It's definitely the biggest risk I've ever taken

Gary Neville tells Jon Robinson why his £400m city centre development, St Michael’s, is so important to him

- Jon Robinson

GARY Neville is well known for making his mark on the football pitch for United and England.

When his £400m St Michael’s development is finally complete, he will have made a lasting mark on the landscape of his home city.

As the scheme hit a significant milestone this week, the TV pundit and businessman sat down with the M.E.N. to share his inspiration behind the project – and why it means so much to him.

Neville also addressed the criticism he has received about the landmark development not featuring any affordable housing and whether he ever thought about giving up on his dream.

The project is certainly not a small undertaking. When complete, the £150m No 1 St Michael’s will comprise nine floors of office space while global restaurant brand Chotto Matte will occupy the rooftop with two food and beverage outlets situated on the ground floor.

The £250m phase two is a 41-storey tower which will be home to a 162bed, five-star international hotel brand as well as 217 residences and an additional 75,000 sq ft of office space.

The development will also incorporate a public square which will see the historic Sir Ralph Abercromby pub on Bootle Street retained following a substantial refurbishment.

Earlier this week, Neville admitted he made a ‘huge mistake’ in the early days of the project. The Sir Ralph Abercromby pub and part of the former Bootle Street police station looked set to be bulldozed, however, those behind the project u-turned after a backlash from conservationists.