Manchester aims higher with triple skyscraper plan approvals

Manchester City Council’s planning and highways committee approved three huge new skyscrapers in the south of the city centre yesterday.

Salboy, the development and funding company set up by bookmaker Fred Done, has been given the all clear to develop the second phase of its Viadux scheme in central Manchester which will see the construction of two new towers, standing at 246 metres, making it the UK’s tallest building outside of London.

The 76-storey tower, designed by Simpson Haugh architects will house a 160-bedroom hotel, restaurant and 452 apartments in partnership with luxury lifestyle brand Nobu Hospitality, their debut in the UK’s luxury real estate market.

A second (yet to be named) building on Great Bridgewater Street, will stand at 23-storeys tall and will create 133 new apartments, which it claims will be affordable homes.

Separately, Glenbrook secured detailed planning approval for their 44-storey tower on Whitworth Street West which will deliver 364 apartments and 7,750 sq. ft of internal and external amenity space at ground, first and second floor levels that activate and enhance the streetscape around the building. 

Designed by Sheppard Robson, the scheme will also include new public green spaces at ground floor level, on the pedestrian connections between Whitworth Street West, Knott Mill, and Deansgate.

Then in a triple tower approval was granted just around the corner at First Street, where student developer Vita has also sealed approval for a c-shaped, 33-storey student accommodation block designed by Tim Groom Architects, which will offer 841 student beds on what it describes as a one-acre “brownfield” site within a cluster of existing student accommodation buildings.

Salboy’s construction partner Domis expects to commence work on the site this year, while Daniel Roberts, Development Director at Glenbrook, said his project team will appoint a main contractor later this year and start on site in the first quarter of 2026.