Planning History	• LPA ref. 022428 – Status: Approved 25 October 1984 ◦ Description: Change of use from Sunday School to a house with an office in ground floor rear room • LPA ref. 031676 – Status: Approved 14 July 1988 ◦ Description: Conversion of dwellinghouse into four self-contained flats • LPA ref. 063481/FO/NORTH2/01 – Status: Approved 14 January 2002 ◦ Description: Use of premises as a children's day nursery for 32 children with single storey rear extension and use of car-parking in adjacent community centre • LPA ref. 105110/FO/2014/N2 – Status: Withdrawn ◦ Description: Installation of proposed district heating network comprising of laying of pipes under highway • LPA ref. 135576/FO/2022 – Status: Validated 23 November 2022 (Under determination) ◦ Description: Erection of part three storey, part 6 storey purpose-built student accommodation (sui generis) with 172 beds in a mix of studio and cluster units, together with ancillary facilities, shared amenity space, site access and other associated works following demolition of existing buildings
Land Ownership	• Pat Rafter Garage (with the application being brought forward by Tiger Developments).
Adjacent Land Uses & Impact Considerations	• North of the site comprises the West Indian Community Centre and associated car park. • Opposite the site is the Octagon House office building, a private car park and an electricity sub-station. Octagon House is a multi-level office building of significant scale and massing. There is an extant commitment for an energy centre on part of the existing Octagon House car park. • Immediately to the south is commercial premises with residential accommodation on the upper floors fronting Hathersage Road. • Immediately to the north west is Unite Students Brook Hall student accommodation. There is additional separate student accommodation to the south west. • St Mary's Hospital occupies a significant site to the west side of Upper Brook Street.
Surrounding Heights / Datum	• Brook Hall to the north is 7 storeys. • Octagon House is 5 storeys to the east. • West Indian Community Centre is 2 storeys to the immediate north. • Commercial premises to the south are 2-3 storeys. • Student block to the south west is 3 storeys. • Overall, layout, scale and massing locally is varied but it is generally to a suburban scale and relatively low-rise.
Regeneration Context & Relevant Planning Considerations	• The Site falls within the central area of Manchester as identified in the Core Strategy. It sits just outside of the defined city centre, just beyond the Corridor Manchester sub-area of the city centre. It is also just outside of and within easy walking distance of the defined Oxford Road Corridor regeneration area.
Site Specific Planning Policy Considerations	• Core Strategy: SO1, S02, S05, S06, SP1, EN1, EN2, EN4, EN6, EN9, EN14, EN15, EN16, EN17, EN18, EN19, T1, T2, DM1 and H12. • Saved UDP Policies DC20 and DC26.
University support or part of either UoM or MMU redevelopment plans	• The current application is by a letter from University of Manchester offering qualified support on the basis that indicative rents include an affordable option. It states that full support for the scheme will be dependent on the rent profile offered on completion of the development in 2025.
Heritage	• Located approx. 250m north of the Victoria Park Conservation Area • Located within 250m radius of 5 listed heritage assets. The closest being the Grade II* Listed Victoria Baths c. 160m east.
Flood Risk and Drainage	• Flood Zone 1 (low risk) and within a critical drainage area.
Transport and Access	Proximity to key destinations: • 9 mins walk to UoM Campus (0.5 miles) • 19 mins walk to MMU Campus and RNCM (1 mile) • 32 mins walk to city centre heart / St Peter's Square (1.5 miles) • 28 mins walk to Oxford Road Station (1.4) • 35 mins walk to Piccadilly Station (1.7 miles) • 7 mins walk to Oxford Road (0.4 mile) Accessibility: • Closest supermarket located 7 minute walk (0.4 miles) west along Oxford Road. • Restaurants, bars and other leisure uses located within a 7-10 mins walk west, predominantly along Oxford Road. • Frequent buses run along Oxford Road (7 mins walk) as well as access to key cycling routes.