Manchester Town Hall Completion Put Back a Year as Roofs Revealed

Manchester City Council has announced that the completion of the city’s Town Hall has been put back by a year.

The almost decade-long heritage project is now set to complete in spring 2026.

The Grade I-listed Manchester Town Hall is being repaired, restored and refurbished to conserve it and improve public access.

Timescales and Budget

As one of the largest and most complex heritage projects in living memory in the UK, it has been beset by problems, the Council says.

These have led to a budget increase of £95 million, taking the overall project budget to £524.8 million. The Council’s Executive will be asked to approve the increase on 10 December, which will be funded by borrowing.

In a report published on 28 November, the Council says the Town Hall’s restoration has faced “unique challenges”.

The project started its construction phase in 2020, coinciding with the Covid pandemic; it has been affected by a “volatile economic climate”, influenced by external factors such as the Ukrainian war. There has also been unprecedented materials and construction labour cost inflation, the Council says.

Skills Shortages

Direct project-related factors include a shortage of specialist labour capacity in the supply chain. The Town Hall’s roofs have seen a number of roofing contractors recruited to join specialist heritage roofing firm Greenough & Sons; MAC Roofing & Contracting; LM Roofing; and leadworkers, J Hempstock & Co.

Inflation has also added to the cost of labour, which had grown between four and six per cent since October 2024.

Other issues with the supply of like-for-like materials and the ongoing discovery of additional construction challenges, have added to delays and associated costs. These challenges range from minor obstructions and quirks from the original Victorian build to structural issues which require design solutions adds the report.

A number of companies have also fallen into administration during the project. Three of the contractors delivering works packages have gone into administration in the last six months alone.

Each delay to one element of work has a knock-on impact on many others.

Progress

This year, parts of the exterior scaffolding and the huge temporary roof have been removed as the roofs’ replacements have been completed and the building made watertight.

Return on Investment

Despite the final project spend reaching £524.8 million (it was first forecast to cost £95m), the Council says local people will benefit.

Located in the city centre’s Albert Square, the Council says its Town Hall refurbishment spend will act as a catalyst to further investment, as well as supporting surrounding businesses by increased visitor numbers.

It says 57 per cent of its spending is with Manchester businesses and 45 per cent of those working on the project live in the city. In total 330 jobs and 177 apprenticeships – 116 of which went to Manchester residents – have been created.

Deputy Council Leader Cllr Garry Bridges said: “This project to safeguard Manchester Town Hall and create unprecedented public access is the biggest heritage project the country has seen for many years. Only the restoration of the Houses of Parliament will surpass it in scale.

“A project of this size is extraordinarily complicated and has had to navigate a stream of challenges – from a global pandemic to high inflation in the construction industry and the hidden issues within the building’s historic fabric.

“Like everyone, we have been frustrated by the increased time and cost involved. But if we had not acted decisively to invest in the future of this Victorian masterpiece, many parts of which were reaching the end of their natural lifespans, we would have seen it become unusable and obsolete.

“We’re glad that we’re now on a confident path to completion in spring 2027, in time for the 150th anniversary of its original opening. The results of the project will be there for people to appreciate and enjoy for the next 100 years.”

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