Plans to turn Manchester's tallest building into a giant solar-energy mirror are green for go. The city council has granted permission to clad the Co-operative Insurance Society (CIS) tower with enough solar panels to run 75 houses. The scheme would transform the 28-storey tower from an outwardly crumbling monolith to a shimmering blue monument to clean energy.
CIS bosses are celebrating the decision, but have warned work is still not certain to go ahead. A spokesman said there were a number of "outstanding issues", including huge potential costs.
The CIS tower was the tallest in Europe when built in 1962. Within months it became clear there was a problem with the 14m mosaic tiles that covered the outside walls. Dozens began flaking off and falling to the ground. The problem has grown worse over the years and recent survey work found a "large number of unstable tiles".
CIS bosses were granted planning permission to fit blue solar panels but could still decide not to go ahead.
(From Manchester Evening News (25/03/03))