TM: PRINCESS STREET DEVELOPMENT

Speaker: Mike Newman, RoC Consulting

The existing basement structure on the corner of Princess Street and Whitworth Street has been standing for almost 10 years. A victim of the 2008 recession it is one of the most well known derelict sites in the city centre. This talk will discuss the new proposals for the site and the challenges around incorporating the deepest basement in Manchester into the scheme.

The proposed Princess Street development (or Manchester New Square as it is now referred to) involves redevelopment of an existing abandoned 4 storey deep basement to support the construction of 3 new residential buildings above it. Developing the existing basement to suit the new building proposals has brought with it many challenges, investigation of the existing basement, modification of the basement, close coordination with the Architect (Simpson Hugh and Partners) to work with the existing structural grid whilst maintaining the residential unit layouts and minimising costly transfer structures, to name a few. Innovative construction methods have been explored, but in the end most of the works involve simplistically clever engineering and good planning of the building layout.

Mike is a Principal Engineer with over 15 years' experience in the design and delivery of various projects since graduating from Manchester University in 2002. His experience covers a wide range of sectors including residential, retail, transport, hospital, schools, civic buildings, stadia projects and the multi-award-winning Civil Justice Centre in Manchester.

Since joining RoC Consulting in 2014 he has been responsible for successful delivery of a number of building projects including 2 transport interchanges, developments at Airport City and a 600 plus unit PRS scheme in Salford. The Princess Street development is the consolidation of 2 years worth of investigation, development and rationalisation, which all on board are keen to see come to fruition.

IStructE L&C Technical Meetings: PRINCESS STREET DEVELOPMENT, MANCHESTER