Union Living submits plans for 32-storey tower

The co-living arm of developer Vita Group has lodged an application for a 390-apartment block, the first of two towers to be built on the Water Street site in Manchester and its first under the brand. 

The building would include a gym at basement level and commercial units at the double-height ground floor. The upper floors would be given over to a mix of residential units ranging from studios to four-bedroom co-living apartments. 

Overall, 80% of the residential offer would be co-living units, with the other 20% set aside for studio apartments. 

According to the design and access statement by architect Denton Corker Marshall, “the typical co-living floorplate can be retrofitted to become a standard apartment layout”, without requiring structural alterations. 

Vita bought the site, situated within the Enterprise City development zone in Manchester city centre, from Allied London last May, after the latter had won consent for two 36-storey towers to be named Dime and Nickel.  

The 32-storey co-living tower will occupy the proposed Dime scheme’s footprint, and Vita is also progressing plans for a second residential tower, at 36-storeys high, where Nickel would have been.  

Deloitte is planning consultant and Bam is lined up as lead contractor for the project, which is expected to complete in 2022 subject to planning consent.

Enterprise City is home to major developments including Factory and Manchester Goods Yard, which is due to complete next February.