A Grade II-listed building in the city centre has found a new lease of life after being vacant for four years.
Having been approved by Manchester Council, the plans for the 13,000 sq ft property, which is made up of two floors alongside a basement and a roof terrace, will see a series of ‘internal and external alterations’ made whilst retaining its historical features. Documents filed on behalf of the Watches of Switzerland Group by Savills said a ‘high quality refurbishment’ of the original townhouse will be undertaken, ‘bringing it back into use as a retail store based on a townhouse concept’. Existing contemporary facades, it added, will not be affected.
The building, located off St Ann's Square, was originally built in 1736 as a townhouse for Dr Peter Mainwaring, who went on to serve as a Justice of the Peace and was also one the original physicians at Manchester Infirmary.