Laing O’Rourke lines up deal for 55-storey Manchester tower

The contractor is understood to be in discussions to deliver Student Castle’s tower in the city centre with a start on site anticipated later this year.

Designed by Glenn Howells, the brick-clad tower on Hulme Street is to house more than 850 students and was first put forward in September 2018.

Since then, a series of design amendments have been put forward, including increasing the size of the studio apartments, and upping amenity space to nearly 17,000 sq ft.

The development also includes around 8,000 sq ft of co-working space for SMEs; an existing multi-storey car park on the site will be partially deconstructed and reconfigured to accommodate the development.

Student Castle, founded by Edward Cade and Jacqui Hawthorn in 2010, intends to open the scheme towards the end of 2022; if negotiations conclude with Laing O’Rourke over the scheme’s delivery, it is expected to start on site by the end of this year or in early 2020.

Deloitte is the planning consultant on Hulme Street, WSP the structural and M&E engineer, with Aecom engaged as project manager. The development vehicle is GMS (Parking) Ltd, of which both Cade and Hawthorn are listed as directors.

If Laing O’Rourke secures the contract it will be company’s latest high-profile scheme in Manchester city centre. Place North West revealed the contractor had taken over from BCEGI on the £200m, 40-storey St Michael’s project on a PCSA basis in March this year.

The contractor was also in negotiations to deliver DeTrafford’s Transition at Great Jackson Street, featuring three towers of 37, 31, and 23 storeys, but is understood to have walked away with DeTrafford looking to deliver the project using its in-house construction arm.

Laing O’Rourke is also on site at the University of Manchester’s Henry Royce Institute and is building The Factory, the city council’s flagship £130m arts centre.

Student Castle and Laing O’Rourke were both contacted for comment.