The practice won permission in mid-2023 to demolish the 18-storey, 1950s-built Albert Bridge House and replace it with a cascading 45-storey development featuring 367-home build-to-rent tower and 32,500m of workspace.Now the architect, together with project backer Oval, has come back with redrawn plans which include a family of three octagonal buildings the tallest of which is now 49 storeys (156m).The reworked scheme, which went out to public consultation this week, has almost double the number of homes, providing 800 flats within the main tower and a neighbouring 37-storey block.AdvertisementMeanwhile, the office space, housed within a 17-storey tower, has been trimmed to 23,200m.Developer Oval told Manchester City Council last year that it was reviewing its consented scheme on viability grounds. It says the refreshed designs respond to market needs.The project is earmarked for a 0.9ha plot next to Santiago Calatravas Trinity Bridge, and also includes a council-owned car park.Studio Egret West's redesigned proposal to replace the 1950s Albert Bridge House (as released March 2025) - sketch as viewed from The LowryThe Twentieth Century Society and the Manchester Modernist Society were among those to oppose the demolition of the 1958 Albert Bridge House before the scheme was given planning consent in 2023, citing it as an example of lost heritage.Oval had said that, while it was committed to renovating and retrofitting old buildings, Albert Bridge House did not offer the potential for successful renovation. Its original features had been lost during previous renovations, it added.AdvertisementThe Twentieth Century Society objected to the plans, claiming the total loss of the Modernist buildings would constitute substantial and unjustified harm in both architectural heritage and environmental terms.However, the purpose-built tax office, which the developer claims was not designed with long-term sustainability in mind and does not meet modern office occupier requirements, will not be retained in the latest designs.Unveiling the all-new vision, the team said it had introduced a greater residential offering, expanded the public realm, and optimised the scheme to enhance connectivity, placemaking, and sustainability.The two residential towers will feature a mix of one, two and three-bedroom apartments, as well as co-working spaces, wellness areas and entertainment facilities.The office block will also include ground-floor shops, a caf and a cocktail bar while the outside spaces include a riverside trail linking Albert and Trinity Bridges. Source:nbv studioThe previously consented 2023 scheme by Studio Egret West earmarked to replace the 1950s Albert Bridge House featuring a 45-storey tower.