Our plans for Viadux Phase Two are moving forward

Viadux, Salboy

Welcome to our consultation website for the next phase of development on the Viadux site. This website has been updated in October 2024 to provide information on updates to the proposals since our public consultation in November 2023.

In November last year, Salboy and Domis introduced landmark proposals for a second phase of development on this site as part of a public consultation.

Working with renowned architectural practice SimpsonHaugh, these proposals build upon the Viadux Phase One residential development, which is now completed and open.

Since submitting a planning application in April, our plans for Viadux Phase Two have continued to develop. We’re now excited to announce the inclusion of a hotel operated by an exciting global brand within the 76-storey building, with associated updates to the design.

This addition will further help make the area a vibrant destination for both residents and visitors, with a public bar at ground level bringing more life to the Grade II Listed Viaduct and surrounding streets and a public restaurant at level 6.

We’ve also revised the plans to retain more of the Listed bridge over Great Bridgewater Street.

In addition, the commercial unit previously proposed at ground floor level has been replaced with a unique entrance to the taller 76 Storey residential and hotel uses.

Our commitment to delivering a mix of new homes is still at the heart of our plans for Phase Two, and our plans to deliver 133 affordable homes as part of the development remain unchanged.

Here you’ll find more information about our updated plans and details of how to share your views (under Next Steps).

Introducing Salboy

Salboy is an award-winning Salford-based property company, focused on developing and funding high quality housing throughout Greater Manchester. In total, we currently have over 1,200 residential units under construction and over 2,000 in design.

Introducing Domis

At Domis, our purpose is to build inspiring spaces. Formed in 2017, Domis has quickly established itself as an industry leader in construction and development, delivering some of the most complex construction projects in the UK, utilising Manchester and North West designers and subcontractors to deliver a genuinely local product.

Location

View from Lower Mosley Street

The site lies within the heart of Manchester city centre. To the north is the city’s civic quarter, home to some of Manchester’s most important heritage assets and public spaces, including the Grade II* Manchester Central immediately to the north. To the south, Manchester’s now iconic collection of residential towers have changed the city’s skyline, even since the original Viadux development was approved in 2017.

The majority of the site comprises the Grade II Listed Castlefield Viaduct. At ground level, the area around the site is a missing link in the streetscape, discouraging people from walking from one area to the next.

This sensitive and dynamic townscape demands a building of the very highest design quality, that protects and celebrates the quality of the Victorian viaduct arches, whilst making a genuinely positive contribution to Manchester’s skyline and returning the streetscape to its citizens.

A prime location

Site boundary

Located close to Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink and Deansgate train station, the site provides excellent connectivity with convenient access to local, regional and national rail services as well as access to Metrolink, all within a desirable city centre setting.

Thanks to its city centre location, the site is within easy walking distance of a wide range of employment opportunities, services and amenities which includes the Oxford Road Corridor: a world class innovation district and home to the Universities and other key institutions.

However, despite its prime location, current access to transportation and amenities is hindered by a lack of pedestrian pathways and clear routes in and around the site. This situation creates a sense of detachment from the rest of the city centre. These proposals aim to improve connectivity, unlocking the development’s full potential in terms of integration with its city centre surroundings.

Metrolink

Deansgate-Castlefield Metrolink Stop

Regeneration context

Viadux Phase Two is situated within the heart of Manchester city centre, a pivotal part of the Great Northern, Manchester Central, and Castlefield Quay Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) from 2017. This strategic framework embodies a set of overarching principles.

Constraints - An impermeable City Quarter

Opportunities - Ground Floor

Opportunities - Upper Level (Viaduct)

Attractive, welcoming, safe and legible connections that successfully navigate the site’s significant level changes and provide a fantastic arrival experience into this part of the city centre.

An animated area with high quality public spaces and a critical mass of high-quality city centre uses that create strong functional connections to the area (to complement the new physical connections) as well as supporting the strong economic growth trajectory of Manchester.

Taller buildings which complement the adjacent Beetham Tower – the development of taller buildings in the area has already begun which is reflected in the development of Axis, 325 Deansgate and Great Jackson Street.

Viadux Phase One

Viadux Phase One is now complete, delivering a significant number of high-quality homes to help meet the growing housing demand within the city centre.

This development provides 362 residential apartments, alongside high quality, internal and external residential amenity spaces, helping to create a sense of place on this previously vacant site. Phase 1 also improves pedestrian access and helps to create a safe and welcoming environment for residents, workers and visitors to the area.

Phase Two proposals

The proposals for Viadux Phase Two will complete the creation of a successful new neighbourhood at the heart of Manchester city centre:

452

New, high-quality homes in a 76-storey building, with internal and external amenity spaces including swimming pool, spa and gym.

133

Affordable homes in a 23-storey building that contribute towards the need for city centre affordable housing.

160

Hotel rooms, as part of a hotel operated by an exciting global brand, including a public restaurant and bar, function rooms and events spaces.

Commercial and public realm space to compliment a world-class neighbourhood that will help to meet the growing demand for city centre living whilst also bringing both economic and environmental benefits to the area.

The inclusion of a hotel helps to make Viadux a truly mixed-use development, better complementing and enhancing the mix of uses on the site and within the surrounding area.

It also supports Manchester’s growing tourism and visitor economy, providing an exciting new offer close to the city centre and within a stone’s throw of key venues such as Manchester Central and Bridgewater Hall.

What’s Changed?

Plot 2a

Application submitted in
March 2024

782 Residential Apartments

Residential Amenity, including swimming pool and spa

76 storeys tall and 241m from ground level

Revised details application (November 2024)

452 Residential Apartments

Hotel with 160 Hotel Bedrooms with associated amenities:

Public bar and restaurant
Events / Function Space
Meeting rooms

Residential & hotel amenity, including swimming pool and spa

76 storeys tall and 245.65m from ground level
(i.e. 4.65m taller but with the same number of storeys)

Plot 2b

Application submitted in
March 2024

133 Affordable Residential Apartments

14.5% of the total apartments provided.

23 storeys with commercial units at Level 1

Revised details application (November 2024)

UNCHANGED - 133 Affordable Residential Apartments

22.7% of the total apartments provided.

UNCHANGED - 23 storeys with commercial units at Level 1

Plot 2c

Application submitted in
March 2024

Ground Floor Commercial Unit

Revised details application (November 2024)

Replaced with proposals for Main Entrance to residential and hotel building (Plot 2a)

Application submitted - March 2024

Revised details application - November 2024

Design

Viadux Phase Two will create an attractive composition of buildings which fit perfectly into this part of the city centre, building upon the Phase One design principles, and completing the city centre block which extends from Deansgate to Albion Street.

Viadux Phase One, now complete, is a simple and elegant building with a façade design which makes use of projecting vertical fins to create depth and visual interest to the longer elevations.

Phase Two follows the same design principles as Phase One, but look to increase the level of ambition further still. The Viadux Phase Two tower will become the focal point of this cluster of tall buildings and provide a make a visually striking addition to Manchester’s skyline.

While the principles behind the design approach remain the same, our revised details include minor details to the façade of the tower to accommodate the hotel use (see below - Building Design). This has also resulted in a small increase in the height of the building, although within the same number of storeys.

Masterplan

Site layout

As a whole, the Viadux masterplan benefits from a simple layout that ensures the proposed buildings have a strong relationship to each other and to the surrounding urban context.

The land in between the Beetham Tower and Viadux Phase One has approval for an office building, approved as part of the Beetham Tower development, but never delivered. This site will be redeveloped as a new distinctive diamond shaped building, to be delivered as new affordable homes in the heart of the city centre. The building will be elevated above the public realm stair and lift with new shops or cafes opening onto the viaduct.

Moving east, beyond Viadux Phase One, the new 76-storey residential tower will replace the previous plans for a large office on the site. It will be linked to Viadux Phase One by a podium which will cover the existing service yard. On top of the connecting podium, a south facing landscape deck will provide external outdoor space for residents from both phases to use. Building entrances and other amenity spaces will be located at ground level, within the impressive arches that form the historic viaduct structure.

To complete the wider city block, the revised details we plan to submit include a unique, covered entrance to the hotel and residential building (Plot 2a), with a vehicle drop off area. With an innovative design supported by enhanced public realm, this replaces the commercial unit proposed here previously.

Ground Floor Plan

Level 03 Plan

Typical Hotel Plan

Level 01 Plan

Level 06 Plan

Building design

The overall design ethos for the Viadux site is to create a collection of buildings that complement each other and create a distinguishable and elegant tall building cluster that will be visible from a variety of perspectives, distances and viewpoints. The simple forms respond to the wider city centre context and vertical form.

The tallest 76-storey building will create an elegant silhouette which will become an iconic feature in the skyline. The inclined faces of the façade will catch light differently, creating a dynamic response to changes in light conditions resulting from the time of day/year, weather conditions or viewer’s perspective.

Again, while the overall design approach remains unchanged, the revised details we plan to submit include minor changes to the façade of the tower in terms of the arrangement and proportioning of windows (or fenestration).

The 23-storey affordable housing building has been designed to maximise the site footprint by fitting closely to the edge of the viaduct structure, bringing new life to this unfinished and logistically challenging site. The building will sit beneath the Beetham Tower Cloud 23 Bar & Restaurant, ensuring that views from the residential apartments above are uninterrupted.

Plot 2a tower design and precedent images.

Typical Residential Plan

Consideration of microclimate

In line with the proposals submitted previously, we understand the importance of creating a comfortable and sustainable living environment for existing and future residents, visitors and other pedestrians along Great Bridgewater Street and Albion Street. We have undertaken a thorough analysis of the microclimate impacts associated with the development including daylight, overshadowing and wind impacts, all of which have influenced the overall form of the building and landscaping that is being proposed.

We have carefully shaped the tower to reduce wind loading, and ensure safe wind conditions and pedestrian comfort at street level.

Improving public spaces

One of our main goals is to improve the public spaces in the area, in particular along Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street. We're also preserving and enhancing the historic viaduct, making it easier and more pleasant to move around this important part of the city centre and access key public transport hubs. The revised details include a taxi drop-off point on Albion Street.

Ground floor landscape plan and illustrative precedent images.

Landscaping and streetscape

Following the plans submitted previously, the landscape design covers the ground level along Albion Street and Great Bridgewater Street as well as private roof gardens on the second level.

The ground level public realm has an important role in addressing the interface between the streetscape and the impressive building frontages, both old and new. It offers an attractive approach to the main building entrances with opportunities for seating.

Removal of a further section of the bridge above Great Bridgewater Street along with introduction of high-quality materials will make the experience along it much safer and more welcoming. It will also allow people to see into and access the grandeur of the arches under the viaduct.

Our revised plans now involve retaining more of the beams of the Grade II Listed bridge over Great Bridgewater Street, improving the pedestrian experience on the street below.

We are also now proposing an attractive new pedestrian route along Albion Street, linking to the entrance to the hotel and residential tower building and taxi drop-off point.

Planting, in the form of rain gardens and tree planting is proposed along the street to provide a green buffer, making the pedestrian experience much improved on the current state, whilst also aiding sustainable drainage. The Metrolink bridge creates a unique sheltered space which could be programmable throughout the year.

The roof gardens provide valuable amenity and green space for residents of Phase One and Two. The design narrative is guided by the intent to create a space for everyone, and maximise access to sunlight. It is also important that the layout is visually appealing from above.