Ingall offers glimpse of development future as Manchester builds its story

An insight into the future development of key Manchester sites, including the emerging St John’s neighbourhood on the former Granada Studios site, has been revealed by Allied London chief executive Mike Ingall. Allied London is behind the 15-acre St John’s masterplan off Deansgate, which includes a 50-storey landmark tower, an apartment hotel, two 30 to 40-storey residential towers and an arts and culture hub known as The Factory.The Bonded Warehouse will also transform an 1860s warehouse into a mixed-use workspace, retail and leisure destination.Ingall said that the firm is close to assigning three hotels for the first phase of St John’s, which starts in January. Earlier this month, Allied London sold the 160,000 sq ft XYZ building to Hamburg-headquartered open-end fund manager Union Investment.Within Spinningfields itself, Ingall revealed that a planning application will soon go in for a new timber building in Hardman Square, potentially a restaurant, while the Oasthouse site will also be transformed into a new leisure opportunity.