Manchester's getting yet another big tower - some think it will cost us our soul

Last week, Manchester town hall's planning committee gave the go-ahead for yet another plan for yet another high-rise block in the city centre. But this time, a Grade II-listed building would have to be demolished.

Campaigners see this as a watershed moment, asking big questions about how much Manchester is willing to sacrifice to development. One of the organisations to object is Historic England, who on the day of the planning meeting described the plan as 'misguided"' and warned it would cause 'irreversible harm'. Historic England exists to champion the country's heritage and decides which buildings warrant listed status. It received £108m in 2022/23 and £169m in 2021/22 in funding from the Department of Culture, Media, and Sport.

Mr Gove disagreed with the recommendation from inspectors to approve the plans. The Government report raised concerns that its public benefits were offset by the potential harm to nearby heritage landmarks and criticised the environmental impact of the redevelopment. "The proposed replacement tower would dwarf the smaller Victorian buildings on this site, which are such an important part of Manchester’s character and feel. Furthermore, the loss of part of the carriage works reduces our understanding of a fascinating and not widely known aspect of Manchester’s industrial past.”

"There is an ongoing demand for commercial space in the city and workspace. The new office space both in the new build and the refurbished carriage works would help meet demand from businesses looking for best in class space," said Mr Matthews. "It is an area of the city centre which needs to undergo change and will undergo change over the next five to ten years. There are major schemes that this committee has already approved .The new building that is proposed is a large building...that is the height it needs to be in order to deliver the restoration and refurbishment of the other buildings. They will be lovingly restored. They will be fully intergrated into the new building.

"The Secretary of State, Michael Gove, recently made a momentous decision to block Marks and Spencer’s plans to demolish a flagship shop in London because of the harm to heritage and the fact that demolition failed to support the transition to a low-carbon future. We hope that the secretary of state might make a similar decision on the future of Reedham House which, unlike M&S, is listed. Demolition of listed buildings in conservation areas should be the last resort.

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