Salboy unveils 76-storey Viadux phase two 

The wind will be dangerous

Oh but why couldn’t it have been 90 story’s ?, or a 100? I mean if only they’d ….ok I’m kidding. As the tall buildings get ever more numerous not to say tall in Manchester I wonder if they will take a leaf out of Frankfurts books and design them from scratch to be multi purpose and capable of changing from apartment to office and back as required. More complex and expensive than it seems apparently when you have to consider the lift systems, but doable these days.

Cool, that whole area should have sky scrapers down Whitworth Street. Slightly concerned that they are only targeting overseas and not domestic purchasers.
Assume they will be required to deliver they affordable before the tall building to ensure its actually built!

That is insane. Thankful they didn’t opt for the zig-zag cladding – still a little too similar to the other blocks but at least it has some shape (flat roof again though..) If this had (or maybe it will) a similar material palette to Elizabeth tower then it’d be absolutely first class.

I’m sick to death of listening to the council bang on about a sustainable city and inclusive future. And then time and again sell it’s soul to the dollar for luxury schemes, when people struggle to pay for heating.

Blimey. I think like it. Interesting form factor and not grey.

Good to see a Phase 2 be delivered in Manchester

This looks great and if built, will become a Manchester landmark. I honestly give full support

This looks great! More like this please

I am going to build a 77-storey tower. So put that in your pipe and smoke it.

From one anonymous to another. How will not building this help people who are struggling to pay for heating???

Bold, exciting & in-keeping (a shame Vision across the road looks so unambitious by comparison!). Metrolink and rail just by the front door, a real no brainer to take advantage of the sustainable travel opportunities and build up!

The 23 storey/150+ affordable housing tower would be very welcome, if it isn’t watered down later, units are genuinely affordable (not just sold off into the market at a slight discount with no future protections) and ideally for affordable/social rent. Would be good to see Salboy working with an RP or even MCC as a partner for future ownership/management. Could be a real flagship for the sector.

My jaw dropped. This is unreal wow. What a statement

Anonymouse, I don’t understand your point. The council doesn’t own the plot of land that this will be built on.

I think I like it! It’s a significant visual improvement over the previous office scheme. There will be some incredible density around this area, perhaps even a little too close causing it to look and feel claustrophobic. Salboy giving Renaker a run for its money.

Now that is a tower! Nice to see some ambition! Let’s hope it gets built.

Superb, love it. Well done to all involved. Still hoping for a panicle tower with some sort of point on one day to crown the skyline but certainly not complaining about this. Solid developer as well so no doubt it will get built.

This will bring more density to Deansgate-Castlefield – one of the best connected locations in the city. The city needs a tall icon to sit above the existing skyscrapers. Looking forward to seeing the residential population here surpass anything outside of London.

We’re getting there! The third 70+ story proposal for MCR in one year. Not too bad. I think this is a nice proposal and hope all three come to fruit.

Your move Renaker! Hoping they re-design the Bore Fest that is The Lighthouse in response to this

Simpson&Haugh finally delivering something imaginative, love the design and the height.

As a Scouser I am envious that Manchester has great leaders who have taken their city to another Level.

Manchester’s infrastructure cannot handle these huge towers. We need an Underground. We are building properties for New York, with a transport system like Blackpool.

Renaker at risk of being consigned to the history books here. No one remembers 2nd place.

Elephant. You have got the telescope back to front. These towers are a product of the lack of an underground as the population has to be squeezed into the diminishing area that is within walking distance of Central Manchester. An underground would enable new development to be far more dispersed.

Beauty. Get it built

A focus on an underground system would be welcome. Great to see the city coming together like this – time to start prioritising investment in town centre transport system. A circle line Manc Pic- Oxford Road – Deansgate – Castlefield – Spinningfields – Salford/NOMA – Exchange – Manc Pic would make given densities now being achieved.

Imagine how pissed off you’d be if you owned a flat in Beetham tower lol your view will be completely obscured

Exciting and innovative for a change, get it built!

Well that actually looks like an interesting design. I’d like to see a pointy bit on top but 76 storeys! How far we’ve come in 20 years.

You make a good point Unaplanner.

Yes to the underground. Manchester needs to start giving London the middle finger for its disgraceful handouts and not sat around moping about it.

Anonymous 2.03pm not sure what this has got to do with the council also not sure why it impacts people’s ability to pay their energy bills?

Yeah, not bad!

Love the architecture. And to be fair they are wedging this in on a shoebox sized site that won’t be missed. Get it built.

After reviewing the consultation website and the more detailed designs, this looks like a solid proposal and seems to combine the elements of Deansgate Sq and Viadux well. Hopefully a sign of things to come for this area. As soon as they start introducing different quality materials this area is going to set it off on a completely different level.

What’ve you got then Renaker?

All this going n in Manchester whilst Liverpool talks about another public consultation about projects that will bever see the light of day .

Well done Manchester. I’m a scouser and I’m ashamed with how limited Liverpool’s mindset is. It’s so frustrating but keep thinking big Manchester. Well done

The layouts are so poor. Stacks of flats with no winter gardens. Circulation with no natural lighting making this tower a permanently artificially lit building. Not even the worst 60s towers had fully enclosed circulation. And no towers in London would be allowed without these basics. No amenity floors through the tower that I can see? Pure glass?!!! Has the developer heard of operational carbon/overheating/passive cooling? There are other architects available you know. The wind will be appalling whatever the studies say. Gusts and microclimate will be badly affected. Look at best practice towers from around the world. This isn’t going to be one of them.

amazing get it built

Fantastic get it built

A building right next to a railway line.
The simple fact that is being proposed following is worrying.
Puts in evidence Manchester city councils.lack of plans or ability to develop the city using a criteria based on maximum number of storeys, building use etc.
The planning department does not count with architects or professionals with enough competence to judge the proposals.
Developers paradise, buy a cheap plot of land next to a train line from which you can sell hundreds of apartments. Well done c
Council! What is next?

Absolutely love it. It’s just what Manchester needs and raises the bar. If we are going to progress as a city, then these sort of develop are part and parcel of what’s needed and should be heartily embraced.

Pretty happy with this one.

Manchester once again taking the lead of all regional cities, well done for the forward thinking and gumption to say ‘we can do it’….👌🙌

Well done Manchester leadership you talk and walk the same time.

Nevermind skyscrapers, they’re a distraction. The public realm in Manchester is atrocious and needs huge investment to help make the place liveable. It shakes MCC frankly.

Let’s do this. I find this ambition a gamechanger but also how surprised the reaction is.

It’s more or less a facsimile of the Dollar Bay projects in Docklands….so much for regionalism and context. google it and see for yourself. Putting to one side the issues of repeat prescription and greyness of it all. Isnt it a bit disrespectful of the client and of Manchester…apart from it being tall and grey, it really could be anywhere. Its actually quite depressing that they can’t be that bothered to create something new.

WOW I am beyond excited 😀 We are heading ever nearer towards a 100 storey tower people!!

Same design as all the towers around the city centre. A contribution to the glass-concrete fence around it. No identity and realistically no social benefit for the masses of people. There are other materials that you can use as cladding besides glass. A shame. Not creative, not revolutionary. Continue to fight over the spot of which developer destroyed the urban fabric of Manchester the most! Will find out in the next 70 years probably, so ,sadly, continue your race for now. There is not a discussion about architects anymore, they have no longer a say in any design in this country, the developer is the new God in here, and have to listen to respect their money profits.. sad.

The very subtle ripple effect helps it become less of a box. I hope prices are affordable and the spec is good. I was going to say the podium looked a bit messy before realising they are in fact railway arches at the base (and quite messy…)

I was concerned when I read the headline that Giant Skyscraper fan may have passed out with excitement !
More exciting news for the City though.

You’re not the only one!

November 28, 2023 at 12:34 pm

By Julia Hatmaker

Oh cheer up Anonymous 12.25, you’ll get something you like one day. This is good news, look at the comments people like it, embrace it!

Why are people complaining about the urban fabric of Manchester being destroyed? The place was (and still largely is) an absolute dump and proposals like this serve to bring investment into the city as well as raising revenue for the council to put towards improving the rest of the city.

@simon could not agree more mate, every time I see Manchester has approved another tower it just kills me thinking about our council sat there considering whether to reject a 6 storey or not :’) hats off manchester you’ve really done the business this past 10 years!

Could they add a wind canopy over Deansgate tram stop, to deflect the downdraught?

Literally onwards and upwards Manchester, despite the odd little comment or rant (we all know why😉) largely well received. Now in the words of a few people on here…get it built!

Manchester keeps winning

More boxes for the rich. Manchester City centre looks like a giant Lego set – meanwhile back on Planet Earth we still have a homeless problem and a cost of living crisis. Not that the developers seem to care. Money money money….

It is OK, but why not build an iconic skyscraper to represent something of the city’s history. Like a chimney design and call it the chimney.

Manhattan Manchester😁 truly amazing for our wonderful City

Wow. Get it through. Get those spades in the ground.

Don’t mind the tall tower but the phase 3 block is just pure greed. It’s within touching distance of the beetham if you look at the ground floorplans. Shame that all the nice green space is private on top of the podium and there’s not much public realm. Developer is suddenly dangling some on-site affordable housing to make it too hard for MCC to resist. Welcome to another soulless deansgate square. Great for architectural credit, missed opportunity for real public benefit.

Any clue on the height in meters? I can take an educated guess.

I’m quite certainly not complaining, I would just like to see a different shaped roof if possible.

(Incredible to think that New York was constructing more imaginative skyscrapers nearly 100 years ago).

Its not often I say this but phase 3 is too much, it’s way too close to the Beetham tower! I think this tower isn’t actually intended to get built, it’s being used to say that affordable housing will be built to get phase 2 through the planning application, then when phase 3 goes to planning, there will be a load of objections and it won’t get built. Salboy can then blame the council for the lack of affordable housing when really they knew this would happen. Personally though, I don’t think “affordable housing” should be built in prime locations so I’ll be over the moon if this tower gets built!

@Tom, it depends what those ‘meters’ are recording.

I thought it had been proven after the tall tower blocks of the 60’s, that high rise properties were mad for the mental health of residents.

Given the Goverment changes in benefits, Housing benefit increases, many state pensioners struggle to pay extortionate rents to private landlords. Where in your schemes are you planning for all PEOPLE to have a share of equal entitlements?
Also, tenants in social housing often live in homes not fit for purpose.
A prime example high rises, Victoria Avenue East, M9 7 HU. Have you considered purchasing decaying housing stock with a view to refurbishments, then adding to your portfolio. Many claim benefits hence a possible guarantee of rents payable by the local Authority.
These high rises have just been refurbished. Perhaps you might like an insight to a cheaper version.
Thank you.

The price per square foot gets significantly higher after 50 stories. I hope that additional cost that Salboy pays or forward funds to build isn’t then reflected in premium costs of rent. A lot of my friends earning average UK salaries (32k-36k) are now paying 60-70% of their monthly income on rent. I question whether premium apartments, (if this building has to go down this route to pay for construction cost), is accessible to the majority target market but rather than richer few?

Bring it on. Love the ambition Salboy!