UK’s third tallest skyscraper could be built in Salford
Ambitions for a 264-metre tower on the site of Regent Retail Park have been outlined in an EIA scoping opinion request report published on Salford City Council’s planning portal on Thursday.
Henley Investment Management’s project focuses on the northern end of the eight-acre retail park, which counts Home Bargains, Pets at Home, and TK Maxx as tenants. The private equity firm acquired the property in 2020 for £16m.
The scoping request, submitted by Trium Environmental Consulting on Henley’s behalf, describes a prospective plan for the site – designs of which are still in flux, according to the company.
As it stands, the proposals are for the demolition of the existing buildings and phased construction of a large mixed-use complex comprising 10 buildings. The tallest of these could be up to 264 metres tall with basements of up to two levels beneath ground.
An initial scoping report had listed this 264-metre figure as above ordnance datum, but the AOD reference was made in error. Place has since been informed that the building’s overall height is 264 metres and a new scoping report will be submitted to reflect this. With a 264-metre height, the Henley skyscraper would also boast more than 70 storeys – although an exact number has yet to be determined.
The project could also include:
- up to 3,200 residences
- up to 107,600 sq ft of flexible floor space for retail or food and beverage use
- up to 96,900 sq ft of residential amenity, including parks and rooftop gardens
- approximately 600 car parking spaces
- hard and soft landscaping
“We have a clear opportunity to reimagine this site, bringing a combination of new homes alongside retail, restaurants and cafes,” said Warwick Hunter, Henley’s managing director of development.
“A central part of the proposal is focused on opening up the area to encourage more walking and connection to the surrounding area, we are looking to achieve this through the creation of a new urban park,” he continued.
“We are continuing to work closely with the local community as we develop our plans ahead of submission later this summer. The key aim is to help and improve the lives of the existing community by supplementing the area with green space, affordable homes and a new sense of place.”
If the 264-metre skyscraper is, in fact, built to that height, it would be the third tallest in the UK. The Salford project would sit below two mammoths in London: The Shard (310 metres) and 22 Bishopsgate (278 metres).
It would be the tallest in Greater Manchester, soaring above even Renaker’s latest proposal, which is 213-metres high.
The site of Henley’s plans for a 264-metre skyscraper in Salford. Credit: Google Earth
Access to the proposed transfigured Regent Retail Park would come from Ordsall Lane or Oldfield Lane.
Henley said it was looking to submit an outline application for its vision later this year. An initial consultation on the plan was held in February and March.
Consultants on the scheme include Schofield Lothian, AOC Archaeology Group, Hann Tucker Associates, GIA, Turley, GEA, Quod, OFR Consultants, and Vectos. Matt Brook Architects is leading the design.
I’ll believe the 264m when I see a spade in the ground!!
By Sceptic
More unaffordable appartments around the outskirts of Manchester City Centre.
By Darren Born and Bred.
I hope Salford planners see that this is not the location for a building of that scale!
By Anonymous
Clearly setting this up to maximum value to flip sale for Renaker / others to fork out for in future
By Flip it
Pls, for the love of god build a tower with some design and aesthetics in mind. No more identikit glass blocks.
By Bob
There’s also a plot at the Camponile hotel where a skyscraper can be built!
By Verticality
Why can it not be taller than the Shard? Manchester is not just another regional city now, it is a European big boy.
By Elephant
I actually want shops.
By Christopher
Hopefully this will generate much needed density in this inner city location. Really good plot for 10 dense and tall buildings. Would argue such a high building should go on the Camponile Hotel plot but I think a cluster of tall buildings with one or 2 really talls works well here.
By Anonymous
Great to see the ambition, exactly what is needed! Let’s just hope this cluster actually gets built.
By MC
I guess the Trinity towers are being built close to this and one of those is 60+ stories. I’d like to see the design first before welcoming it completely but it may encourage Renaker to make their upcoming 71 story even taller…
By Anonymous
This is very damaging for the area as it does not consider current local residents, increase in congestion, additional traffic without extra roads added to relive already heavy traffic. The customers of the current local shops aren’t considered at all. There will be no reasonable shops that “people with families” could shop at. Extra poly spaces for Caffes and overpriced clothing shops aren’t needed. The so called gardens are few squares of grass, that with time will be full of litter and unkept and overgrown plants. We do not need skyscrapers that block light or buildings for public use. Idea for this area will be to build swimming pools/parks, development centres, possibilities for local residents to use, no only for so called young professionals. Families need kids, pets and pocket friendly ideas.
By Kate
Suppose it’s any height to get a view of the coast every day.
By Anon
Folks, we are back in business. 264-metres is the building height! Not AOD. Details in the story.
With an overall height of 264 metres this potential skyscraper would be in line for the third tallest UK building crown. Stay tuned to Place North West as we’ll be coming at you with all the details.
In the interest of preventing further misunderstanding, I’ve deleted comments about the AOD stat.
Thanks as ever for reading and engaging.
By Julia Hatmaker
The city centre is really spreading out to here now. Skyscraper ally is going to pretty much run from Greengate around to this end of Regent rd and across to the end of Deansgate. Doesn’t seem that long ago all we had was The CIS and Piccadilly tower!
By Tom
If this development was to be put forward in Liverpool with a height of 264 millimetres and not metres then I firmly believe that it would be rejected on the grounds that it would contravene the city’s tall buildings policy by being far too high!
By Brendan R
Sounds like a great development and adding density back to an urban district, could they push the height by another 20 or 30 metres to get in the European top ten
By GetItBuilt!
Disgraceful getting rid of these shops, this is a great retail park, more flats used by fewer people than these shops are, less vibrancy
By Gilly
Middlewood Locks can’t be doing very well as they’ve still not touched half the site
By CR
The taller the better big is best
By Anonymous
‘Gilly’
Ever thought about placing apartments over shops?
Better use of land.
By SW
SW,That’s not the plan here
By DH
‘DH’ (or ‘Gilly’?)
It’s a mixed use development as per article.
By SW
I use these vital shops at the retail park I am disabled and can’t manage on my own to go anywhere else. Taking these places away will destroy my life and mean I have to rely on others.
By John Woodstock
Welcome the height, but will hold fire on giving full approval until designs come to light.
By Tom
I agree fully with Kate below. This is not the right location for this kind of development, especially in this already over congested region of town. The current shops work well for local residents and removing them for further flats is a slap in the face. Why don’t city planners focus more on adding green spaces, leisure zones and places to relax, instead of adding more flats, commercial units and car parks? There has been such rapid expansion of apartments in this part of town but seemingly no consideration for public transport, car traffic control or parks – even the canal side walk ways are sometimes inaccessible or poorly maintained.
We deserve better.
By Ben
Would prefer to see anything approaching that size nearer the existing cluster.
It may not be as exciting, but if they want to build on that plot, several smaller buildings may look better.
By MrP
This will upset a lot of people, from jealousy.
By Anonymous
The existing retail park is fulfilling important needs of the local community. There’s less and less retail offering that remain in this area so the use of this space should not change.
By Anonymous
Only the 3rd tallest tower in the UK? Come on Manchester show the ambition and go for the tallest tower! At this prime site, I think at least a 400m tower is needed
By Giant Skyscraper Fan
A 400m tower? Well never say never! Not long ago there was nothing taller than the CIS and now there’s loads!
By Eric
The bigger the BETTER
By Anonymous
Hi ya Kate, What you describe is ‘Places for a Community’. Unfortunately, capital corporations build for private profits and for bosses bonuses. I am on your side. Change must come. It will come.
By James Yates
The retail park are the only shops for local residents with the nearest of its kind at White City. How do these developers imagine elderly people are going to get to shop in places like Home Bargains? If transport was available, perhaps, but buses no longer run down Ordsall Lane. It is plain greed without any regard for those who shop at Regent Road. The area is already a concrete jungle and we don’t need anymore on our doorstep.
By Susan
We as a community need more green space, not more ugly square buildings that look like any nest, which doesn’t provide anything for the local families. The reason is they are not affordable and not needed. The council only agrees to concrete more spaces, because each “hole ” is another household with council tax responsibility.
We need swimming facilities, children development facilities-specialising in music/instrument playing lessons etc. High Raise buildings doesn’t bring anything beside shading the local area.
The roads aren’t suitable for additional residents/even more traffic.
I would like somebody to contact me and let me know where can ai view risk assessment of this development.
By Kate
The area is already saturated with appartment blocks and now they want to build a skyscraper blocking the views and restricting day/sunlight to the surrounding homes in the area.
Property values will plummet who wants to look at skyscraper!
By Andy