Former Chorlton Baths

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. 

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.