FEC plots Victoria Riverside towers

16 March 2020 07:00 Sarah Townsend Comments (0)

Far East Consortium has set out plans for 634 homes in the Red Bank neighbourhood, part of the first phase of the £1bn Northern Gateway regeneration project.

The scheme comprises a “family” of three residential towers, the main building of which will be 37 storeys high, flanked by sister buildings of 18 and 26 storeys each.

The cluster of Hawkins\Brown-designed buildings would sit on the corner of Gould Street and Dantzic Street at Victoria Riverside, a key gateway site for Red Bank located to the northeast of Manchester city centre.

FEC is consulting on the draft proposals next week and expects to submit a planning application in either late spring or early summer.

The scheme features commercial uses along Dantzic Street and public realm towards Gateway Square, which is intended as the entrance into the Northern Gateway project.

There would also be new routes to and from the city centre, and the housing offer would comprise a mix of tenures including shared ownership, FEC said today.

View through the buildings from a shared podium

The 383-acre Northern Gateway project is a joint venture between FEC and Manchester City Council, and part of a masterplan designed by architect Farrells.

A total of 15,000 homes are due to be delivered over the next 15 to 20 years across seven neighbourhoods under the proposals.

Last week, the council said it secured £51.6m from the Government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to finance the first stage of the Northern Gateway, which includes Red Bank and other planned development at Collyhurst and New Cross Central.

In total, the first phase will span 50 acres and deliver 5,500 homes at the site north of Victoria Station.

The Government funding is also intended to help develop an initial phase of the planned City River Park project, a scheme to build public open space incorporating the existing St Catherine’s Wood, and works to improve flood resilience on land along the River Irk.

The proposed Bromley Street thoroughfare at Victoria Riverside

FEC project director Hilary Brett said: “Sharing our draft proposals for Victoria Riverside is an important day for us. It is a key gateway site and sets the tone for regeneration within Red Bank as part of the Northern Gateway programme with Manchester City Council.

“We hope the site will play a key role in beginning the transformation of the wider Lower Irk Valley into a thriving collection of successful neighbourhoods. We welcome views from neighbours and residents on our draft proposals.”

Katie Tonkinson, partner at Hawkins\Brown and head of Studio North, added: “Our approach to the site has been to embed quality in our design, from district to doorknob.

“The opening up of key routes along Bromley Street and Dantzic Street provide a significant public realm contribution, extending the urban life of the city.

“The placement and sculpting of the three towers allows the site to integrate with the wider district creating visual permeability and key connections both back to the urban landscape and to the natural features of St Catherine’s Wood and the River Irk.”

FEC is inviting businesses and members of the public to view the draft proposals at a public consultation on Monday 23 March from 2.30pm to 7pm at Red Bank Project, Cheetham Hill.

Headquartered in London, the developer is listed on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong and launched UK operations in 2011. Its UK property portfolio is valued at around £1.1bn.