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Manchester City Council Item 11 Planning and Highways Committee 14 February 2013 Application Number Date of Appln Committee Date Ward 100864/FO/2012/C1 2nd Nov 2012 14th Feb 2013 City Centre Ward Proposal Use of basement, ground, first and second floors at Albert Hall as multi- purpose leisure venue, including music led events, exhibitions, theatre, lectures, conferencing facility, concert hall, banqueting, restaurant, cafe & bar (sui generis). The development of alfresco areas and creation of canopy on Peter Street frontage at ground floor level. Location Albert Hall, Peter Street, Manchester, M2 5QJ Applicant Zecol Ltd, C/O Agent, Agent Mike Hopkins, Jones Lang LaSalle, One Piccadilly Gardens, M1 1RG, Description Albert Hall is a grade 2 listed building situated on Peter Street and within the Peter Street/Deansgate Conservation Area. The building is currently vacant and was last used as a bar on the ground floor with the remainder of the building being vacant. It was built in 1910 as a Methodist Hall and was designed for a specific end user. Originally, the basement was devoted to social work, the ground floor had smaller rooms towards the Peter Street and a larger lecture room. The first and second floor was the main chapel auditorium. Before it became a bar, the ground floor was used as a motor car showroom and sales area. The Peter Street elevation which is made up of seven bays, is largely three storey, and the building has a prominent tower. This frontage is finished in polished granite and brown terracotta. The rear elevation is set back from Bootle Street and is constructed of simple red brick with windows to match the front elevation. There are a number of listed buildings close to the application site, including the Midland Hotel, Theatre Royal, Free Trade Hall, Lancashire House, Harvester House, Royal London House, & Sunlight House. The Proposal The Planning Application seeks permission to convert Albert Hall to provide a multi- purpose leisure venue. This would include live music led events, exhibitions, theatre, lectures, indoor sporting events, film shows, conferencing facilities, concert hall, banqueting, restaurant, cafe and bar. The proposed venue would open on Monday to Sunday from 0800 – 0430. It is intended to be a multi functional venue and depending on bookings the venue would have the potential to hold live music events everyday of the week. However, the hours of these performances would be restricted to finish at: 2300 Monday to Thursday; 0030 Friday and Saturday; and 2330 Sundays. Recorded music events (including DJ led) would take place until 0400. The first floor would be dedicated to the music (live and recorded), entertainment, performances and conferencing events. The ground floor would contain the bar and restaurant/ The basement would contain a mix of the type of uses that would take place at ground and first floors. Manchester City Council Item 11 Planning and Highways Committee 14 February 2013 The premises could accommodate upto 2300 people at first floor and mezzanine; 1000 people at ground floor; and 800 people at basement. The planning application also seeks consent for a number of alterations to the building including structural alterations to upgrade floor loadings through the introduction of steel beams spanning the underside of the ceiling of the ground floor, and changes to the external appearance, including the provision of new canopies. An extensive package of refurbishment and alteration works are required to make the building suitable for the proposed use. These mainly relate to the upper floors of the building which have remained vacant for many years. These are required to ensure that the building would meet present day standards of design, structural safety, accessibility and environmental controls and regulations. The alterations include: Structural alterations to increase the floor loadings to enable the use of the first and second floor for public entertainment use including; the insertion of two steel columns at first floor, ground and basement; the insertion of intermediate steel beams to span existing beams on the underside of the ground floor ceiling; and, structural repair work to the cantilevered balcony to increase floor loading for Second Floor balcony The proposed ceiling beams would directly support the joists and therefore plaster would need to be channelled. The new beams would impact on the entire ground floor and basement ceilings and this would affect some decorative plaster. However, damage to the decorative plaster would be minimised and reinstated where possible. The balcony within the auditorium would be retained and new beams would have to be inserted beneath. All plaster surfaces would be made good and soffits reinstated with plaster to match existing. A new canopy would be erected along the Peter Street frontage of the building. It would connect to the two existing canopies over the principle entrances. It would shelter customers from wind and rain whilst waiting to enter the building and is considered essential to facilitate the public use of the building. It would be positioned lower than the existing canopies, utilising the existing transom of the three central modern timber windows. It would be slim in profile and would not be in contact with the historic fabric of the building. A new canopy would be constructed to the rear elevation fronting Bootle Street. This would be erected where there had once been a skylight to the basement. It would be a lean-to construction, formed of wrought iron and slate. It is proposed to provide outdoor areas to enable customers to gather externally to the building in a secure manner. These are required to meet building and environmental regulations. They have been located and designed to minimise impact on the listed building and any impact on adjoining occupiers by reason of noise. Manchester City Council Item 11 Planning and Highways Committee 14 February 2013 The main tower has existing lettering within stained glass panels. It is proposed to erect individual white illuminated lettering on the tower the proposed signage would use the main pilaster and would have no impact on the significance of the listed building. It is also proposed that letters would be applied to the eastern flank of the building, affixed to a tiled wall. The applicant has indicated that they would apply separately for Advertisement Consent. The noise levels in the auditorium would need to be managed to prevent noise break out. This would require the insertion of secondary glazing to the windows of the auditorium in the form of 12mm laminated glazing within the existing reveals. It would be mounted independently from the original window. This would replace the existing secondary glazing at first floor level. The secondary glazing would be fully reversible and have no impact on the existing stained glass windows. There is a need to provide lift access from the ground to the second floor and it is proposed to create an opening under the main staircase to provide access through to an existing lightwell. A passenger lift would be inserted which would require minor alterations to existing masonry at ground level and the removal of masonry above existing window at second floor level. A ramped access would also be provided off Peter Street which would involve some minimal alterations to one of the internal/external steps. Listed Building Consent (ref 100865) The following alterations to the building are internal alterations and therefore are only subject to Listed Building Consent and are dealt with on the associated report. Acoustic Lobbies There is a need to install lobby doors in order to control noise breakout from the main hall into the stairwell. The following is proposed to the lobby areas: The four existing single leaf entrance doors at first floor to the auditorium will be enlarged and replaced by double-leaf doors. This will involve minor alterations to remove masonry and tiles and make good any damaged areas of file. It is understood that the lobbies have already been altered significantly over the years. The acoustic lobbies at ground floor would be created bringing forward the existing door frames, linings, pilasters, architraves and arched boxing. It is understood that the original doors to the lobbies have been removed and replaced with modern doors. The modern doors will be replaced by acoustic doors. An acoustic lobby would be formed around the existing stained glass and mahogany lobby entrance into the auditorium at first floor level. This would be fully reversible as it is completely independent The existing double doors at second floor level would be extended to create a secondary acoustic lobby. Whilst these doors do not need to be widened, the existing door frames, linings, architraves and arched boxing will be re-used and new acoustic doors installed. Viewing Platforms within the Second Floor Auditorium Two new viewing areas for disabled people would be provided within the second floor balcony/gallery, adjacent to the lobbies on the eastern elevation of the building. Manchester City Council Item 11 Planning and Highways Committee 14 February 2013 These would provide wheelchair access via the new passenger lift. Minor alterations to the existing tiered timber staging would be required. The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that the timber seating is not of particular intrinsic value on the basis that the original seating has been removed. Acoustic Wall Linings to First and Second Floor It is anticipated that noise break-out would occur on the wall adjacent to Petersfield House and an acoustic screen would have to be applied to the wall. This would be formed by an independent screen in front of the existing wall. This would ensure that existing tiles are not damaged and the works are completely reversible. Relocation of Organ The Heritage Impact Assessment concludes that the organ was originally located directly beneath the organ pipes; it was moved twice before reaching its current location on the rostrum.

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