Manchester Tall Buildings Study

November 2017 W: www.UrbInfoManc.com T: @UrbInfoManc

This document is better viewed on a screen. Don’t print it unless you absolutely have to. PREFACE

Who? UrbInfo is ’s official fountain of knowledge for property developers and urban regeneration professionals.

Go to the website.

What? This is the first Manchester tall buildings study. It aims to examine and present the city’s tall buildings pipeline in an accessible and easy-to-understand format.

Where? Inner Manchester; specifically , Central Salford, Salford Quays and North Trafford.

Why? Manchester is building more tall buildings now than ever before, and we are second only to in Europe for number of proposed tall buildings. We need to examine how these buildings will alter our skyline, and provide guidance as to how tall buildings can transform our city for the better.

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 CONTENTS

1. Context

2. The Study Area

3. History

4. Current list

5. Locations (Existing)

6. Current status

7. Land Use

8. Pipeline

9. Locations (Proposed)

10. Future skyline

11. Conclusion

12. Contact

13. List of figures

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 1

1. CONTEXT

What is a tall building?

For the purposes of this study, a tall building is classed as a building which is 80m or

taller from the ground to the roof, or is upwards of 20 storeys.

Why do we need a tall buildings study in Manchester?

There are now more tall buildings proposed for Manchester than for any other

European city outside London. They will permanently alter our skyline in many

exciting ways, and so it’s more important than ever that we survey and catalogue the

impact they will have on our city.

What is the aim of this report?

To inform and advise those interested about the changes taking place on

Manchester’s skyline in the next few years, what the city’s tall buildings are being

used for, and what stage of the planning process they are at. 1. Introduction 1.

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 2

2. THE STUDY AREA

This report focuses on inner Manchester, which is where the majority of Manchester’s tall

buildings are located. This includes the City Centre (City Zone), Central Salford, Salford

Quays, ; and the northern part of the borough of Trafford. Any tall buildings (over

80m or 20 storeys) located within the map below are included in this study.

Victoria

Central Salford Northern Quarter Salford Quays

Cornbrook Brunswick 1. Introduction 1. Hulme

Old Trafford

Figure 1: Map of the study area

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 3 3. HISTORY

There have been tall buildings in over 60 tall buildings in the pipeline,

Manchester since 1877, when the many of which are already under city’s 87m Town Hall was construction or will be delivered constructed. The CIS tower, the UK’s before 2021. So far the 2010s have tallest building when built, was seen 9 tall buildings completed, not completed in 1962, and by the year quite beating the 2000s decade

2000 a further 6 tall buildings would which saw 11. But with three years be built across Manchester. to go, it is predicted a further 8 tall

It is after the year 2000, however, buildings will be completed in the that the majority of Manchester’s city before January 2020. The tall buildings have been built. The majority of tall buildings due to city is now on the verge of a complete before 2020 are already skyscraper boom, and there are under construction.

Figure 2: tall building completions over time

Projected

Completed 4 4. CURRENT LIST

Figure 3 shows the Scheme name Floors Height (m) Area Completed Use city’s completed tall buildings in height Beetham Tower 50 169 City Zone 2006 Residential/Hotel CIS Tower 25 118 City Zone 1962 Office order. It is noticeable 37 107 City Zone 2012 Student accommodation that the majority of City Tower Piccadilly Plaza 30 107 City Zone 1965 Office tall buildings Arndale Tower 21 90 City Zone 1979 Office Blue Tower 18 90 Salford Quays 2011 Office completed before Two Greengate 31 88 Central Salford 2016 Residential the year 2000 in Town Hall Albert Square N/A 87 City Zone 1877 Civic

Manchester were for Cambridge Street Block A 27 83 City Zone 2016 Residential One Regent 28 82 City Zone 2017 Residential commercial use, Tower 22 82 Salford Quays 2011 Residential whereas those Premier House 23 80 Central Salford 1966 Hotel

Manchester One/Portland 21 80 City Zone 1962 Office completed after the Tower millennium are The Civil Justice Centre 17 80 City Zone 2007 Office Number One MediaCityUK 22 74 Salford Quays 2011 Residential/Office mainly residential or 25 72 City Zone 2007 Residential Jefferson Place, Green mixed use. This is 20 70 North Central 2007 Residential Quarter (GQ) covered in more Wilburn Wharf 21 68 Central Salford 2017 Residential Millennium Tower 21 67 Salford Quays 2008 Residential detail later. This list Britton House, GQ 21 65 North Central 2009 Residential does not include 1 Cypress Place, GQ 20 65 North Central 2009 Residential Spinningfields as that ISIS Wharf 21 64 City Zone 2008 Residential Skyline Central 20 64 City Zone 2007 Residential has not yet reached Tempus Tower 20 64 City Zone 2006 Residential full completion. Cambridge St Block B 21 63 City Zone 2016 Residential

City Lofts 21 61 Salford Quays 2007 Residential

5 Exchange Quay 20 60 Salford Quays 1997 Office Figure 3: Manchester’s current tall buildings list 5

5. LOCATIONS (Existing)

Manchester currently has 27 buildings Salford Quays they are clustered

over 20 storeys/80m, scattered around MediaCityUK. The map below

around the City Centre and Salford shows the locations of all of

Quays. In the City, tall buildings are Manchester’s current tall buildings. 1

clustered either around transport Spinningfields is not shown as it

nodes (such as Victoria Station) or the hasn’t technically completed

traditional commercial core. While in construction.

Figure 4: location of current tall buildings in Manchester

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 6

5. LOCATIONS (Existing)

Many of Manchester’s current and

future tall buildings are located in

the City Zone - Manchester’s

central business district - with a

smaller cluster in Salford Quays.

Figures 5 and 6 compare the

geographic distribution of

Manchester’s tall buildings, present

and future. The City Zone will still Figure 5: Completed tall building contain the majority of the city’s locations in Manchester tall buildings, with 51 in total

compared to 15 now. Salford

Quays will also retain its position

as the second-largest cluster of tall

buildings in Manchester, while

Central Salford retains third place

by increasing its number of tall

buildings from 3 now to 13 in

future. Figure 6: Completed + proposed tall

building locations in Manchester

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 7

5. LOCATIONS (Existing)

The spread of tall buildings outside pedestrian-friendly environments

the city’s Ring Road can be seen in along the city’s key routes will enable

Hulme, where two tall buildings are the city to grow naturally, allowing

proposed. One of which (Crowne inner city areas to feel the benefits of

Plaza/Staybridge Suites hotel on Booth regeneration. Cities benefit and grow

St West) is now nearing completion. when the needs of pedestrians and

The other is a new residential cyclists are prioritised over the needs

skyscraper proposed at Arundel St by of car drivers. The walkable core of the

Logik Developments, not yet in for city has to be allowed to expand if

planning. There are very few tall Manchester wants to become a truly

buildings proposed outside those liveable and pleasant city. Reducing

areas due to the barrier effect caused motorist dominance on key routes

by the city’s Ring Road, which encircles such as Great St, Oldham

the city, reducing free movement and Road, Chester Road, Regent Road and

inter-neighbourhood permeance. This Trinity Way will enable the city to grow

problem does not just apply to tall and start regenerating inner city

buildings, but to all private-sector neighbourhoods such as New Cross,

developments in Manchester. , , and

Overcoming these physical barriers by Hulme.

introducing traffic calming and

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 8 6. CURRENT STATUS

Figure 7 shows the status of in Salford (34 floors/109m), Slate Yard

Manchester’s tall buildings pipeline, Building 3, also in Salford (21

demonstrating how, despite there floors/61m) and Renaker’s 2-4 Chester

being a relatively large amount of tall Road, in Castlefield (21 floors/64m). A

buildings under construction already, large number of schemes have

there is a sizeable pipeline, with 6 planning approval but with no

ready to start construction. These movement on site yet, including Allied

include Elliott Group’s The Residence London’s St John’s Place, which has

Figure 7: Status of Manchester’s tall buildings pipeline 9

6. CURRENT STATUS

Far East Consortium’s Meadowside scheme behind Victoria Station has recently been approved

had permission for over a year, as well Phase 2, which will eventually deliver

as North View, 1-5 New Wakefield St five tall buildings for residential, office,

Street, Gore St and Meadowside, which studio and hotel uses; Fortis’ Derwent

have recently been given planning St scheme in Ordsall, and DeTrafford’s

approval. residential scheme at Great Jackson St. There are also a number of schemes There are a number of schemes either On Hold, including River St Tower and being decided by Manchester’s First St South. planning authorities, or preparing to

submit a planning application. These

include Peel’s entire MediaCityUK

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 10 6. CURRENT STATUS

Figure 8 shows completion dates for completed. 5 tall buildings will tall buildings in Manchester over the complete construction in 2017 - the past 13 years. Between 2004 and 2007 other three being ’s 1 there were, on average, 3 tall buildings Spinningfields office tower, the Hulme completing each year. During the Crowne Plaza/Staybridge Suites and X1 recession, there was a lull in tall MediaCityUK Tower 1 in Salford Quays. building completions which fell to 0 in 2018 is only projected to see a small

2013, 2014 and 2015. The beginning of amount of completions at Exchange the recovery began in 2016, when 3 tall Court and X1 The Gateway, while 2019, buildings were completed, and so far 2020 and 2021 will see an average of in 2017 a further 2 (One Regent and 16 tall buildings completed each

Wilburn Wharf, both Renaker) have year, peaking at 21 in 2020.

Figure 8: Completion dates for tall buildings in Manchester

Projected

Completed 11 7. LAND USE

As mentioned previously,

Manchester’s tall buildings

pipeline is dominated by

residential towers. The city

is also already dominated

by residential tall

buildings, with 18 out of

the city’s current 30 tall

buildings containing Figure 9: Manchester tall building use analysis, Year 2000

apartments. However, this

contrasts strongly with the

Year 2000, when there

were no residential

towers, and the city’s

skyline was dominated by

office towers - as Diagram

9 shows. In these

diagrams, “Civic” refers to

Manchester Town Hall,

and buildings with a Figure 10: Manchester tall building use analysis, October 2017 12 7. LAND USE

mixed use (such as hotel and

residential) are counted as a

single tower in both

categories. The current

pipeline is similarly

dominated by residential, as

Figure 11 shows, with 58 out

of the 61 tall buildings Other, 1

Figure 11: Manchester tall building use proposed for the city being analysis, current pipeline residential. By 2021, Figure

12 will be the composition of

tall building uses in

Manchester - 67 tall

buildings will be residential,

9 office, 6 hotel, 3 student

and 2 ’other’. In this case,

‘other’ refers to MMU’s new

student union tower off

Oxford Road, and the Town

2 Hall.

Figure 12: Projected Manchester tall building use analysis, Year 2021 Other 13 8. PIPELINE

As mentioned previously, there are stage - preparing for construction, 25

now more tall buildings proposed for have been granted planning

Manchester than any other European permission, while a further 21 are

city outside London. In total, 64 tall currently either in the planning process

buildings are proposed for the city. 14 or getting ready to submit to planning.

of these are already under Tall buildings which have planning

construction, 5 are at groundworks approval are listed in Figure 14.

Figure 13: List of tall buildings under construction

Correct as of 30th October 2017

Height Scheme name Floors Area Completion Use Current status (m)

Owen Street Tower A 64 201 City Zone 2019 Residential Under Construction

Owen Street Tower B 50 158 City Zone 2020 Residential Under Construction

Owen Street Tower D 44 140 City Zone 2019 Residential Under Construction

Exchange Court 44 130 Central Salford 2018 Residential Under Construction

Affinity Living Riverview 36 112 Central Salford 2019 Residential Under Construction

Angel Gardens Tower 38 108 City Zone 2019 Residential Under Construction

Oxygen Tower 31 103 City Zone 2019 Residential Under Construction

Axis Tower 27 93 City Zone 2019 Residential Under Construction

Number 20 92 City Zone 2017 Office Under Construction

X1 MediaCityUK Tower 1 26 86 Salford Quays 2017 Residential Under Construction

X1 MediaCityUK Tower 2 26 86 Salford Quays 2019 Residential Under Construction

X1 The Gateway 21 62 Salford Quays 2018 Residential Under Construction

Hulme Crowne Plaza/Staybridge 20 60 Hulme 2017 Hotel Under Construction

The Lightbox 20 60 Salford Quays 2019 Residential Under Construction At 201m, Owen St Tower A (shown here on the right) will be Manchester’s tallest building when it completes in 2019, and the tallest building in the UK outside London. Three of the four other towers shown here are currently under construction - the shortest will start in 2018.

(Left) Angel Gardens (38 floors, 108m) is currently rising, while Allied London’s St John’s Place (right) has planning permission and will start construction soon. 15

8. PIPELINE

Figure 13 shows the full list of tall

buildings currently under construction

across Manchester. The top three is

dominated by Renaker’s Owen St

scheme. At 64 floors (201m), Tower A

will be Manchester’s tallest building

when complete, beating Beetham

Tower by over 30 metres. Exchange Renaker’s Owen St scheme - Tower A (64 floors, Court, also a Renaker scheme, will be 200.5m) left and Tower D (44 floors, 140m) under construction in late October. Manchester’s fourth tallest building,

and Salford’s tallest. Of the 14 tall

buildings under construction in

Manchester, 12 of them are

residential. Figure 14 (on the next

page) shows tall buildings that have

been approved by Manchester’s

planning departments, some of which

are now at groundworks stage,

getting ready to start construction. MODA Living’s Angel Gardens tower (38 floors, 107m) is now up to the third floor

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 16 8. PIPELINE

Figure 14: List of tall buildings approved

Correct as of 30th October 2017

Height Scheme name Floors Area Completion Use Current status (m)

Trinity Islands Tower X 67 213 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

St John's Place 55 168 City Zone 2021 Residential/Hotel Approved

Found Space Tower 40 139 City Zone 2020 Residential Approved

Trinity Islands Tower W 41 133 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

Angel Meadow Park tower 40 128 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

Owen Street Tower C 37 122 City Zone 2020 Residential Groundworks

Trinity Islands Tower Y 37 121 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

10-12 Whitworth St 36 117 City Zone 2020 Residential Approved

Dime Tower 36 115 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

Nickel Tower 36 115 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

Circle Square Tower 38 115 City Zone 2019 Residential Approved

The Residence 34 109 Central Salford 2019 Residential Groundworks

1-5 New Wakefield St 30 92 City Zone 2019 Student accommodation Approved

Fortis Quay Tower 26 90 Salford Quays 2020 Residential Approved

Trinity Islands Tower V 26 87 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

Trinity Islands Tower W 26 87 City Zone 2021 Residential Approved

X1 MediaCityUK Tower 3 26 86 Salford Quays 2020 Residential Approved

X1 MediaCityUK Tower 4 26 86 Salford Quays 2021 Residential Approved

Regent Plaza 27 82 Central Salford 2020 Residential Approved

New 1 20 78 City Zone 2020 Residential Approved

North View 24 77.5 North Central 2020 Residential Approved

Meadowside, The Gate 22 68 City Zone 2020 Residential Approved

Chapel Wharf phase 2 22 69 Central Salford 2020 Residential Approved

The Crescent, Salford 21 68 Central Salford 2019 Residential Groundworks

Gore St 22 64 Central Salford 2020 Residential Approved

Slate Yard Building 3 21 64 Central Salford 2020 Residential Groundworks

New Victoria Tower 2 25 62 City Zone 2020 Residential Approved

2-4 Chester Road 21 61 City Zone 2019 Residential Groundworks MediaCityUK Plot D1 20 60 Salford Quays 2020 Residential Approved Motel One St Peter’s Square 20 60 City Zone 2020 Hotel Approved 17

The majority of the taller proposals

(between 26 and 67 floors) are located in

the City Zone, while there are also some

in Central Salford and Salford Quays. As

with tall buildings under construction,

the list of tall buildings approved is also

dominated by residential proposals.

There are a further 20 tall buildings

proposed for Manchester currently either DeTrafford’s Great Jackson St proposal, seen here being decided by Manchester’s planning in front of Renaker’s Owen St giants

departments, or preparing to be

submitted for planning permission.

These include DeTrafford’s 32 and 22-

storey proposals at Great Jackson St,

Fortis’s Derwent St scheme in Ordsall,

Salford (27 floors, 83m) and a 36-storey

scheme proposed at Arundel St in

Castlefield by Logik, Andrew Flintoff’s

new development company. Also A new skyscraper for Castlefield. Arundel St is being proposed by Logik - Andrew Flintoff’s new preparing to be submitted to development company. for approval is

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 The original St Michael’s proposal, showing two towers (31/21 Gary Neville and Hodder + Partner’s new floors), containing 39-storey tower at St Michaels, which apartments, offices, a hotel, synagogue, has changed significantly since MAKE retail, bars and restaurants proved Architect’s original proposal, that unpopular in Manchester and consisted of two twin-design towers with was scrapped. a curved roofline. The proposal came under heavy criticism in 2016 as it involved the demolition of several historic buildings in an architecturally sensitive area adjacent to Albert Square.

The scheme was taken over by architects

Hodder and Partners in early 2017, and (Above and below), Hodder+Partner’s newest proposals for St this design (shown below) for a single Micheal’s, showing a single tower which has been likened to London’s Centrepoint tower. This scheme will contain tower and retained historic buildings at apartments, a hotel, synagogue, offices and retail/restaurants. ground level was released in October

2017. This proposal has proved to be far more popular than the 2016 iteration, and will be submitted for planning approval later in 2017, aiming for a start on-site in summer 2018. 19

9. LOCATIONS (Proposed)

Figure 15 shows the locations of all of Jackson. A ‘skyscraper canyon’ is

Manchester’s tall buildings, both being formed on either side of the

present and future. It demonstrates banks of the around St

the emergence of several veritable Johns. The prominence of these

clusters of tall builldings at buildings will inevitably expand the

Greengate, MediaCityUK and Great city centre outwards.

Present tall building

Figure 15: location of present and future tall buildings in Manchester Proposed tall building

Greengate cluster

MediaCityUK St John’s cluster cluster

Great Jackson cluster

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 20

10. FUTURE SKYLINE

To accurately assess the impact that buildings in places where a precedent

Manchester’s tall buildings proposals for tall buildings has already been set,

will have on the cityscape, UrbInfo has for example in the clusters shown in

modelled those with a planning Figure 15. A solid, definable cluster of

application on the city’s existing tall buildings makes a powerful

skyline. The resulting images are statement of place, and also visually

shown on the next few pages. This improves the arrival sequence into

allows for a greater analysis into the Manchester along key road and rail

concentration (’clustering’) of the routes.

city’s tall buildings in future, which All the images on the next few pages

could be used to guide council policy are intended to represent views of the

on tall buildings to encourage taller city as it may appear in the year 2021.

The future skyline images on the next few pages are not intended to be accurate

representations of any individual building proposal, and some proposals may change in

appearance upon completion. UrbInfo retains a copyright on the images, please use the contact

details shown at the back of this document for permission to reproduce or publish any of the

images.

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 21 FUTURE SKYLINE From Hulme Park

From Hulme Park, the Owen St towers are clearly View location prominent on the skyline, with Tower A (200.5m)

forming a ’pinnacle’ on the cityscape. DeTrafford’s

Plot E next door provides more bulk, while other tall

buildings at St John’s, 10-12 Whitworth St and

Found Space frame the view.

Courtney Bernard, Ed Howe, 2017 22 FUTURE SKYLINE From Hulme High Street

View location Once Allied London’s Trinity Islands scheme (left) completes, the city will have two identifiable tall

building clusters when viewed from the south. Trinity

Islands is not due to fully complete until later than

2021, but the cluster shown on the right should be

largely complete before then.

Courtney Bernard, Ed Howe, 2017 23 FUTURE SKYLINE From Cheetham Hill

View location This image shows the entire Manchester skyline from the north, Cheetham Hill. The Greengate

cluster in Salford can be seen towards the left, while

on the south side of the city don’t appear

as dominant from this angle. Once again, Allied

London’s Trinity Islands scheme (shown on the right

here) is further off being a reality than the other

towers, but once built it will give Manchester a

further cluster over towards the west.

Courtney Bernard, Ed Howe, 2017 24 FUTURE SKYLINE From Salford

View location Viewed from the banks of the Irwell, the southern skyline is dominated by Beetham Tower, which will

be the city’s second-tallest building in 2021. The

various tall buildings around Knott Mill and

Deansgate will form the city’s primary tall buildings

cluster.

Courtney Bernard, Ed Howe, 2017 25 FUTURE SKYLINE From Ordsall

View location The Owen St/Great Jackson cluster viewed from Ordsall in Salford. In between Beetham Tower and

Owen St are the various shorter towers around

Oxford Road, including the Liberty Heights tower;

Circle Square tower; and Unite’s 1-5 New Wakefield

Street.

Courtney Bernard, Ed Howe, 2017 26 FUTURE SKYLINE From Piccadilly

View location The city centre’s emerging northern cluster viewed from Piccadilly. CIS Tower is shown to the left, with

Angel Gardens tower in the middle and

Meadowside /Skyline Central to the right

Ed Howe, 2017 27 FUTURE SKYLINE From Salford Quays, MediaCityUK

View location Viewed from MediaCityUK, the skyline forms part of an impressive vista with the new tall buildings

formed as part of MediaCityUK Phase Two. There are

two identifiable ’peaks’ in the form of Owen St on

the right and Trinity Island on the left, while the hills

at the back clearly frame the cityscape.

Courtney Bernard, Ed Howe 2017 28

11. CONCLUSION

The UK has traditionally taken a where people can access all the things

hesitant view on tall buildings, and for they need either by walking or taking

this reason, until very recently, many of public transport. This approach also

the UK’s largest cities had relatively flat preserves the green belt and the

skylines compared to similarly-sized countryside against inappropriate

American and European cities. development, and ensures it is there

Since World War Two, Manchester, and for future generations to enjoy. In this

other British cities, expanded outwards scenario, tall buildings have been and

rather than upwards. Suburbs sprawled will continue to be instrumental in

out from our major cities and there achieving a new ‘British dream’

was an exodus as people swapped lifestyle; one which is compact, healthy,

urban life for suburban and rural life. urban and sustainable. But while we

As a consequence, our cities spiralled strive for the skies we must ensure

into decline, as they lost their status as these tall buildings are of a high

the residential, commercial and leisure quality which will positively enhance

hubs of their regions. The planning their cities both at skyline level and at

system is now attempting to reverse street level. Crucially, they must be

that trend, and maximise land designed and built for the 21st and the

efficiency in our major city centres, 22nd centuries, at the very least.

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 29

12. CONTACT

UrbInfo is Manchester’s fountain of knowledge for property and regeneration. It’s a one-man show, with all research conducted and produced by me, Ed Howe.

For a real-time, constantly updated view of Manchester’s developments, check out my Manchester Development Map.

For more Manchester intelligence and research, go to the UrbInfo website

Or follow UrbInfo on Twitter:@UrbInfoManc

Want to use any of the images shown in this publication? Please ask for permission first.

Contact

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 30 13. List of figures

Figure 1: Map of the study area

Figure 2: Tall building completions over time in Manchester

Figure 3: Manchester’s current tall buildings list

Figure 4: Location of current tall building in Manchester

Figure 5: Locations of completed tall buildings in Manchester

Figure 6: Locations of completed + proposed tall buildings in Manchester

Figure 7: Status of Manchester’s tall buildings pipeline

Figure 8: Completion dates for tall buildings in Manchester

Figure 9: Manchester tall buildings use analysis, Year 2000

Figure 10: Manchester tall buildings use analysis, October 2017

Figure 11: Manchester tall building use analysis, current pipeline

Figure 12: Manchester tall building use analysis, Year 2021

Figure 13: List of tall buildings under construction

Figure 14: List of tall buildings approved

Figure 15: Location of present and future tall buildings in Manchester

Manchester Tall Buildings Study November 2017 W: www.UrbInfoManc.com T: @UrbInfoManc

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