AO Arena, Manchester

Our instruction was to lead a detailed review of an arena proposal in East Manchester. This project was partly about holding the City to account, as ASM and other City Centre stakeholders were concerned about impact of a comparable arena on their own planned investments and the wider City Centre economy. We coordinated the team which tested the strength of the case and set out representations which flagged major shortcomings. Our response robustly articulated likely impacts through representations and a planning objection, which was commended by Leading Counsel as ‘outstanding’ yet not enough to persuade the Council, which is naturally keen to attract investment, even at risk to the City Centre economy as it emerges from the pandemic.