ECF on site at 23-storey New Bailey tower

Contractor Morgan Sindall Construction has started work on the next phase of English Cities Fund’s New Bailey in Salford, a 211-apartment building opposite Allied London’s St John’s development on the River Irwell.

A provisional competition date of November 2022 has been set. 

English Cities Fund is a joint venture between Legal & General, Muse Developments, which is part of Morgan Sindall Group, and Homes England. 

The building, designed by architecture studio Hawkins\Brown, will be the tallest residential development to date at the mixed-use New Bailey scheme being built next to Manchester’s Spinningfields, and will provide 125 two-bedroom and 86 one-bedroom flats for private sale. 

The project is split into two parts with the 23-storey tower on plot C1 being delivered first, followed by a second building of the same height on plot C2. Plans have yet to be submitted for plot C2. 

The two buildings would be joined by a six-storey podium, complete with rooftop garden, and contain a total of 392 apartments once complete. 

Located off Trinity Way on the River Irwell, the building is close to the proposed pedestrian and cycle bridge connecting St John’s and New Bailey. 

To the east of the site is Slate Yard, ECF’s build-to-rent development comprising 424 apartments. 

The bridge, designed by Hawkins\Brown, will connect St John’s and New Bailey

A gym, shared workspace and communal lounges also feature within the scheme. 

In February, Salford Council approved a £4.7m viability payment to support the project. According to documents from the council at the time, the contribution was needed to offset a £3.3m contribution required from the developer by the council to make public realm improvements as part of the scheme. The council drew the viability funds from its pot of proceeds generated from other schemes within the Salford Central masterplan. 

Buro Four, WSP, Hannan, Walker Sime and Arup are on the project team. The agents for New Bailey are JLL and Cushman & Wakefield. 

Leon Guyett, development director at English Cities Fund, said: “We’re excited to add another building to the ever-expanding Salford skyline, while also bringing a new offering to New Bailey in the form of private sale apartments, which include many of the high-quality amenities that have been so popular in our BTR properties.”  

With work now underway on this latest residential scheme, there are now three live projects on site at New Bailey, including the 188,500 sq ft Two New Bailey Square, and the 157,000 sq ft Three New Bailey.