Gary Neville plans to build on blossoming property career, by re-developing ‘derelict’ area of Manchester’s heart
Ex-England right-back to demolish police station, synagogue and pub in order to create an entire new 'plaza' in city
GARY NEVILLE is plotting the next step in his blossoming property career - with a massive high-rise development in Manchester.
The former Manchester United right-back, 41, already owns 'Hotel Football' - alongside fellow Old Trafford legend Ryan Giggs - but is now planning a major new project.
Nev is hoping to build two new giant skyscrapers, another hotel and a public plaza in the city centre.
The plan would mean curtains for a hat-full of local establishments - including a police station, a synagogue and a pub - which would need to be demolished.
Neville is currently obtaining permission to have the former Bootle Street police station, Manchester Reform Synagogue and Sir Ralph Abercromby pub on Jackson’s Row knocked down in a bid to create over 1,000 jobs at his new establishments.
The plans will cost an estimated £200million and would open up two new public spaces - across two levels linked by a massive staircase - in between two monstrous skyscrapers, as Neville hopes to refurbish an ‘underused and unwelcoming’ part of the city.
Neville also hopes to build a new synagogue on the premises - it has been planned for years, only to be held back by the economic downturn.
But he says he is optimistic and excited by the new plans, especially now he has entered into an agreement with Manchester council.
He said: “To finally be here and to announce what we’re doing and what our plans are - I am excited.
“But now it gets real. The game has just started, if you like. The past nine years have been pre-match and now the game’s on and we have to deliver.
“Ultimately it will all be down to what we do in the next few years in respect of delivering this site and there’s obviously lots of obstacles to overcome, first and foremost the consultation side and the planning process.”
However, it will not be all smooth-sailing for Neville, as Historic England - formerly English Heritage - is said to be disgusted by the enormity of the skyscrapers.
Neville's retort was to claim that in order to fit everything onto the 'St Michael's Gardens' and 'St Michael's Square' sites, they'd have no choice but to build upwards.
Another stumbling block regards the Sir Ralph Abercromby pub - which starred in TV show 'Life On Mars'.
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The move to have it torn down has sparked an online petition.
But Neville is more than prepared for that, saying: “Obviously the Abercromby has gained a lot of publicity.
“The site will be cleared and the pub will be removed. We’ve been in dialogue with the landlord over the last six to eight months.
“We’ve spoken to him about his job about the job of his staff with respect to working with him to protect those during and post-construction because it’s important to us.
“This is Manchester and the idea of taking a fellow person’s job is not something that appeals to me.”
Insistent the move would be a positive one for the whole city, he added: “Those streets are disused, they’re derelict, they’re not particularly attractive streets.
“A large part of the [new] site is usable to the public.
"That’s something that was driving us from day one and that’s what pushed us."
If the plans are successful, building would begin in 2017.