thing ton , ▁John ▁Old rid ▁Scott , ▁Thomas ▁Henry ▁Wy att ▁and ▁Edward ▁Sal om ons . ▁In ▁terms ▁of ▁design ▁and ▁a est het ics , ▁Water house ' s ▁proposal ▁was ▁placed ▁fourth ▁behind ▁those ▁of ▁Spe ak man ▁& ▁Charles worth , ▁Old rid ▁Scott ▁and ▁Wor thing ton ▁but ▁his ▁design ▁was ▁considered ▁much ▁superior ▁for ▁its ▁architect ural ▁quality , ▁layout ▁and ▁use ▁of ▁light ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁appointed ▁architect ▁on ▁ 1 ▁April ▁ 1 8 6 8 . ▁ ▁The ▁foundation ▁stone ▁was ▁laid ▁on ▁ 2 6 ▁October ▁ 1 8 6 8 ▁by ▁the ▁Mayor , ▁Robert ▁Ne ill . ▁Const ruction ▁took ▁nine ▁years ▁and ▁used ▁ 1 4 ▁million ▁br icks . ▁Est im ates ▁for ▁the ▁cost ▁of ▁construction ▁vary ▁from ▁£ 7 7 5 , 0 0 0 ▁to ▁around ▁£ 1 , 0 0 0 , 0 0 0 ▁transl ating ▁to ▁between ▁£ ▁and ▁£ ▁in ▁. ▁When ▁Queen ▁Victoria ▁refused ▁to ▁attend , ▁Manchester ▁Town ▁Hall ▁was ▁opened ▁on ▁ 1 3 ▁September ▁ 1 8 7 7 ▁by ▁the ▁mayor , ▁Ab el ▁Hey wood , ▁who ▁had ▁champion ed ▁the ▁project . ▁ ▁Town ▁Hall ▁Ext ension ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 7 , ▁a ▁competition ▁to ▁design ▁the ▁Town ▁Hall ▁Ext ension ▁was ▁won ▁by ▁E manuel ▁Vincent ▁Harris , ▁the ▁architect ▁who ▁also ▁won ▁a ▁competition ▁to ▁design ▁the ▁city ' s ▁Central ▁Library . ▁Work ▁began ▁on ▁the ▁extension ▁in