Green light for 20-storey hotel and thousands of flats

A 20-STOREY Hilton hotel, a controversial Lidl supermarket and thousands of flats - mostly for students have been given the green light in Manchester

- JOSEPH TIMAN

The planning committee approved all 10 applications on the agenda.

The meeting was the first to be chaired by Labour's Jon-Connor Lyons who is said to be the youngest person to ever run the planning committee.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the 26-year-old councillor said he wants to see more affordable housing built across the city during his tenure.

However, none of the 821 residential apartments approved at the meeting are set to be affordable - although some of the student accommodation will be.

In total, 1,762 student beds across three separate schemes have been approved.

It comes as Manchester council pushes for more purpose-built student accommodation near the universities to free up family homes.

Here are all of the decisions made by the planning committee this month...

New 20-storey Hilton hotel on Great Ancoats Street

A new 20-storey hotel with 154 bedrooms is set to be built on Great Ancoats Street as plans which also feature a cafe and bar, conference rooms and gym got the green light. It will be operated by Hilton's Motto brand.

Concerns were raised about changes to the junction at Laystall Street which could see right turns onto the main ring road banned. Town hall planners told the committee a public consultation on any road closures would take place before the changes take place.