Cert acquires 73-apartment Peelers Yard in Manchester

Mulbury City has sold the Goulden Street residential scheme to Cert Property for an undisclosed amount.

Work has already begun construction Peelers Yard, which is expected to complete in the final quarter of 2023. Mulbury Homes will continue to act as the contractor for the development, which will sit within the New Cross neighbourhood of Manchester.

Cert managing director Howard Lord said: “New Cross is a neighbourhood that’s been on our radar for some time, and we’re excited to be part of its regeneration story – it has real potential to be another successful residential neighbourhood, just like its neighbour Ancoats, given the council’s masterplan for the area and the public realm works proposed.

“We’re certain that Peelers Yard will play an integral role in helping to create this neighbourhood,” Lord continued.

Tim Groom Architects designed Peelers Yard, which is being built on the site of an 1800s police station. The site’s original chimney has been retained, with the developer adding a lantern to the top.

The building itself will hold a mixture of one-bed and two-bed apartments, including several two-bed duplex units. Manchester-based design studio Youth will provide the interior design for the apartments.

In addition to the apartments, Peelers Yard will have a communal rooftop garden terrace with skyline views as well as a co-working zone and resident lounge.

Paying tribute to the site’s history, Cert will restore a series of cast-iron columns. It will also keep a six-metre-tall sandstone ashlar wall around the site to act as the main entrance.

“The site is steeped in history and it’s incredibly important to us that we retain its heritage while bringing in a contemporary look and feel to the apartments to create something really unique,” Lord said. “This also fits with our ethos of reuse of existing structures where possible to minimise waste and carbon output in development.

Cert was represented by Primas Law in the deal, while Beyond Corporate acted for Mulbury Homes.

Mulbury secured planning permission for three New Cross residential schemes in 2020, including Peelers Yard. Mulbury has also sold another one of those projects, the 161-home Bendix Street project, to real estate investor Europa Capital. The final scheme, a 144-apartment project of Oldham Road, has been forward funded by investor Cheyne Capital Real Estate.

Both the Bendix Street and Oldham Road developments are being built by GMI Construction.

Cert has several schemes in Greater Manchester, including the 45-home SONA development, which was previously known as Polygon Street. Cert has appointed contractor Recom Solutions to the project.

Over in Salford, Cert is awaiting a decision on its application for a 30-storey community living tower at Clippers Quay.