JRL eyes Q2 2026 start for 28-storey Manchester BTR

The integrated construction group and its development partner Central and Urban have been handed a formal decision notice for their 359-apartment project on Sparkle Street and are working towards BSA Gateway 2 approval.

Manchester City Council has agreed a section 106 agreement with the two entities controlled by businessman Daniel Uzel’s Grasmmont Group that own the Piccadilly site earmarked for the development.

This agreement sets out that the project cannot support affordable housing nor contribution towards it. Viability will be reassessed at a later date to see if margins have improved sufficiently to allow a contribution to be made.

Having secured backing from Manchester City Council’s planning committee 12 months ago, the S106 agreement means JRL and Central and Urban are now armed with the decision notice they need to move the project to the next stage.

Paul Cummins, development director at JRL Group, told Place North West: “Obtaining planning consent for this exciting development is another significant milestone as we move towards the construction phase.

“The team are already progressing towards submission for Building Safety Act Gateway 2 approvals, and subject to timescales for the Building Safety Regulator to approve, we plan on starting works in Q2 2026.”

Designed by SimpsonHaugh Architects, the development is the largest in Manchester for both JRL and Central and Urban to date.

JRL Group has been active in the city since 2018 and its construction arm Midgard recently delivered CDL Hospitality Trusts’ Castings scheme, which is a short distance away from the Sparkle Street plot.

Central and Urban, headed up by co-founders Dan White and Rob Skelston, has so far stuck to hotels in Manchester. It has delivered a StayCity aparthotel in Ancoats and a Maldron hotel off Oxford Road.

To learn more about the Sparkle Street scheme search for reference number 139986/FO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.

Re-form is the landscape architect for the development and Deloitte is the planning consultant. Curtins is providing civil, structural, and transport services for the project.