High Court to hear this month legal challenge to proposed tower block on site of disused pub in Manchester

Campaigners against a proposed tower block have instructed Public Interest Law Centre to act for them against Manchester City Council.

The Block the Block campaign opposes developer Curlew Capital’s project to build a nine-storey block of student accommodation on the site of a disused pub in Hulme.

Residents in the surrounding area have fought a number of previous developments and have promoted a plan for the site that includes a social centre and social housing.

Block the Block said Manchester had been ‘minded to refuse' previous applications but in early 2024 approved Curlew Capital’s application for the nine-storey block.

The group has been granted permission for judicial review by arguing the council did not follow its policy and procedures when granting planning permission. 

Block the Block claimed the planning committee was seriously misled by planning officers on two counts.

The first was that the committee was told there was “no planning policy basis” for refusing the application, although the group argues it could have been refused under local Policy H12 which requires purpose built student blocks to “closely integrate with existing neighbourhoods to contribute in a positive way to their vibrancy without increasing pressure on existing neighbourhood services to the detriment of existing residents”.

Its second ground is that committee members should not have been told they could not refuse the application outright.

The group said it hoped the High Court would quash the decision to grant planning permission and “draw attention to concerning practices in the planning committee”.

Manchester and Curlew Capital have been approached for comment.

The hearing at the High Court is expected to take place on 24 and 25 March.

Mark Smulian