Salboy and Cert buy Old Trafford site

A joint venture between Cert and Salboy has completed the purchase of land at 86 Talbot Road, Old Trafford with planning permission for 90 apartments over 10 storeys.

The scheme is to be launched under the name Insignia and is located opposite the proposed UA92 campus, close to the Old Trafford Metrolink stop. Domis Construction will deliver Insignia as main contractor, with completion expected in summer 2020.

Manchester-based Cert and its partner, Fred Done-backed Salboy, said that it will also offer a range of apartments through the Help to Buy government-backed scheme. As set out in the planning approval, the site has permission for 27 one-bedroom apartments, 54 two-bedroom apartments and nine three-bedroom apartments.

The site was acquired for an undisclosed sum from London property group Tannen, which had secured the consent in December 2016.

Howard Lord, managing director of Cert, said: “We believe this area has a great future being a short commute to Manchester city centre and having significant investment planned.

“We are in the process of registering for the Help to Buy scheme and anticipate launching sales later this year once our application is approved. Leach Rhodes Walker have designed a great scheme and we are looking forward to working with Salboy, Domis and the rest of the professional team.”

Simon Ismail, Managing Director of Salboy, said: “This development has everything we look for when reviewing proposals for new ventures. A fantastic location with great plans for local investment, superb connectivity to the city with a design to match the growing affluence of the surrounding area. Cert share our vision for quality and delivery, I am sure this will be the first of many schemes we work on together.”

Cert is already working on a residential project at the adjacent Atherton House, a 48-apartment office-to-residential scheme it acquired in October 2017, and is also amidst the overhaul of 35,000 sq ft of offices at Hilton House in Manchester’s Northern Quarter. Salboy has been reworking its proposed aparthotel in Shudehill to a residential scheme, and is also working on a office-to-resi project, this one in New Cross.