It was good to see some real change at the exhibition at Central Library on 12th July - the pub and a slice of the old Police Station are to be kept and the office block has been chopped to a more sensible size. However, while the new plans drop one tower, there's still a 38 (38!!) storey tower proposed - turned and moved a little, but not very far. It’s still in a conservation area surrounded by conservation areas, still so close to Manchester’s historic core - and they’re now rushing to get new the plans submitted in August. Responses on the revisions to the plans should go to enquiries@st-michaels.com: I hope you can take time to tell them how you feel about the 38 storeys and ask them to bring it down to a realistic level - and to make it beautiful instead of big and bulky! The exhibition panels are on-line here - www.st-michaels.com - if you weren't able to get to the single consultation day. There's support for keeping the pub and a slice of the old Bootle Street building, but not for an inappropriate tower. One huge tower instead of two is still so wrong so close to Manchester's historic core. We need to make this clear - there’s still a lot of work to be done to make this right for Manchester. Please help - email enquiries@st-michaels.com with your views. While a second exhibition is promised, on the current timetable this will only be to show what’s being submitted as a planning revision days later. That’s not asking for views - and it’s certainly not 'consultation'. People attending the exhibition were pleased to see the change of approach but there's still widespread concern about such height and bulk in this location. As comparison (see picture of St Michaels model), 3 St Peter’s Square was limited to 20 storeys by Council planners in a much less contentious location, and approved at Planning Committee yesterday with no objections. The Council is a development partner in St Michael’s - almost double that height. 4500+ people signed this petition and 1400 people formally objected to the planning application. Only 400 went to see the new plans, and less than half of those gave a written response. So far, the developers say 84% of 182 people at the exhibition have expressed either “support” or “support with reservations” - sliding past those reservations being widespread and relating to the plans still being too big and too tall. If you’d like to email the new architect, Steve Hodder, directly, this is his address: s.hodder@hodderandpartners.com If you’d like to email the Chief Executive of the Council, Joanne Roney, directly, her address is: joanne.roney@manchester.gov.uk My own letter of response is here: bit.ly/2h8MLPv Thank you, Lesley