CERT celebrates unanimous New Cross BTR approval
Work on the £28m Cross Keys Street scheme is set to begin next year after Manchester City Council’s planning committee granted planning permission for the developer’s Tim Groom-designed project.
CERT, working with MyProtein founder Oliver Cookson, has secured permission for a 99-home build-to-rent development in the city’s New Cross district.
The development will feature a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments and townhouses as well as a shared lounge for residents.
Howard Lord, CERT’s managing director, said that the Cross Keys Street scheme would not be as amenity-driven as some other BTR projects in Manchester.
“With a lighter touch to its amenity provision than many other BTR schemes coming forward, balancing these elements allows us to extend a more accessible BTR option to the Manchester rental market, that still provides a high-quality living environment and experience for residents,” he said.
Lord added: “We’re delighted to receive resounding approval from Manchester, and we are looking forward now to the next steps to bring this scheme forward with our partner Oliver Cookson and his team.
“We’ve worked closely with Tim Groom Architects to design a scheme that complements the surrounding neighbourhood and delivers a high-quality external design along with high-quality, tech-enabled apartments for the rental market.”
The site, currently a car park, was previously home to the Royal Lancastrian School and is located next to CERT’s Peelers Yard, an 81-apartment BTR apartment development off Goulden Street that was also designed by Tim Groom Architects and backed by Cookson.
“Manchester has always held a special place in my heart as my hometown, and I’m thrilled to continue investing in its future through this transformative project,” Cookson said.
“Working alongside CERT, we’re not just building high-quality homes, we’re contributing to the evolution of a vibrant community in the heart of the city.”
Enabl advised CERT on planning matters and Civic Engineers is the structural engineer.
Novo, Hydrock, Proximity, Layer Studio, Redmore Environmental, LK Group, E3P, and, CBRE are also working on the project.
To learn more about the project, search for reference number 140133/FO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.
