme alongside Leach Rhodes Walker.

The building is due for completion in 2022.

Andy Lavin, of Property Alliance Group, said: “This is a hotel scheme unlike any other in the city centre, bringing together two different but complementary brands into the same building.

“One of the biggest draws for Motel One and Staycity was the fantastic location of 3 St Peter’s Square. It is walking distance to the region’s best shopping areas, an array of bars, restaurants, theatres and casinos. The Metrolink hub is also just yards from the front door, providing guests with easy access to the train stations, airport and visitor destinations like Old Trafford or the Arena.”

He continued: “We’re pleased to be contributing to the regeneration of St Peter’s Square, creating a vibrant, attractive and economically valuable use for this previously vacant site. The scheme is one of several Alliance developments which will be on site this year with a combined value of more than £200m.”

Gareth Russell, director at Russells Construction, commented: “We’ve started the controlled demolition of Peterloo House, a project which will continue until the summer when we’ll begin piling foundations for the construction phase.

“The demolition is a very labour intensive, deliberate and careful programme of works, designed to mitigate disruption to the surrounding area.”

He added: “This whole area is currently very busy, with contractors working on the old cinema site, plus there’s a hotel, apartments and offices either side. We have closed three of the roads around the building and will be installing scaffold and a wrap around two sides to provide protection from dust and debris.”

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