Allied London has been granted approval for the first phase of its £1.3bn redevelopment project in Manchester.

The new St. John's neighbourhood is to be located on the site of the Old Granada Studios building, the former home of ITV studios.

The project involves developing 2.8m sq ft of retail and leisure space, including 1,450 homes.

Detailed planning consent has now been granted for the Old Granada Studios.

The building will be regenerated into an event hotel with restaurants, bars, roof terraces, rooftop pool, cinema and new performance and entertainment spaces.

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In addition, a new neighbourhood called South Village will be built.

It will include workshops, workspace, independent retail and 60 apartments grouped together with pockets of public and private realm.

The Bonded Warehouse is to also be revamped for creative industries.

It will form the centre of Project Voice, a St. John's initiative for a 'Village Of Innovation, Culture and Enterprise'.

Allied London will commence the project in Autumn 2016.

Michael Ingall, Allied London's Chief Executive, said: "Allied London has long been championing Manchester and are fully supporting the Northern Powerhouse initiative, which now even has its own elected Minister in the Houses of Parliament.

"Manchester has always been at the heart of enterprise, arts and culture and St. John's will provide a platform for the city to cluster creative enterprise and activities and flourish with workspace, theatre, music, performance, events, craft workshops and independent retail at the heart of our new neighbourhood."

(LM/CD)