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Report on the Civic Quarter Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 October 2009 Manchester City Council Report for Resolution Report To: The Executive – 21 October 2009 Subject: The Civic Quarter – Framework Report of: The Chief Executive 1. Purpose of the Report 1.1 This report seeks: • The Executive’s approval to consult on proposals for a new regeneration framework for the Civic Quarter – Manchester Central (Civic Quarter Framework) area of the city centre. The framework is intended to respond to the pace of change in this area: capturing the outputs from a range of planned and proposed developments; restructuring the environment and maximising opportunities to enhance the area’s competitiveness by positioning the area effectively to meet the future needs and requirements of city centre occupiers. • To advise Members of proposals to improve the functioning and setting of the Town Hall Complex, to provide an enhanced visitor destination and improved access to facilities for customers and residents. Work has been undertaken to develop a long-term strategy for the complex within which a major new gateway destination at St Peter’s Square will be created. 2. Recommendations The Executive is recommended to: i) Endorse in principle the regeneration framework for the Civic Quarter, as summarised within this report; ii) Request the Chief Executive undertake a public consultation exercise on the regeneration framework with local residents, land-owners and businesses, and other statutory and non-statutory consultees; and to report back the outcome to the Executive early next year. iii) Authorise the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, following consultation with the Panel established to oversee the design competition, to finalise the details of the brief for St Peter’s Square and to commence the international design competition for the project Wards Affected: City Centre Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 October 2009 Community Strategy Spine Summary of the contribution to the strategy Performance of the economy of The scale and potential of development within this the region and sub region area will provide a major focus for new investment and the growth of jobs, as the total amount of floorspace could exceed 5.4M m 2, with an estimated construction investment of just under £1Bn. Reaching full potential in The redevelopment opportunities within this area education and employment has the potential to create around 9,000 jobs. The adjacency of this area to The Corridor, will provide a major opportunity to maximise local employment, training and procurement opportunities. Individual and collective self esteem – mutual respect Neighbourhoods of Choice By developing strategic linkages to adjacent areas, the framework will provide the opportunity for surrounding communities to benefit from the scheme. Full details are in the body of the report Financial Consequences – Revenue None. Financial Consequences – Capital The total redevelopment costs of St Peter’s Square have been budgeted at £20M. This sum is subject to further detailed evaluation as part of the wider Town Hall Complex proposals. The new Square will be subject to an international design competition. This will be funded as part of the Town Hall Complex programme (see report elsewhere on this agenda). Contact Officers: Name: Howard Bernstein Name: Pat Bartoli Position: Chief Executive Position: City Centre Regeneration Team Telephone: 234 3006 Telephone: 234 3329 E-mail: Email: [email protected] [email protected] Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 October 2009 Name: Dave Roscoe Position: City Centre Regeneration Team Telephone: 234 4567 Email: [email protected] Background documents (available for public inspection): The following documents disclose important facts on which the report is based and have been relied upon in preparing the report. Copies of the background documents are available up to 4 years after the date of the meeting. If you would like a copy please contact one of the contact officers above. Report to Executive - Town Hall Complex Strategy – 23 July 2008 Report to Executive - Town Hall Complex Refurbishment Programme – 17 December 2008 Report to Executive - Town Hall Complex Strategy – 11 February 2009 Report by Drivers Jonas - Wider St Peter’s Square Regeneration Framework – October 2009 All held in Room 318 Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 October 2009 1. Introduction 1.1 The Executive has received a number of reports in recent months setting out proposals to improve the Town Hall Complex. St Peter’s Square is a key component of the improvement programme: providing the setting for the major administrative and civic hub that makes up the complex, and a key entry point for visitors to the City and users of Council services. Work has been ongoing to define an urban design concept for the Square which will provide an appropriate setting for the City’s civic assets, and to improve the functioning, amenity provision, and employment potential in this unique heritage area. 1.2 The role and function of the St Peter’s Square area has changed significantly since the introduction of the Metrolink system. The area is now a major gateway, and currently a transport hub, and for many people represents their first impression of the city centre. The wider area has experienced considerable levels of investment, largely associated with Council-related regeneration projects including the Bridgewater Hall, Manchester Central, the Manchester Art Gallery, transport infrastructure, the Central Business District and Mosley Street. In addition to this, the Square itself will soon become the focus for major new investment as a result of a number of planned new developments including those at Elisabeth House, the Odeon Cinema and other properties to the east of the Square and at Mosley Street and Princess Street. 1.3 The area also lies adjacent to the Oxford Road Corridor, which is already experiencing unprecedented levels of investment and development by the University of Manchester, Manchester Metropolitan University, the Hospital Trust and, lately, through the support of the Corridor Partnership. The Corridor represents one of the biggest opportunities to drive the future economic growth and development of the City, and the emerging development opportunities at the Civic Quarter provide significant scope to capture and complement this investment. 1.4 The improvements proposed for the Town Hall Complex emphasise the need to address this range of functional, environmental, transport and regeneration issues both within the Square and around the wider area, if we are to protect the City’s heritage assets, bring the whole complex into modern and efficient use, and revitalise this important part of the city centre. 2. The Civic Quarter – Manchester Central Regeneration Framework 2.1 The vision for the Town Hall Complex is first and foremost to ensure that the civic core is connected to the wider city centre, to create a destination for visitors and a welcoming venue for service users; to create new, first class public access to services; create a world-class public library service; and to improve the quality of provision of public services. 2.2 The original proposals for the improvement of St Peter’s Square took account of a number of planned developments around the Square including Elisabeth Manchester City Council Item 9 Executive 21 October 2009 House and the Odeon Cinema among others. The development of the public realm will be implemented in collaboration with the landowners of these properties and the City Council, to ensure a seamless approach to implementation and to create the wider linkages to the adjacent areas. 2.3 However, the regeneration and renaissance of the area has the potential to bring far wider-ranging benefits to both the city centre and wider City-region. Therefore, opportunities to build on this have been examined to maximise the benefit of the Council’s investment in the Civic Quarter, to capture new investment, to ensure market and investor interest is stimulated and supported, and that ambitious but realistic objectives are delivered through the development of a wider strategy and framework. 2.4 There are already a range of proposed new developments in the vicinity of the civic core including the Theatre Royal and London Scottish House. The intention to relocate the Library Theatre to the Theatre Royal (see report elsewhere on this agenda) provides an opportunity to continue the quality of development of the core by creating a new building of significance within high quality public realm. The development will also provide added impetus to delivering change in the wider core area. 2.5 The redevelopment of the Theatre Royal and London Scottish House also provides a strategic link to the conference quarter, which has been transformed over the past few years into a vibrant, modern, hotel-led quarter, with a revitalised and highly successful Manchester Central convention centre at its heart. The redevelopment programme that is currently underway for Manchester Central is driving a step change in its operation, ensuring it is one of the most sought after major event venues. The locational attributes of the quarter are also unique in being the only major convention centre in the UK to have a broad range and diversity of hotel offer and international music venue literally on its doorstep. 2.6 The potential to facilitate specific initiatives by building on these opportunities is significant and a report
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