Salboy explores office to resi swap at £300m Viadux
The developer is revisiting its plans for phase two of the Manchester project, eyeing up a second residential tower rather than the approved 263,000 sq ft office, according to multiple market sources.
A spokesperson for Salboy said the developer was looking at refining the £300m project, “one of the most complex schemes in the UK, if not Europe”.
It is understood that the 15-storey office element of Salboy’s Viadux scheme, located on the former Bauer Millet site off Albion Street, is to be replaced with another apartment building that could reach up to 60 storeys.
Ditching the offices in favour of more homes would increase Manchester’s residential pipeline at a time of record low supply.
A report published recently by Urbanbubble stated that a lack of available homes in the city was creating upward pressure on rents.
Domis is currently on site delivering phase one of Viadux, a 40-storey tower comprising 375 apartments, while work is ongoing to finalise plans for phase two.
“As we move through the different development phases, we are continually looking at and refining the plans to ensure the end result is best suited to the site, the city and the people who’ll live and work there in the future,” the Salboy spokesperson told Place North West.
“We remain committed to delivering the whole site and as is our usual practice, we will share further updates as the scheme progresses.”
Like the 374-apartment first phase, work on the second phase will involve punching through the grade two-listed arches of the railway viaduct.
The second phase of Viadux will also see the Metrolink line that runs close to the site encased to protect it during and after construction.
Plans for Viadux were approved in 2017 and construction began three years later. The scheme was originally being delivered in joint venture with Ask Developments.
However, Salboy bought Ask out of the partnership last year.
Salboy always the knight in shining armour
By OMFG
It would be great if they could push this to make it Manchesters next tallest tower, something around 300 metres would put the city in the European top ten
By GetItBuilt
Can they make it a show stopper tower not a Simpson Haugh
By Anonymous
Salboy/Domis aren’t Renaker, they won’t build anything over 50 storeys.
By Anonymous
Obsession with having the tallest towers is a bit weird. Would rather have a tower that actually looks good
By Levelling Up Manager
Whilst I welcome many high-density schemes (and this being no exception) I am incredibly bemused as to this ongoing notion (near infatuation) that a 300m tall building will make Manchester an unrivalled city of Europe. It is not a shiny tall tower that Manchester needs for this – it’s more greenery and open spaces, it’s major investment in infrastructure and connectivity, revitalisation of the river frontages and waterways, cleaner and safe streets, more pedestrianised zones (to name a few)..
There’s no comfort in looking up at a skyscraper when you’re dodging loose paving slabs and avoiding the back splash of blocked drains whilst jostling the crowds and gridlocked traffic to attempt to board a sardine tin of a tram or train (when they’re operating!) to make you think “Ah Manchester, no where else even comes close..”
By Anonymous
A 60 story tower would be so much better!
By MC
All rumours at this stage, until something does or doesn’t going into planning.
By ContractorQueen
We need a Burj Mancifa
By Anonymous
Why didn’t they propose a 60 Storey tower originally with the first 15 floors being offices, and the rest being apartments?
By Verticality
Why not a billion storey tower?! 😀
By Teenager
Fluid, the property market is fluid to make an understatement .But a 60 story resi?.Wow thats into Truss territory.Im thinking why not 70?.And the main point here is to build them quick.Domis have a rep for not hanging around so crack on i say.
By Robert Fuller
Fantastic news, people comment on Manchester needing more green space and infrastructure but forget how its paid for. Large residential schemes mean more city Centre residents and thus more council revenue, more people means more money spent in the local area, thus supporting local businesses. As for height Manchester’s skyline is evolving and becoming a 21st Century city. This encourages international, recognition, investment and transmits to the world that Manchester is a secure and modern city to invest in. I hope one day Manchester will behold the tallest building in the UK, to show it is a truly global, forward-thinking city, which it in reality always has been.
By Simon Gordon
Stop these towers, South Tower is in a bad way, it’s too creaky, too windy and the lifts are faulty, buyers are fuming
By DH
Manchester would benefit greatly from some huge high-rise office developments in the downtown area and it also needs to become more car friendly with more parking lots and less pedestrianization.
By Anonymous