Sign-off nears for £200m Old Trafford resi

Cole Waterhouse’s plans for 382 apartments and 412 student homes at the former Hilti site off Trafford Wharf Road are due to be given the go-ahead by the local council next week.

Trafford Council’s planning department has recommended approval for the £200m project, which features two towers of 24 and 22 storeys.

These buildings would contain the build-to-rent element of the scheme – 156 one-bed, 188 two-bed, and 38 three-bed apartments.

Cole Waterhouse, which has already delivered the s 354-home No1 Old Trafford nearby, will pay £2.4m towards the provision of off-site affordable housing.

The student beds would be delivered spread across blocks rising from six to eight storeys.

As well as homes, the project, which has been designed by Chapman Taylor, features 25,000 sq ft of office and academic space.

Various tweaks to the plans have been made since they were first lodged last October, most notably a reduction in the number of apartments from 438 to 382 and a reduction in the number of PBSA beds from 419 to 412.

The developer acquired the former Hilti HQ in April 2024 for an undisclosed amount. As a condition for the sale, Hilti is the joint applicant on the scheme but will cease to be involved once planning permission is secured.

The site falls within the 400-acre Wharfside masterplan area, currently being mapped out by Allies & Morrison.

Paul Butler Associates is the planner for the project, with TSA Riley as the project manager.

The project team also includes quantity surveyor and cost consultant Russell Bolton Consulting, structural engineer XO Square, M&E engineer Watt Energy & Consulting Engineers, and sunlight consultant Proximity. The landscape architect is Re-form.

The application reference number is 114818/FUL/24.