Planning Approval for Social Justice Hub

Manchester City Council has granted planning approval for the refurbishment and retrofit of Methodist Central Hall. The building, situated on the corner of Oldham Street and Dale Street within the Stevenson Square Conservation Area is a seven day a week hub for social justice and a centre for mission and service at the heart of the city centre.

Our design for the redevelopment of the building will dramatically reconfigure the existing building’s layout and structure bringing a renewed sense of arrival, welcome, hospitality and sanctuary at entrance level. Elsewhere the transformation of the internal arrangement will improve legibility, rationalise circulation and increase levels of daylight throughout. Key to this approach is the adaptation of an existing external lightwell into a glazed internal atrium. This new top lit atrium will form a key aspect of the heating, cooling and ventilation strategy as well as providing an opportunity to integrate planting via a 15m vertical living wall. Elsewhere the complete replacement of the building services and addition of renewable energy generation and air source heat pumps will result in an all-electric building reducing CO2 emissions and lowering longer term running costs.

The large central hall at the core of the building will be reconfigured and upgraded. New meeting spaces and rooms for hire will expand existing provision. Upgraded offices and co-working spaces will place emphasis on socialisation and interaction – one of the foundational themes underlying the project.

An additional floor level will create a vibrant, flexible new rooftop pavilion and outdoor terrace providing the ability to host a range of events whilst expanding the conference offer within the city centre. A full programme of stonework repair, window refurbishment and shopfront replacement will accompany the works and signpost the internal transformation.