Rooftop pavilion and terrace at 1 Piccadilly Gardens, Manchester

“Proposal Creation of new rooftop pavilion, external terrace and lift access, and enclosure of ground level walkway to create new internal floorspace with associated elevational alterations and the introduction of PV panels to the roof.”

“A route through the building would be closed to create a new entrance to the offices. A rooftop terrace and lift access would also be created. Photovoltaic (PV) panels would improve the energy efficiency of the building.”

“One Piccadilly is a 5-storey office building with double height ground floor commercial units. An east-west walkway through it is recessed from the Piccadilly Gardens and Portland Street frontages. Access to the upper office floors is from within this walkway.”

“Smithfield Conservation Area is beyond this. A number of Grade II listed buildings including nos. 47, 49, 59 and 61 Piccadilly, the Gardens Hotel, Clayton House and St Margarets Chambers, and the Wellington and Victoria statues nearby.”

“Principle of the proposal and the scheme contribution to regeneration - The scheme would deliver economic, social and environmental benefits. The proposal would support the attractiveness of this office building, improve the amenity offer, and complement the regeneration of Piccadilly Gardens.”

“Economic- The proposal would ensure that the office remains competitive and meets current occupier demands with improved amenity provision and an enhanced entrance. Jobs would be created during construction and when the use is operational.”

“Four ground floor commercial units abut the walkway. Two have secondary entrances in the walkway, one of which would be closed. The door to the Pret a Manger unit would remain open for employee use. The only pedestrian access to this area would be office workers. The glazing to the commercial units would be obscured with solid partitions.”

“As a result, the footfall would decrease and the partitions would remove visibility into the commercial spaces and partially reduce the extent of active ground floor frontage onto the walkway. The units would remain highly visible with active frontages onto Piccadilly Gardens and Portland Street. These elevations contain the principal entrances to these commercial units.”

“Publicity – The proposal has been advertised in the local press as affecting the setting of the conservation area, nearby listed buildings and a right of way. A site notice has been displayed and notification letters sent to neighbours.”

“- The walkway is a strategic pedestrian link, and its openness, transparency, permeability and visibility encourages movement through the building. Closure affects continued success of the business. - The closure would reduce pedestrian flow and pedestrians would bypass existing tenants and lead to a decline in visitors and reduce peak-time trade. It would reduce visibility, weakening the unit’s relationship with Piccadilly Gardens.”

“During discussion of the item, the Committee raised issues regarding footfall, the number of exits proposed and the significance of the loss of the cut-through as a right of way on the users of Piccadilly Gardens.”

“The Planning Officer confirmed that access into the building would be the same, with doors at the end of either end of the current walkway. It was noted that 40k people used Piccadilly Gardens daily, the vast majority on its northern side, with 2k+ using the walkway, but about 2k accessing the offices, so only a small number used as a…”

“The Chair invited the Committee to determine the application.”

“The Committee resolved to approve the application, subject to conditions set out within the report.”