Man City’s Vincent Kompany has been given permission to build 75 flats despite criticism from Historic England

FOOTIE ace Vincent Kompany has been given permission to build 75 flats despite criticism from Historic England.

The Manchester City captain, 32, will demolish a 1950s former electrical works and replace it with a nine-storey block of flats and offices.

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Conservationists feared they would be “harmful” but Manchester officials disagreed.

Ahead of the meeting, a spokesperson for Historic England told the planning committee in a statement: "The proposal would relate poorly to its surroundings and the height and monolithic form would be harmful to the conservation area.

"The scale would be particularly oppressive in relation to the narrow width of Silk and Primrose Street, which were originally laid out to accommodate 19th century two to three storey terraced houses of much smaller scale.

"This development would cause harm that requires clear and convincing justification.

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"If there is a clear and convincing justification the resulting harm would need to be weighed in relation to any public benefits arising from the proposals.

"This development would cause harm to the significance, character and appearance of the Ancoats Conservation Area.

"It is unclear why this largely vacant site cannot be viably developed in a more sensitive way at a lower scale, similar to other nearby sites, and no convincing justification is provided to demonstrate why it must be developed in this way."

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