Grade II*-listed central Manchester landmark London Road Fire Station is to be sold to Spinningfields developer Allied London and be renamed Manchester Firehouse.
Originally opened in 1906 as a fire, police and ambulance station as well as a coroner’s court, the building had lain empty under its previous owner since 1986 - although it did have planning permission to be redeveloped into a hotel.
Manchester City Council had been keen to see the landmark building redeveloped as part of the regeneration of the area around Piccadilly, and a group named the Friends of London Road Fire Station had also be campaigning for the site to be brought back to life.
The new owners have not yet revealed their plans for the building but Michael Ingall, the chief executive of Allied London, says the scheme ‘presents a unique opportunity to create something truly iconic’.
As well as Spinningfields, Allied London is also the developer for St John's scheme on the former Granada Studios site, which will include new arts venue The Factory.
The building’s former owner Britannia Hotels owns the Britannia Hotel on Portland Street, the Sachas Hotel in the Northern Quarter and the Britannia Manchester Airport Hotel, which is - despite the name - three miles away from the airport.
See more from the Time Out Manchester blog.