Chinese contractor to deliver third phase of £1bn Middlewood Locks development

Beijing Construction Engineering Group International (BCEGI) is to stay on the £1bn Middlewood Locks scheme after it was appointed to the third phase.

BCEGI built the first two phases of Scarborough Group’s major development site between Salford and Manchester city centre.

More than 1,000 people now live at Middlewood Locks. Phase one is sold out and phase two was purchased by PRS operator Get Living for its first PRS venture outside of London.

Dongwen Yu, lead director at BCEGI, said: “We are thrilled to be, once again, an integral part of what is one of Greater Manchester’s most significant projects.”

Middlewood Locks is a joint venture between Scarborough Group International, Singapore property development and investment group Metro Holdings, and Chinese group Hualing.

An updated master plan was recently submitted along with reserved matters for the next residential phase. Subsequent phases will see the development of 500,000 sq ft of commercial space for retail, leisure, offices, a hotel, car park and more residential.

Once completed Middlewood Locks is anticipated to have a community of approximately 15,000 people.

Phase three, which has been named The Railings, has 176 apartments in 10 and 12-storey blocks, as well as seven townhouses and six mews houses. The project will also feature 5,150 sq ft of commercial space and 5,000 sq ft of offices.

Kevin McCabe, chairman of Scarborough Group International, said: “This appointment is an important step in continuing the delivery of our vision for Middlewood Locks and we look forward to furthering our partnership with Mr Yu and his team in the years ahead, not only encompassing the future phases of Middlewood Locks but also the group’s wider development portfolio.”