We'll Change Our Development Plans To Protect Gay Village, Says Council
Manchester City Council has agreed to changes to the Portland Street strategic regeneration framework after an outcry over its impact on the city's gay village.
Changes to the document mean that three of the four sites identified are now "long-term aspirational" sites. Two of those sites, used for the annual weekend-long gay pride festival, will only be developed if alternative locations can be found for pride events.
The three sites are site 2, the 20-storey Manchester One tower and its vicinity; site 3, which is Chorlton Street coach station and multi-storey car park, as well as the ground level gay pub, The Thompsons Arms; and site 4, bounded by Major Street, Sackville Street, Bloom Street and Abingdon Street and comprising the Bloom Street NCP surface car park and gay pub New York New York, which is oustide of the site boundary on the corner of Bloom Street and Abingdon Street. This site is owned by CP Co 4 Limited.
A report to the city council's executive said: "It is recognised that site 3 ... is used annually for the pride event, and that this site should not be developed until a viable and acceptable alternative is in place."
Dublin hotel group Dalata is developing on an adjacent site.
