Nikal and McGoff ink JV to progress long-awaited Altair

The developers have joined forces to deliver phase one of the Altrincham project, potentially bringing an end to years of delays.

Nikal originally appointed McGoff Construction as main contractor for the 59-apartment Moss Lane scheme but McGoff has now become an equity partner in the project. 

Speaking to Place North West, Nikal chairman Richard Fee said the development had secured funding from Puma Finance and the Housing Growth Partnership. 

He added that the joint venture was awaiting input on the funding package from Trafford Council and aims to start on site within the next three months. 

“It has been complex and we have had to jump through hoops but I think we are there,” he said. 

Speaking to the Subplot last year, Fee said that deposits had been paid for 29 of the 59 flats that make up the first phase of the project. However, in the intervening months, 11 of those deposits have been refunded. 

As well as the first residential block, designed by Stephenson Studio, Nikal won approval for the second phase of Altair in 2017. This element of the scheme features 85 apartments and a Lidl food store. 

Fee confirmed that Nikal is in talks with Trafford Council over making changes to later phases of the project, although the Lidl agreement stands. 

Altair has been in the pipeline since 2008. The first consent was for an Ian Simpson-designed project that included 100,000 sq ft of offices, a hotel, and 80,000 sq ft of retail and leisure.  

These plans did not come to fruition due to the financial crash and in 2010 a revised scheme including the hospital won consent, and work was due to begin soon after.  

Since then, Altair has been through various changes of contractor – Eric Wright was appointed and then walked away – and direction.