The proposal

Jadebricks’ proposals for Charles Street are for an attractive new building that complements and supports the vibrant mix of uses on Charles Street.

The proposal will:

Deliver around 100 high-quality, PBSA studio bedrooms over 15 storeys

Transform a vacant, brownfield site

Complete the street scene

Improve the safety and security of the surrounding area

Design development

SimpsonHaugh, renowned Manchester-based architectural firm, are the lead architects for the Charles Street, Manchester development.

SimpsonHaugh’s approach to design is built on their belief that innovative architecture can shape and transform our cities. This approach has been informed by their passion for responsible, uplifting and beautiful design that considers its impact and ensures it adds value to its surroundings.

Collaborating with Jadebricks on the proposal for PBSA at Charles Street, Manchester, SimpsonHaugh have sensitively designed an attractive, new building that, at 15 storeys, fits in with the scale of the surrounding area, complementing and supporting the vibrant mix of uses that have emerged on Charles Street in the recent past.

Taking cues from the historic fabric of the surrounding city block, SimpsonHaugh have drawn inspiration from the adjacent detailing and materiality to provide a rich and context driven response to the design of the façade.

Caption: View through to Charles Street from Loverose Way in Symphony Park

Caption: View down Charles Street from the corner on Oxford Road

Caption: View from outside Lass O’Gowrie pub looking towards Oxford Road

Supporting the development of the wider area

Currently, this site on Charles Street is under-utilised and vacant. Therefore, in addition to helping meet the city’s need for high-quality, purpose-built student accommodation, Jadebricks’ proposals will enable the transformation of a city-centre brownfield site and thereby also have the potential to contribute wider benefits to the city and its universities, beyond the need for student beds.

Once operational, the site will increase footfall along the street and within the local area which will support local shops, services and amenities to thrive. This increased footfall and activity will in turn improve the safety and security of the surrounding area to the benefit of students, site neighbours and the wider public.

Demand, need
and supply

Manchester has one of the largest student populations in the UK (over 83,000 in 2021/22)(1) and demand for well-managed, high-quality student accommodation far exceeds the current available supply. Having acknowledged this growth in demand for city centre student accommodation, which has resulted in part due to the growing prestige of Manchester’s universities and the city as a whole, Manchester City Council has recognised that all future purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) should be within or immediately adjacent to the Oxford Road Corridor.

Furthermore, a recent UCAS study found that 97% of first year students and 98% of second year students consider proximity and connectivity to university a top priority when selecting student accommodation.

Jadebricks’ proposal for Charles Street is therefore situated in an appropriate location to support the city’s future plans for student accommodation, whilst also meeting the needs of current and prospective students.

New PBSA supply will also ease the pressures on the local housing market across Manchester and enables greater access for students to well-located, good quality purpose-built accommodation in line with the ambitions set out in the MCC 2023 PBSA paper. Records of Council Tax exemptions in properties close to the site indicate high student occupancy (with some apartment blocks exceeding 50%) of properties designed and built for the mainstream housing market. Additional PBSA can help address this and open up more housing to the non-student market.

It is also worth mentioning that well managed accommodation that achieves a high-quality student experience offers a significant opportunity for wider demand-supply dynamics within Manchester. This smaller development both helps to meet demand, whilst also enhancing the student experience with its smaller, community feel that encourages social interaction and wellbeing, which are two important contributing factors to students’ overall experience of university life.

(1) HESA 2014/15 to 2021/22

Sustainability

The plans Jadebricks have for Charles Street will contribute to Manchester City Council’s ambition to be a zero-carbon city by 2038.

The scheme has been designed to meet and, where possible, exceed all major sustainability policy benchmarks. For example, the site’s highly sustainable location, in walking distance of the Oxford Road corridor and the city’s two main universities, encourages residents to cycle, walk or use public transport when traveling to and from campus and moving around the wider city of Manchester.

Sustainable principles will also be key to the redevelopment to, at a minimum, ensure a ‘Excellent’ BREEAM rating. This will include priority for materials with high recycled content, responsible supply chains and low / zero carbon technology will be explored to reduce operational emissions.

Management and operation

Jadebricks will retain the asset upon completion and will therefore remain involved when the building becomes operational. Jadebricks are currently in talks with potential management companies to identify a partner with whom they will create a bespoke management plan for the day-to-day running of the proposed scheme at Charles Street, Manchester.  

Positively engaging with the local community is important to the team at Jadebricks. Therefore, their ambition is to create an effective student management plan that fits in with the wider community when the site becomes operational.  As a result, any feedback regarding the operational management of the site that is received during consultation will be considered when creating the site’s management plan.

FAQs

Responses to key questions regarding our proposal for Charles Street are summarised below. If you have any other questions or would like further detail, please get in touch with us using the contact methods on the Feedback page.

  • A planning application will be submitted in December 2023.

  • The Charles Street site is ideally situated for students and its location is in line with the ambitions set out in the MCC 2023 PBSA paper. It is both on the fringe of the Oxford Road corridor and within walking distance of the city’s two main university campuses, as well as bars, restaurants, shops and a number of essential amenities for students.

  • Construction is due to begin in the Spring of 2024 and the ambition is for the site to open to students in September 2026.

  • Jadebricks held a public consultation from Wednesday, 1st November to Wednesday, 15th November 2023 to receive feedback. As part of the consultation, a live public webinar was hosted on Wednesday, 8th November 2023. You can view the webinar here

    The feedback received will now be considered within our Statement of Community Engagement that will submitted as part of the planning application to Manchester City Council, who will hold a further public consultation on the proposals.