Top 10 developments to look out for in 2025
After another year of evolving skylines across the region, Place North West has identified 10 projects that are due to make moves in 2025. Many of the region’s most ambitious plans to date are set to unfurl as the industry gets into gear for the year ahead.
Here is a breakdown of 10 projects to watch out for over the next 12 months.
Credit: via Truth PR
No1 St Michaels
What is it? A £120m office and commercial development in the heart of Manchester.
Who? Relentless Developments + KRR are developing the project and Hodder + Partners is the architect. Contractor Bowmer + Kirkland has been in charge of construction.
What are they up to? The site has repeatedly broken headline rent records in Manchester. Channel 4 signed on in October, breaking the record for a third time this year. Rents are more than £44/sq ft, and Relentless has signed on S&P Global, microchip designers Arm, and law firm Pinsent Mason. All units at the site have been pre-let.
What next? The building is due to open by spring 2025, with Design Tonic appointed for the interior fit out.
Credit: PNW
Old Trafford and Trafford Wharfside
What is it? The future of Manchester United’s Old Trafford Stadium still hinges on the decision to revamp or rebuild. It is expected that its regeneration could be the catalyst for heavy investment in the area, and any stadium plans would incorporate the nearby Trafford Wharfside masterplan for a mixed-use neighbourhood.
Who? Manchester United, Trafford Council, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority have signed a strategic partnership. The Old Trafford Regeneration Task Force will also weigh in on the plans. The task force is headed by Lord Sebastian Coe and includes Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, Trafford Council chief executive Sara Todd, and ex-United footballer Gary Neville.
Where are they up to? Manchester United announced a delay in the decision to either refurbish or demolish Old Trafford. Consultations with Manchester United fans are still ongoing.
What next? In September, metro mayors Andy Burnham and Steve Rotheram began to work on a deal that would see haulage firm Freightliner relocate its rail terminal from Old Trafford to St Helens, unlocking many more acres for redevelopment – confirmation of the deal would see another obstacle removed for the site. A final decision on whether to revamp or rebuild the iconic stadium is expected to be made by the summer.
Credit: Peel Waters / If We Ran The Zoo
Everton Stadium
What? Bramley-Moore Dock Stadium, a 53,000-seater arena built to rehome Everton Football Club.
Who? The site bookends Peel Waters’ Liverpool Waters development. The stadium was designed by MEIS Architects and built by contractor Laing O’Rourke.
Where are they up to? The stadium reached structural completion in February. Everton Football Club have said the three-year build is “nearly finished, on time, and on budget”.
What next? The current goal is for the stadium to be ready to welcome fans for the 2025/2026 football season’s start in August.
Credit: Google Earth
Festival Gardens
What? A 28-acre brownfield site straddling the River Mersey on Liverpool’s south side, long earmarked for a new neighbourhood.
Who? Liverpool City Council own the land.
Where are they up to? A three-year delay to development of the site was announced in December. Plans for works to start in 2024 were scrapped, with a revised start date of March 2027, with completion now not expected until 2033.
What next? Despite recent delays, the plan to appoint a developer by October 2025 remains a key target. Liverpool City Council has said it has received “several” expressions of interest.
Credit: Mode Visuals
Regent Retail Park
What? A £1bn residential scheme in Salford would see 3,200 homes built across 10 buildings, one of which would become the UK’s tallest tower outside of London.
Who? Developer Henley Investment Management is running the scheme designed by Matt Brook Architects and LDA Design.
Where are they up to? In August, Salford MP Rebecca Long-Bailey attacked Henley’s proposals, citing a lack of affordable housing for her objection. In July, an outline application for the project was validated by Salford City Council.
What next? A target decision date for the outline application has been set for early February 2025.
Credit: National Highways
Mottram Bypass
What? A more than 50-year-old proposal to construct two link roads to ease congestion on the Manchester to Sheffield route known as the A57 Link Roads project.
Who? National Highways and Balfour Betty will oversee the project.
Where are they up to? Enabling works have begun on site and the first round of road closures have been announced.
What next? An official launch date for the start of work has not yet been set but will be announced early in the year.
Credit: Liverpool City Region Combined Authority
Rail plans across the North West
What? The development of the Baltic Station will serve Liverpool’s up-and-coming creative district: the Baltic Triangle. In addition, as a result of the scrapping of HS2 past Birmingham, an alternative Midlands – North West rail route is in discussion between Cheshire East Council, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, and West Midlands Mayor Richard Parker.
Who? The Baltic Station is being developed by Mott MacDonald and has been designed by Owen Ellis Architects. Regarding the Midlands – North West rail route, the main players are Burnham, Parker, and Cheshire East Council.
Where are they up to? A planning application for the £100m Baltic station has now been submitted to Liverpool City Council – approval is yet to come.
Cheshire East Council has had discussions with both mayors but has set conditions meaning the local area must benefit from any Midlands – North West collaboration.
What next? Liverpool City Council will now likely approve the scheme in the new year as per the recommendation. It is hoped that the station will be able to welcome passengers in late 2027.
Cheshire East Councillors will only lend support to the rail link if they are satisfied Crewe will be given a central role in an alternative solution.
Credit: Google Earth
Frontierland
What? A 7.5-acre, £50m development opportunity on the seafront in Morecambe that has been pitched by Lancaster City Council as a prime area for regeneration.
Who? Frontierland is owned by Lancaster City Council.
Where are they up to? With the Eden Project Morecambe due to start on site soon, the council is actively encouraging bids from commercial leisure, hospitality, and mixed-use developers or consortia. Lancaster City Council have suggested they are more interested in a hospitality-led scheme, and is less keen on the site being used for residential purposes.
What next? The procurement process is now open for submissions, and the deadline for interested parties has been set for 31 January 2025. It is hoped that confirmation of funding for the Eden Project will encourage developers to invest in the town. A contract is scheduled to be awarded to the winning developer by October.
Credit: via Font Comms
Blackpool Central
What? The £300m redevelopment of the former Blackpool Central station.
Who? Developer Nikal entered into an agreement with Blackpool Council in 2020 to redevelop the station.
Where are they up to? To date, only a 1,300-space multi-storey car park has been delivered by contractor Ballast Nedam.
Who? With the recent collapse of Nikal, the council is now actively seeking a new development partner.
What next? The 17-acre site is due to be marketed by Blackpool Council early next year, and the council remains determined to see the project through.
Credit: Maple Grove
Blackburn Town Centre
What? A £250m investment package to transform Blackburn’s town centre. The project’s early stages will see the development of the region’s largest education and skills hub that would contribute to Blackburn’s Business Innovation District, supporting the creation of 1,200 jobs and 400 homes.
Who? Maple Grove Blackburn, a joint venture between Blackburn with Darwen Council and Maple Grove Developments acquired the site in 2021. Plans have been designed by BPD.
Where are they up to? The developer has consent to construct two buildings which would total 140,000 sq ft. The masterplan was stalled by nearby supermarket Morrison’s withdrawal of support for the scheme. In November, Blackburn with Darwen Council confirmed it would purchase Maple Grove’s stake in the joint venture to ensure the site’s delivery.
What next? Construction on the education and skills hub is expected to start in early 2025, with a view for completion by 2027.
We’ll believe it when we see it
These projects have been in the pipeline for quite a while with continual promises of their soon delivery – however, they have yet to materialise. Some schemes will need to be seen to be believed.
Therme, Trafford City – Led by Peel, enabling works on the £250m, 28-acre indoor spa and leisure centre began in October. Construction is set to begin in the first half of 2025. It is estimated that it will take between 24 and 30 months to deliver.
Eden Project Morecambe – The much-anticipated £100m scheme recently received its first round of funding from the government, having been promised £50m from the Conservative’s Levelling Up Fund. This has set plans in motion with work set to begin in 2025. The scheme could complete by spring 2027.
Mayfield offices, Manchester – Developer Landsec has said it is “very confident” that work will start in 2025 at the £400m Manchester office scheme. Landsec acquired the site as part of its takeover of U+I in 2021 and has pushed back work since initial plans to start the 320,000 sq ft project in 2023 were scrapped.
Don’t know how the Regent Retail Park proposal not in we’ll believe it when we see it section. A pipe dream with ‘flip it’ all over it – if they do get outline planning which is still a big if.
By Anonymous
What happened to all the sky scrapers at wirral waters . A lot of money has been spent drawing up these schemes and nothing comes of them .
By Mr Francis Connelly
Sincerely hope that development teams on all these projects make use of local skills and create new jobs across the design and construction teams so that all local regions create the circular economy needed to help develop skills and create job opportunities in the built environment. It’s not happening yet and opportunities are being missed.
By Anonymous
Festival Gardens – no chance!
By Party