Fortis begins 27-storey Salford Quays tower

Following the completion of piling work, Fortis Developments’ 27-storey tower in Salford Quays will begin to rise in the coming months as a two-year build gets under way.

The tower, dubbed Northill Apartments, forms part of the wider Fortis Quay development, which features two new-build towers and two refurbished buildings and a total of 679 units.

Northill Apartments is the largest of two towers on the site and is expected to take two years to build, with a 65-week concrete core programme beginning next week. Fortis Developments’ construction arm, Beaumont Morgan, is the main contractor.

Northill contains 270 apartments, including a mix of studio, one, two, and three-bed properties.

Another tower of 13 storeys is also set to be delivered as part of the wider Fortis Quay development – this will feature 272 apartments in the tower alongside two connected blocks.

The two refurbished elements are office-to-residential conversions of the former Bruntwood buildings, Furness House and Custom House. These have been stripped back to their concrete frames and are currently undergoing a full re-clad. There will also be extensions to both buildings of three and two storeys respectively.

Together, the two former offices will house 137 apartments.

Gareth Morgan, director of Fortis Developments, said: “Northill Apartments is the next stage of our ambitious Fortis Quay development and is a striking addition to Salford’s growing skyline. These high-specification properties will offer the area’s huge young professional population a high standard of living in a thriving, sought-after location.”

Plans for the project were initially rejected by Salford City Council’s planning committee in January last year, citing concerns over public realm and landscaping. Instead of launching an appeal, Fortis decided to re-submit the application rather than launching an appeal, and the latest iteration was approved in April 2017.

The professional team on the project includes architect Bowman Riley; landscape architect DEP; planning consultant Lambert Smith Hampton; and Sanderson as transport consultant. Knight Knox is the appointed agent.

Conversion of the former office buildings into apartments is well under way