▁site . ▁ ▁New ▁town ▁hall ▁ ▁Pl anning ▁for ▁the ▁new ▁town ▁hall ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 3 . ▁Manchester ▁Corporation ▁demanded ▁it ▁be , ▁' equal ▁if ▁not ▁superior , ▁to ▁any ▁similar ▁building ▁in ▁the ▁country ▁at ▁any ▁cost ▁which ▁may ▁be ▁reason ably ▁required '. ▁The ▁choice ▁of ▁location ▁was ▁influenced ▁by ▁a ▁desire ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁central , ▁accessible , ▁but ▁relatively ▁quiet ▁site ▁in ▁a ▁respect able ▁district , ▁close ▁to ▁Manchester ' s ▁banks ▁and ▁municipal ▁offices , ▁next ▁to ▁a ▁large ▁open ▁area , ▁suitable ▁for ▁the ▁display ▁of ▁a ▁fine ▁building . ▁After ▁investig ating ▁suitable ▁sites , ▁including ▁Pic c ad illy , ▁an ▁odd ly ▁sh aped ▁plot ▁facing ▁Albert ▁Square ▁was ▁chosen . ▁ ▁The ▁Albert ▁Square ▁front age ▁measures ▁, ▁Lloyd ▁Street ▁is ▁, ▁Princess ▁Street ▁the ▁longest ▁at ▁ ▁and ▁Cooper ▁Street ▁measures ▁. ▁On ▁this ▁tight ▁site , ▁the ▁corpor ation ▁built ▁a ▁grand ▁hall , ▁a ▁suite ▁of ▁reception ▁rooms , ▁qu arters ▁for ▁the ▁lord ▁mayor , ▁offices ▁and ▁a ▁council ▁chamber . ▁ ▁The ▁second ▁stage ▁of ▁a ▁competition ▁to ▁design ▁the ▁town ▁hall ▁which ▁attract ed ▁ 1 3 7 ▁entries ▁was ▁jud ged ▁by ▁Thomas ▁Le ver ton ▁Donald son , ▁a ▁classic ist , ▁and ▁g oth ic ist ▁George ▁Edmund ▁Street . ▁The ▁eight ▁final ists ▁were ▁Water house , ▁William ▁Lee , ▁Spe ak man ▁& ▁Charles worth , ▁C uth bert ▁Bro dr ick , ▁Thomas ▁Wor