Replacement of existing 1990s accommodation to contain two towers up to 30 storeys
Cartwright Pickard is working up plans for a 2,300-bed student accommodation scheme in Manchester.
The replacement of two existing 1990s student blocks on Cambridge road is being designed for Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) and Unite Students.
Images released as part of a first round of consultation this week show two clusters of buildings arranged around central squares, with towers rising to 24 and 30 storeys.
The existing buildings, which contain around 770 beds, will be demolished to make way for the new scheme, which will have an increase of 1,560 beds compared to the site’s current accommodation.
Cartwright Pickard is said to have looked at the potential for a refurbishment of the existing buildings but this was not considered viable given their current state and poor energy and thermal efficiency.
The scheme will also include a gym, yoga studio, two games areas and potential wellbeing and retail spaces on Cambridge Street.
The project team includes planning consultant Turley, structural engineer Waterman Group and landscape architect Reform.
MMU, which is forecast to have more than 120,000 full time students by 2028-29 with demand for student accommodation rising at 2% a year, said it currently has a shortfall of around 3,200 student beds.
Manchester has a significant undersupply of student accommodation, currently ranking second behind London as the city with the highest student-to-bed ratio.
Other major student accommodation schemes in development in the city include the University of Manchester’s 5,000-bed redevelopment of its Fallowfield campus, which is being designed by Sheppard Robson, Hawkins Brown and Simpson Haugh.
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