Domis starts 28-storey Manchester student tower
Fusion Student has selected the contractor to deliver its 509-bedroom Deansgate scheme.
Domis has this week begun groundwork on the 28-storey Manchester student development. Completion of the £56m build is scheduled for summer 2026.
Paul Strutt, director at Domis, said: “We are thrilled to partner with Fusion Group on this prestigious project. Domis is dedicated to delivering quality and exceeding expectations.
“Together with Fusion, we aim to create an exceptional living environment for Manchester’s student community.”
Designed by Corstorphine + Wright Architects, Fusion’s scheme was refused by Manchester City Council in 2021 before the Planning Inspectorate overturned the decision at appeal.
Earlier this year, the developer tweaked it plans to include a second staircase, a move that resulted in a 5% reduction in bedrooms.
Fusion made the revisions as a means of pre-empting changes in government legislation.
The government is preparing to rubber-stamp new legislation that will require all new buildings taller than 18 metres to have a second staircase.
Paul Miles, construction director at Fusion Group, said: “Fusion is dedicated to creating spaces that enhance the student experience. The Fusion Manchester project will exemplify positive living, with state-of-the-art amenities and a prime location that fosters a vibrant student community.”
The project, while several years away from handover, will ultimately see a welcome injection of purpose-built student beds into the Manchester market.
At present, there is an identified shortage of PBSA in the city, which means students are looking to the PRS and BTR markets for places to live. This is putting additional strain on a sector already grappling with low levels of supply and driving rents up.
Fusion’s tower adds to Domis’s growing list of jobs in the surrounding area, which includes the 35-storey Vision and Salboy’s Viadux.
Domis is also preparing to start work on the 43-storey residential/hotel element of Relentless and Salboy’s St Michael’s phase two.
The contractor recently completed Eda, a 290-apartment build-to-rent scheme and Salford Quays’ tallest building.
Deansgate Square residents are not happy
By Dan
Looks good to me, much needed student beds but also lots of different heights and materials now coming around here.
By Bob
Fantastic to see such a small plot be fully utilised with a scheme of this size, hopefully freeing up more housing stock currently used as HMO’s for students and also a welcome addition to the sea of Simpson’s glazed monoliths which should give the localised skyline a much needed spot of variety
By Anonymous
This and the currently under construction StayCity next to the Beetham Tower will impact the skyline for the better. The skyscrapers on the edge of the city will go from being a sparse novelty on the fringes to an integral part of the urban fabric. Delighted this was approved.
By Game Changer
This looks great. The view from
Deansgate will be firmly enhanced by this.
By Elephant
Fantastic! Manchester’s very own Flat Iron.
By jrb
Going to add some much needed variety to the area. Could be pretty fantastic actually.
By Anonymous
A human-scale neighborhood community: playgrounds, playstreets, small parks for neighbours and children to meet, a local pub for socializing. Planning for people or planning for profits? I think we all know the answer.
By Anonymous
As if Deansgate Sq residents aren’t happy. They are in the middle of a giant masterplan and this proposal is half the height of the others. Try harder.
By Anonymous
Great design, the residents of Deansgate square will be very happy!
By Cal smate
@Dan It’s a bit rich for Deansgate Square residents -who moved in 5 minutes ago – to object to new accommodation. They’re sorted with their shiny new flats but don’t want any further construction once they’ve settled in. Talk about pulling up the drawbridge. I wonder what they think about the people who objected to the construction of the towers they now live in?
By S
@Anonymous – As much as the city needs loads more PBSA like this (and I think this is a great scheme), it’s a fallacy to think that this scheme frees up even one single HMO used for students. Students aren’t living in HMOs in Fallowfield and Rusholme as a result of a lack of PBSA in the city centre. They live in HMOs because a) it’s a lifestyle choice (me and loads of my friends chose to live in a houseshare); and b) it’s so much cheaper and always will be!
By James Kenny
I really like this one – has character. I’ve lots of colleagues who are mad about anything tall around Deansgate Square. They call it squatters rights… Does my head in.
By Stuart
28 storeys is short compared to the rest of the towers down there and this is a good thing. Love that ‘Flat Iron’ view. That’s the second one in two days if you include the Ronaldo hotel.
By Anonymous
Was dreaming for our own version of the Flatiron building
By Brickwatch
Considering all of the taller towers around there this building should be at least 50 storeys
By Giant Skyscraper Fan
Isn’t there a building in Withy Grove which resembles the Flat Iron?
By Elephant
What a wind tunnel that’s going to be. It’s already pretty ridiculous by DS on a bad day. That’ll just compound it
By Anon
Deansgate is full of international students anyway. The building looks great and will improve the area further in my view.
By Simon
It does look good though and brings even more of those international students into the city centre.
By Anonymous
I cant wait for there to be some student nightclubs near Deansgate Square
By Respectful student
There was another Flat Iron building near Exchange square and Selfridges, long gone now of course. This gives a different perspective to the street scape at that end of Deansgate. I like it. I prefer some of the detail on the Ronaldo hotel mentioned above though, have to hope that gets built.
By Jeff
Another place that only Trust fund students from London will be able to afford. No doubt rent will start at £250 a week…
By Anonymous
Im pleased to read the enthusiasm for tall building in Manchester in the comments. Here in Wales there is such hostility to anything over 9 stories…Manchester is a booming city and its skyline reflects that
By Cristoforo
Hold the front page. Spades in the ground for a building of some sort of architectural merit in Manchester!
By Tom
Wow Anonymous 4.14, when did you last go to University? Trust Fund Students from London? Successful Universities target high paying students from a little further afield than that and they and there governments demand the type of accommodation and facilities that shall we say ‘The Young Ones’ would struggle to recognise. Manchester does very well with that market.
By Anonymous
This will be a wonderful addition to the growing area. Love the design and reminds me of the flatiron building in New York. Very cool
By City gate resident