Deansgate Square

Deansgate Square, formerly known as Owen Street, is a skyscraper cluster on the southern edge of Manchester City Centre, England, consisting of four towers, the tallest of which is 201 metres (659 ft). The site is just south of Deansgate railway station and north of the Mancunian Way, bounded by Deansgate, Owen Street and the River Medlock. The towers sit at different angles to each other, with a slight bevel, or 'cut back', on each side of each building which ensures the towers catch the light at different times of day.[3]

Deansgate Square
The Deansgate Square skyscraper cluster, winter 2020
General information
StatusCompleted
TypeResidential
LocationOwen Street, Manchester, England, United Kingdom
Coordinates53.473°N 2.253°W / 53.473; -2.253
Construction startedWest & South Towers: July 2016
North & East Towers: October 2017
Topped-outMay 2018 (West Tower), November 2018 (South Tower), August 2019 (North & East Towers)
CompletedSouth & West: 2019[1]
North & East: 2020
CostUndisclosed (estimated to be in excess of £385 million)[2]
OwnerRenaker (East & South Towers)
Legal & General (West & North Towers)
Height
RoofSouth: 201 m (659 ft)
East: 158 m (518 ft)
West: 141 m (463 ft)
North: 122 m (400 ft)
Technical details
Floor countSouth: 64
East: 50
West: 44
North: 37
Floor area183,000 m2 (1,970,000 sq ft)
Design and construction
Architect(s)SimpsonHaugh and Partners
Landscape: TPM
DeveloperRenaker Build LTD
Structural engineerDP Squared
Main contractorRenaker Build
Other information
Number of units1,508
Website
deansgatesquare.com

Manchester City Council adopted a framework in the early 2000s, known as the Great Jackson Street Development Framework, which earmarked the site as an acceptable location for high-rise buildings. The framework was enacted to encourage building development, as the site had been vacant for many years and was perceived to be isolated as it was bounded by major arterial roads.[4]

In 2016, the scheme was revived with a planning application for a cluster of four skyscrapers – the tallest being the South Tower at 201 m (659 ft). The South Tower surpassed the 169 m (554 ft) Beetham Tower as the tallest building in Greater Manchester in November 2018.

Construction on the tower complex officially began in July 2016, with developer Renaker beginning construction on the South Tower and West Tower, the latter being 141 m (463 ft) tall.[5] In October 2017, construction commenced on the North and East Towers, which are 122 m (400 ft) and 158 m (518 ft) tall respectively. Overall completion of the development occurred in late 2020. As of August 2023, additional towers are under construction in the adjacent vicinity as part of the Great Jackson Street Development Framework, including The Blade and Three60 towers, both at 154 m (505 ft). The 153 m (502 ft) Elizabeth Tower was completed in 2022.[6]

History

2007 original scheme

The 2007 scheme consisted of five high-rise buildings containing nearly 1,100 residential units, 100 serviced apartments, a hotel, parking, office and retail space, and community facilities.[7] The tallest skyscraper planned was "Block D", which would have consisted of 49 storeys[8] — two storeys more than Manchester's tallest building, Beetham Tower — and 150 m (490 ft) tall.[9]

A planning application was submitted to Manchester City Council in 2007 and was approved early in 2008.[7][8] Permission to extend the time limit for building on the site was sought from the Council in early 2011,[10] a request which was granted in September 2011.[11]

2016 revived scheme

The revised scheme, proposed by developers Renaker Build and designed by SimpsonHaugh and Partners, was made public in January 2016 with a planning application to seek permission for the construction of four skyscrapers submitted in April.[12]

The proposed towers range from 122 m (400 ft) to over 200 m (660 ft) tall – the South Tower is 64 floors and 200.5 m (658 ft) tall, the East Tower is 50 floors and 157.9 m (518 ft) tall, the North Tower is 37 floors and 122 m (400 ft) tall and the West Tower is 44 floors and 140.4 m (461 ft) tall.[13][14]

The scheme was approved by Manchester City Council on 30 June 2016.[15]

Construction

Construction on the tower complex officially began in July 2016, with developer Renaker starting construction on the South and West Towers.[5] Piling works on the West Tower were complete by November 2016, with tower cranes erected soon after.[16] Both towers would continue to rise for another two years before "topping out" in mid-2018.

By October 2017, as both the South and West Towers continued to rise, construction on the foundation and podium for the North and East Towers commenced. By July 2018, the West Tower topped out, having reached the 45th floor - its highest floor level. By November 2018, the South Tower – the tallest tower of the approved scheme at 201 metres – had topped out, having reached the 65th floor, its highest floor level.

In August 2018, institutional investor Legal & General acquired the West Tower with the intention to rent the tower out once complete.[17] Although this deal for the West tower was undisclosed, its estimated real estate value was believed to be in the region of £200 million, according to Estates Gazette.[18][19]

In January 2020, Legal & General announced the exchange of contracts for the Built to Rent North Tower.[20] The North Tower represents Legal & General's second Built to Rent acquisition in Deansgate Square.

October 2020 saw the final completion of the North, South, East and West Towers.

  • Deansgate Square construction progress
  • West Tower - Core up to level 16 of 44 - July 2017
    West Tower - Core up to level 16 of 44 - July 2017
  • West Tower with seven floors fully glazed - September 2017
    West Tower with seven floors fully glazed - September 2017
  • West Tower at night - December 2017
    West Tower at night - December 2017
  • West Tower Deansgate - April 2018
    West Tower Deansgate - April 2018
  • Deansgate Square under construction in 2018
    Deansgate Square under construction in 2018
  • Deansgate Square - Completed November 2018
    Deansgate Square - Completed November 2018
  • Deansgate Square - December 2022
    Deansgate Square - December 2022

See also

References
  1. "Work starts on luxury high rise". BBC News. 28 April 2004. Retrieved 23 February 2008.
  2. "Polypipe Terrain works on £385m, 65-storey Deansgate Square development in Manchester". Kent Online. 12 October 2018.
  3. Schofield, Jonathan (2 June 2021). "'The city wanted us to embrace the riverside' - Deansgate Square, revealed". Confidentials Manchester. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  4. "Great Jackson Street Framework May 2018". Manchester City Council.
  5. Howe, Ed (August 2016). "Manchester Development Update August 2016" (PDF). Retrieved 2 February 2017.
  6. "Elizabeth Tower". skyscrapercenter.com. Skyscraper Center. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
  7. "Manchester City Council Planning Applications (Application 085107/FO/2007/C3)". Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  8. "West's 49-storey Owen Street tower approved". Place North West. 17 January 2008. Retrieved 19 January 2008.
  9. "Vivo Block D". SkyscraperNews.com. Retrieved 18 January 2008.
  10. "Manchester City Council Planning Applications (Application 095222/REP/2011/C1)". Retrieved 3 February 2011.
  11. "Extension of time limit on 085107/FO/2007/C3 for erection of 5 buildings ranging from 14 to 49 storeys incorporating 1,094 residential units". manchester.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 October 2011.
  12. "205m Tall Building Proposed For Manchester". skyscrapernews.com. 14 January 2016. Retrieved 3 December 2016.
  13. "Renaker dusts off West plans for Owen Street". Place North West. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  14. "Beetham Tower architect plans four city centre skyscrapers – including Manchester's new tallest building". Manchester Evening News. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 14 April 2016.
  15. "Manchester's tallest skyscraper plan approved". BBC News. 30 June 2016. Retrieved 24 July 2016.
  16. "Renaker powers ahead with skyscraper build". Place North West. 30 November 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2016.
  17. "Legal & General redesigns and acquires new Manchester tower for growing build to rent portfolio". Legal & General. 20 August 2018.
  18. Tomusk, Karl (25 July 2018). "L&G takes £200m slice of Europe's tallest resi scheme". L&G's prospective deal would see it take the second smallest tower – which still rises to 140m and would have an end value of £200m – for its rental arm, in a departure from its usual, more mid-market schemes.
  19. "L&G Deansgate Square deal confirmed". Place North West. 20 August 2018.
  20. "L&G acquires BTR tower on behalf of two flagship funds". 31 January 2020. L&G announces that it has exchanged contracts on a new Built to Rent tower North Tower in Deansgate Square, Manchester.
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