Gary Neville has reportedly asked Manchester City Council “not to determine” the planning application for his controversial St Michael’s Development.
According to Place North West, the former Manchester United footballer revealed the temporary hold-up during a prime slot at Manchester’s pavilion at MIPIM, in Cannes.
He claimed the development team had ‘struggled’ to get its message across, and said “further changes” were needed to the £200m city centre scheme’s application.
“We have failed miserably on Bootle Street” says @GNev2, and that’s one of the refinements that will be made to St Michael’s app
— Jess Middleton-Pugh (@JessAtPlace) March 15, 2017
Neville has previously come under fire for the St Michael’s project, which could see two huge skyscrapers, a massive split-level public plaza, a new synagogue, offices, bars, restaurants and a 5* hotel erected on Jackson’s Row, near Deansgate.
The proposal faced an outcry from residents and Historic England, who claim the towers will dwarf surrounding Victorian and Edwardian streets, wiping out landmarks of historic significance.
A planning application was submitted in February, and it is rumoured the council received more than 1,400 letters of objection, and Neville conceded there had been “an unprecedented response”.
Despite today’s announcement, Neville said the fundamentals of the project would remain mostly unchanged, but “refinements” would be made during a “momentary pause”.