Former Chorlton Baths

Client

MSV Housing

Status

Plans submitted

Sector

Residential

Service

Architecture

Five story apartments with balconies on a tree-lined street

The former site of the Chorlton Leisure Centre, located on Manchester Road, was officially closed in 2015 and identified by the City Council for redevelopment into a residential use which was to make a positive, balanced and sustainable contribution to the area.

HAPPI Design Principles

Buttress have been working with MSV Housing to create a scheme of fifty later living apartments, designed to the HAPPI design principles, (Housing Our Ageing Population Panel for Innovation) which incorporates accessible layouts, generous internal space, high levels of daylight, private balcony space, and have the ability to adapt to life’s changes. The building also provides a community space, a resident’s lounge, secure mobility and cycle storage, onsite parking and landscaped gardens.

Long, five storey apartment block on a tree lined street

External courtyard with trees between two apartment buildings

A view of the apartments from the opposite direction on a tree lined street

The scheme is for people aged over 55 and creates contemporary, later-living homes allowing individuals to move into ‘right-size’ accommodation that suits their needs, plus three neighbourhood apartments, which provide people leaving healthcare settings a place to recuperate prior to returning home. The apartments are highly sustainable and energy efficient. The development provides apartments at affordable rent and shared ownership.

The design of the scheme takes its context from its surroundings. The building is softened by the use of a colour palette of buff brickwork and bronze coloured projecting balconies. Horizontal brick banding on the ground floor, using contrasting brick, creates a plinth feature to the building. On the building’s elevations, contrast bricks at alternating courses are used adjacent to upper-floor windows to harmonise the grid of the glazed windows and soldier course banding is carried around each elevation at roof level.

To ensure a sense of community, the external deck walkways will act as the circulation route between apartments and the lift and stair lobby, encouraging residents to chat and mingle. Most of the deck walkways will be private areas looking onto the south-facing courtyard or residents’ garden, which again is aligned with the scheme’s strong HAPPI design principles.

A sense of place and belonging are underlined by the provision of generous outdoor space. Residents will be able to enjoy a communal garden to the north of the site which will have links through to the residents’ lounge. In addition, there will be a welcoming courtyard with landscaped tree planting, with places to sit and chat. There will be an enhanced streetscape with buffer planting to the building frontage which will include a green wall on the ground floor, adjacent to the community space.

Meet the team