DOMIS to build 37-storey Manchester tower
Vision, a long-proposed £125m residential development off Whitworth Street West, has taken a step towards reality with the appointment of a main contractor.
DOMIS Construction has been handed the contract to build the 37-storey Vision scheme, which will see the delivery of 327 one-, two, and three-bedroom apartments, as well as a gym, yoga and spin studio, and cinema.
Paul Rothwell, the sole director of vehicle Vision Manchester, which acquired the site in 2021, said DOMIS’s “impressive track record” was a key factor in the decision-making process.
“Mindful of the current market conditions, we have sought out a partner with the experience and knowledge with a solid supply chain to deliver our development.
“We look forward to a successful partnership with DOMIS and seeing the project come out of the ground.”
Rothwell is the founder of Empire Property Concepts, which is in administration. The Vision project is not connected to Empire, it is understood.
When Rothwell acquired the site, Russell WBHO had been lined up as main contractor. However, an agreement between the parties was never reached.
Paul Strutt, director at DOMIS, said: “Vision is set to be an impressive residential tower and we are delighted to continue with our success in delivering another flagship development for Manchester in this prominent location.
“We are set to start on site in the coming weeks with a four-month programme of enabling works, and as ever, quality, delivery and budget is at the forefront of the agenda.”
The project team for Manchester Tower includes architect Jon Matthews, who has been involved in the scheme since plans were first lodged in July 2015.
Brigantes won planning consent for the scheme that year and it was then reported that Inhabit Residential was bringing the project forward but work never started.
Inhabit, run by directors of Mercer Real Estate, was dissolved in March last year, according to Companies House.
EGCC Group and Featherfoot Whitworth Street – which later changed its name to Vision Manchester – came together to buy the site from Brigantes in 2021 for £8.75m and securing just shy of £80m to build the scheme.
Alliance Investments is marketing the apartments for sale.
But. But. But. Manchester is losing its soul.
Get it up.
By Tom
35 storeys is nice but I feel like it’s a missed opportunity to have at least 50 here
By Giant Skyscraper Fan
The wind will pick up even more, it’s already an unpleasant walk around there with these new towers, Deansgate Square don’t even bother trying to put on events anymore, it’s too dangerous, we’ll end up with loads of towers but no street life
By CR
Meanwhile Liverpool City Council wont even allow 15 stories on it waterfront (derelict land)
By Anonymous
Looking forward to this one – a much needed contrast to the swathes of SH glass towers down this side of town.
By Anonymous
A tower I’ve been looking forward to since its inception. Let’s get it built!
By Andrew
You buy an expensive apartment in a high-rise block, and a few years later another high-rise is built to block your “wonderful view”. Something wrong here.
By James Hayes
Someone needs to point out that the parent company of the developer has gone into administration!
By Too late
Hi Too Late. As you will see from the article, it is noted that “Rothwell is the founder of Empire Property Concepts, which is in administration.” Thanks, Dan
By Dan Whelan
There’s no such thing as a right to a view in a developing city centre.
By Anonymous
Loved watching the progress of Viadux from the tram on my morning commute. Hopefully this will now be starting just as that finishes. The Manchester boom continues apace
By Bob
Dear Anonymous. Are foreign investors told the view from their apartment may be temporary? Could be blocked off at any times, and that is why they get such a massive discount on the price?
By James Yates
As if someone is saying that DS is losing street life – the same people wouldn’t have wanted DS to go up for the same reason only a few years ago!
Honestly, if we were losing decent old buildings with genuine life in them I would find it awful but you NIMBY types need to try harder. Manchester is way past this rubbish now and genuine battles need to be won. Pretty sure this isn’t one of them.
By Anonymous
Wow, quite astounding this is tower is sneaking ahead with a single staircase in this day in age.
No thanks, I’ll choose to live in a tower being designed to the draft BS9991 guidance.
By Fireman Sam
Really hope this impedes the view of Axis from the south.
By Slanty cladding critic
@anonymous 10:56, agreed. But…. it’s interesting that the new viadux tower next door falls short of a certain prolific architect’s penthouse apartment. Wouldn’t want to spoil his own view…..
By Anonymous
I agree with Giant Skyscraper Fan. Missed opportunity here but even so, Manchester is showing itself as a resilient city. Plenty of doom and gloom in the media but the planners, developers and contractors continue to truck on. Other cities could take note… Ahem Liverpool…!
By Ant Agonist
I don’t mind tall buildings but isnt it getting a bit daft now cramming them into every available patch of land.
By Anonymous
Elegant design.
By Anonymous
Amazing the amount of folk who live in the North who are terrified by a bit of wind! Get a jacket and zip it
By Verticality
How many more of these horrible boxes for the rich ? At a time when we desperately need affordable homes. At a time when our apology for a government is refusing to help those struggling with mortgages and rents. Manhattan U.K. is a symptom of a broken society with no values.
By Francis
I remember walking from the high rise flats in Hulme into town,in the 80s when the flyover was still there. Anyone who thinks Manchester looked better then, than it does now, clearly wasn’t there. This obsession with affordable homes in a booming city centre, is boring.Wealthy cities,do not have much affordable housing in their centres. Manchester is number 40 in the list of cities with the most millionaires, the only British city apart from London in this world list. Some people still want surface car parks and tumbleweed. I would be happy if they built 100 Skyscrapers. Manchester isn’t York, or Edinburgh, there are a few beautiful Victorian structures but nothing which is blighted by these towers. This tower is fine. It is a nice filler between DS and Beetham.
By Elephant
I’m all for development in “my Manchester”, but two things scream at me here:
1) What town planning exists, where a much taller tower can be built adjacent to the south face of the newish Axis building? just beggars belief!
2) Whilst the new legislation is not yet in, regarding more than one staircase, it’s disgusting that the developer is not proactive in this regard.
By Anon
It’s dead and soulless around Deansgate Square, one of the restaurants has already shut and the shop is on the market. nobody goes there because skyscrapers don’t work in Manchester weather, even Kampus is windy and dead on a nice day when the older parts of town are booming
By Cal
Well said Elephant. Although I do think they should have kept the original building and built this elswhere.
By Anonymous
I agree with Elephant …Manchester in the 79’s and 80’s was dire !…NCP car parks everywhere…slum clearance and lain waste for years. Manchester has about time grown up from the initial promising power of It’s Victorian vision of industrial boom. However, I do wish these architects can can come up with something more imaginative tgan what we’re getting !
By Rodders
There may not have been as many buildings in the city centre but the suburbs were much nicer back then, the nightlife was world class and very safe
By Cal
Mediocre design yet again.
By John
John, you need to stop considering design, the design doesn’t matter, the more construction the better
By Anonymous
@June 30, 2023 at 3:38 pm
By Anonymous
I disagree. Design is very important – our surroundings and dwellings have an effect on us, including mental health.
This proposal is rather good as mid height towers go.
By SW
Sorry, was thinking of the Stockport one.
This one isn’t that great.
By SW
Greater care must be taken with regard to the esthetics of a building. The design of this building, like the other skyscrapers in the vicinity – Axis and the Hilton – is not of a very high quality. I don’t like the orange cladding on this one. Would be nice to see architects taking more risks – more creativity and imagination needed. Manchester needs internationally renowned architects to do a proper job.
By Edward
Most of the buildings built in the 90s in the vicinity need to be pulled down.
By Anonymous