Allied London has been selected as preferred bidder to buy the historic London Road Fire Station in Manchester’s Piccadilly.
Mike Ingall’s property company has agreed terms with Britannia Hotels to buy the Grade II-listed building in a deal that would end more than a decade of wrangling over the site.
The building has been largely vacant since 1986 but received planning consent in 2010 for a 227-bedroom hotel with a 316-cover restaurant and associated bars, a bistro and function rooms.
Manchester city council has twice attempted to compulsorily purchase the building – in 2010 and 2014 – after Britannia failed to bring the development forward.
The saga has cost the council more than £1.5m in legal fees.
Britannia eventually agreed to sell the building earlier this year and appointed Christie + Co to seek bids in excess of £10m.
Allied London was selected ahead of a shortlist that included Henry Boot and Old Trafford-based private property company Generation.
The 100,000 sq ft building was the headquarters of the Manchester Fire Brigade until its replacement by the Greater Manchester Fire Service in 1974.
The project would add to Allied London’s Manchester portfolio, which includes the XYZ building, 1 Spinningfields and the former Granada Studios.
