The 500,000 sq ft office scheme at One City Road will be built as two related office blocks.

Designed by Jon Matthews Architects, the 10 and 13 storey buildings will be linked with a unique glasshouse public ‘galleria’ with exotic planting linking a tree-lined Medlock Street through to Shortcroft Street.

One City Road is located within the First Street Strategic Development Area, which has been a strategic regeneration priority for Manchester City Council for over 15-years.

The construction group’s commercial development arm is planning the office project, which will redevelop a  gateway site that currently houses a 1980s office building.

Boothking Partnership is consultant structural engineers and Novo Integration advising on ventilation and energy.

A load-bearing facade consisting of external double-storey precast concrete columns will support the floor at alternative levels. The alternate level floors will sit on small perimeter columns set behind the glazing.

Each building will include large rooftop terraces for office workers

Planning consultant Deloittee said in its submission: “All evidence, including recent reports from Bank of England, suggests that the economy will have returned to pre-Covid levels by late 2021 to early 2022.

“This is well in advance of the proposed completion of this project which is anticipated to begin construction in 2022 and last for no more than four years. ”