Status Approved Location Manchester, England Roof 125 m (410 ft) Floor count 42 | Type Residential Opening Postponed Architectural style Neomodern Architect SimpsonHaugh and Partners | |
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Developer Forshaw Land & Property Similar 17 New Wakefield Street, Axis Tower, Two St Peter's Square, CIS Tower, City Tower - Manchester | ||
River Street Tower is an approved skyscraper scheme in Manchester, England. The building was originally proposed in June 2012 and approved in October 2012. The land was sold to new owners and a revised application was made and approved in 2015. The building will be situated next to the Mancunian Way on land which is currently occupied by a half-built concrete frame. The concrete structure was first built in 2005 but was abandoned after the original developer went into liquidation.
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Map of River Street Tower, Manchester, UK
At 125 metres (410 ft) high, upon its completion River Street Tower will be the second tallest building in Manchester and the third tallest building in the United Kingdom outside London, after the 169-metre (554 ft) Beetham Tower, which is also in Manchester and the 140-metre (460 ft) West Tower in Liverpool.
Background
Chelmer Developments bought the site in April 2011 and pursued development opportunities. Liaising with Manchester City Council, the company commissioned SimpsonHaugh and Partners to devise design proposals for a skyscraper building above 100 metres in height. The company held a four-week consultation period in spring 2012. The planning application was submitted in July 2012 and Manchester City Council approved the plans in October 2012. Approval was confirmed on 25 October 2012 at the quarterly planning committee meeting.
Demolition of the existing concrete structure was expected to begin in earnest, though works did not commence.
The land was subsequently sold to new owners, Bolton-based development firm Forshaw Land & Property and a revised planning application was made and approved by Manchester City Council in 2015 for 420 privately rented apartments, fewer than the 600 originally planned in the 2012 scheme. Construction of the skyscraper is expected to take approximately 18 months with the demolition of the concrete car park shell to commence in November 2015. However, no work has been undertaken during 2016 and most of the original concrete structure remains.
Design
The development is located on a site on River Street, beside Manchester city centre's southern boundary next to the Mancunian Way. The site is currently occupied by a half-built concrete frame, originally built for a medium-rise apartment block constructed in 2004. The developer went bankrupt and the concrete frame has since remained uncompleted. The 2012 approved scheme included 600 serviced apartments designed for short-stay 'serviced living' as well as a café and gym. The 2015 approved scheme will include 420 privately rented apartments alongside food, drink and leisure units.
The tower will be similar to modernist buildings like the New Century House and will reflect light to create effect. The architect, Ian Simpson described the building as "a simple, very elegant and slender building with a glass surface so it will pick up reflections from the light and I think it will be quite dramatic." The tower shares some characteristics with the simple neomodern style comparable to the Bay Adelaide Centre.