Administrator moves to preserve Wavelength consent 

Kroll is seeking permission to demolish Navigation House at Salford Quays to pave the way for a £99m apartment scheme. 

The administrator, appointed over DeTrafford Wavelength in August, is currently seeking a buyer for the site in order to recoup cash for creditors. 

As part of that process, Kroll has applied to Salford City Council to discharge several conditions attached to the planning permission for the 421-apartment development to prevent the consent from expiring. 

The city council granted DeTrafford planning approval for the 26-storey project in 2019 but work on the Ollier Smurthwaite-designed scheme has not started. 

In March, DeTrafford appointed Colliers to sell the site but Lender Whitecraig, which holds a fixed charge over the site, appointed Kroll as administrator on 17 August before a buyer could be found. 

At the time of Kroll’s appointment, DeTrafford had sold 299 of the apartments off plan.

In a statement to Place North West, joint administrators Michael Lennon and Jimmy Saunders said the development was delayed due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.  

“As such, the DeTrafford Wavelength, which is a special purpose vehicle, was unable to meet certain of its debt repayment commitments.  

“We will shortly be commencing a sale process for the site, which is in a prime location in Salford Quays. With full planning permission, this is an opportunity to acquire a development site that will transform the area.” 

Since Wavelength collapsed six weeks ago, two more DeTrafford vehicles have entered administration citing the impacts of the pandemic. 

Those companies are behind a pair of completed residential projects in Castlefield, the 138-apartment St George’s Gardens and the 178-home City Gardens. 

In September, DeTrafford sold the site of a proposed 400-flat project to Renaker having managed to stave off the threat of another administration.