Deansgate Castlefield Metrolink Stop Report to the Planning and Highways Committee on 22 January 2015

Manchester City Council Item 10 Planning and Highways Committee 22 January 2015 Application Number Date of Appln Committee Date Ward 107012/LO/2014/C1 24 October 22 January 2015 City Centre Ward 2014 Proposal Listed Building Consent for proposed new staircase and footbridge across the Rochdale Canal at the First Street endof the Deansgate Castlefield Metrolink stop. Location Deansgate / Castlefield Metrolink Stop, Whitworth Street West, Manchester M1 5LH. Applicant Mr David Bray, Transport for Greater Manchester, 2, Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BG Agent As above 1. Introduction The Metrolink stop at Deansgate – Castlefield is undergoing significant modifications to increase passenger capacity, due to increases in future usage which will result from the Second City Crossing and major development proposals nearby in the City Centre. The stop represents an important destination gateway to the City Centre. The proposed works do not require planning consent as they are deemed permitted development under the provisions of the Town and Country planning (General Permitted development Order) 1995, and a conditional Prior Approval has be granted. However, the viaduct upon which the platform is located is a listed building, and as such, listed building consent is required for all works which intrude into the fabric of the viaduct. In November 2013, Transport for Greater Manchester secured Listed Building Consent for works associated with the provision of improvements to the Deansgate – Castlefield Metrolink tram stop. Included in the approved scheme was a stair tower and footbridge over the Rochdale Canal, attached to the viaduct, on the Whitworth Street West frontage, close to the junction with Albion Street. The stair tower is proposed to replace the existing stair tower which currently provides access to the tram stop located on top of the viaduct. At the opposite end of the viaduct, close to Deansgate, is an additional replacement stairtower, which also includes a lift to improve access for disabled people. Since the development was granted consent, a review of the detailed design of the proposed replacement stairtower and bridge has been carried out, and a number of construction issues have been identified. A significant anchored connection into the listed viaduct would have been required to support the main span and lower end of the upper stair case. This would require extensive intrusive investigations and result in a large intrusive anchor plate being mounted on the face of the pier. In addition, the lower stair case significantly impacted upon the usable width of the footway on Whitworth Street West and the structure was inefficient in that the stairs and span across the canal were separate elements. The current application seeks consent for a revised design, which responds to these issues. 67 Manchester City Council Item 10 Planning and Highways Committee 22 January 2015 2.0 Description Of Proposed Development This application relates to the Metrolink stop at Deansgate Castlefield. The stop is located in an elevated position, set on a brick viaduct over Deansgate Locks on Whitworth Street west. The stop is currently accessed by a brick staircase at the Deansgate end of Whitworth Street West, by a steel stair tower at the Albion Street end of the viaduct, and by a footbridge which crosses Whitworth street West and links Deansgate railway station. The detailed design of the new bridge and stairtower has been developed to improve its relationship with the existing listed viaduct. The design has three elements. It provides a flight of stairs which descends from platform level alongside the railway viaduct and is fixed into the face of the viaduct, a bridge which spans the canal horizontally (located above the lock gates to the listed Albion Mill Lock on the Rochdale Canal below), and, a staircase which descends above the towpath and then returns on itself to descend to street level alongside the parapet wall between the pavement and the canal towpath. The proposed bridge deck would comprise steel beams and deck plate with a natural slate stone finish. It would have a single span across the canal of approximately 16m, and return stair flights connected by a landing cantilevered over the canal towpath with spans of approximately 5m and 6m. On the Whitworth Street West side of the canal supports would be in the form of rectangular ‘V’ shaped concrete columns and crosshead, supported on a buried foundation under the footpath. The underside of the structure is clad with coated steel, and architectural laminated toughened glass parapets are provided, which include handrails. The width of the footbridge between handrails is 1.8m. The bridge would be lit by a single bespoke lighting column, and the location of the stair access on Whitworth Street would necessitate the loss of one street tree. There are significant views of the viaduct from Deansgate, Albion Street and Whitworth Street West. 3.0 Consultations Local Residents/Businesses The planning application has been advertised as affecting the setting of a listed building. Site notices have been displayed and businesses and residents notified. Press notices have also been posted. Individual letters of objection have been received from one local business and two nearby residents, raising the following issues: The proposed structure is most unsympathetic to the character of the canal locks. It is an engineering solution which makes no concession to the heritage location in terms of form, siting and materials. 68 Manchester City Council Item 10 Planning and Highways Committee 22 January 2015 The footbridge would be commercially harmful, due to the design and location of the footbridge. The structure would be elevated above the boardwalk serving the businesses in the railway arches. Those businesses, primarily nightclubs, make a substantial contribution to the economy, and the proposed footbridge, which runs between Sugar Buddha and the other nightclubs, will have an immediate impact in visually severing Sugar Buddha from the other clubs operating on the canalside, thereby adversely impacting on its trading potential. The footbridge would be overbearing and cast shadow over the decking area used by Sugar Buddha, thereby reducing its potential to attract custom. The design and materials are unsympathetic to the existing Deansgate Locks. The use of utilitarian concrete and the rectangular form are inappropriate against the mature brick and curved arches of the locks, particularly when viewed from the corner beside the First Street development. The location of the bridge obscures the frontages to the bars, and should have provided a design which seeks to integrate the Metrolink Station, the locks and the First street development together in an integrated scheme. The design is not innovative for a structure that will be highly visible to its neighbours and surroundings. The location seems wrong, and would be better suited at the end of the locks where the current staircase is sited. The stair design should have been carried down to canal level. Head of Regulatory and Enforcement Services (Environmental Health) . Recommended condition relating to hours of construction. The Head of Neighbourhood Services (Highway Services) No objection. Greater Manchester Ecology Unit No comments have been received. Greater Manchester Archaeological Advisory Service Recommends that no archaeological requirements are necessary. Greater Manchester Police (Design for Security) No comments have been received. Canal and River Trust It is essential that the structure is not detrimental to the amenity of boaters or towpath users, and concern is expressed that the design of the structure does not fully 69 Manchester City Council Item 10 Planning and Highways Committee 22 January 2015 recognise the significance of the location and context of the Grade ll Listed Locks 90 and 91 and adjacent viaduct. Greater elegance and interest could be developed in the structure with more appropriate materials and finishes to connect to the canal corridor and streetscape. The use of yellow handrails is not appropriate. 4.0 Issues The proposed stair tower and bridge is permitted development, as stated above, and as such, the principle of the structure is established. A previous Listed Building Consent has also confirmed the design approach which seeks to provide a modern addition to the listed viaduct, as part of a wider scheme of bespoke improvements and enhancements to the Metrolink stop at Deansgate Castlefield. The main issues for consideration therefore relate to the acceptability of the proposals in terms of the impact on the character and visual appearance of the listed viaduct. Relevant National Policy The National Planning Policy Framework set out the Government’s planning policies for England and how these are expected to apply. The NPPF seeks to achieve sustainable development and the Government states that sustainable development has an economic, social and environmental role. Paragraphs 11, 12, 13 and 14 of the NPPF outline a “presumption in favour of sustainable development”. This means approving development, without delay, where it accords with the development plan. Paragraph 12 states that: “Proposed development that accords with an up-to-date Local Plan should be approved and proposed development that conflicts should be refused unless other material considerations indicate otherwise.” The proposed development is considered to be consistent with Sections 2(Ensuring the Vitality of Town Centres), 4(Promoting Sustainable

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