Please note, this is an archived story. Please check the date above.

The site of the proposed development

They say the site bounded by Cheetham Hill and Red Bank at the back of existing retain units once accommodated medieval corn mills and a foundry.

Although most remains will have been damaged by more recent developments they believe some features of interest may have survived and want to undertake a site survey before any building work starts.

There are plans to create 10,763 sq ft of retail, 8,611 sq ft of food outlets and 55,000 sq ft of office space and about 400 apartments for single people and couples on the fringe of Manchester City Centre.

The site within the Cheetham and Broughton Regeneration area has been vacant for decades and has been identified as a priority investment zone.

Investors Frogmore Developments expect to attract almost 200 full-time office jobs and about 80 shop and restaurant jobs.

It had been hoped any development on the site would create many more jobs but Frogmore say competition from the Trafford Centre and government investment in East Manchester had made the site less attractive to major ?anchor? employers.

Manchester City Council planning officer Sue Wills told the city?s development control committee the proposal was not ideal but would help regenerate the area.

She said: "While the proposal does not represent the ideal development opportunity, it would bring a key gateway back into productive use after being vacant for over 20 years.

"The scheme would not only result in a number of jobs being created but would also bring back living accommodation to the fringes of the city centre.

"This has the very real potential to act as a catalyst and support other regeneration schemes taking place around the Cheetham Hill corridor."