Telcom, the UK’s leading provider of dedicated business connectivity, has been selected as a strategic partner to deliver its best-in-class connected building solution Preconnect® to the commercial office space at St Michael’s Manchester.

A long-term project by Gary Neville’s development company, Relentless Developments, and its strategic partners, St Michael’s is a £400 million mixed use development in the heart of the city. Combining nine floors of best-in-class office space with a five star hotel, 217 luxury apartments, and a new public square, St Michael’s has been described by Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester Council, as “a defining regeneration project for our city centre.”

No. 1 St Michael’s, the £150 million first phase of the development, will complete in 2024 and is expected to be Manchester’s first fully net-zero carbon commercial development – in operation and delivery. No. 2 St Michael’s – a £250 million, 41-storey tower – will house a 162-bed five-star W Hotel, W Residences and 75,000 sq ft of office space. The second phase is expected to be completed in 2027.

Telcom has been selected as a key strategic partner with property consultants Zerum to supply No. 1 St Michael’s with its connected buildings solution Preconnect®. This will ensure commercial office tenants have access to fast and reliable full fibre dedicated business internet up to 10Gbps that’s up and running within 24 hours.

Installed throughout the office space and up to the roof top restaurant where Japanese-Peruvian restaurant brand, Chotto Matte, will be located, Preconnect® will deliver dedicated full fibre internet connectivity with symmetrical speeds up to 10Gbps. This will be delivered on Telcom’s own fibre and rooftop wireless network across the city, making a 100% uptime guarantee available for businesses with a backup connection in place. St Michael’s will be targeting a Platinum Wiredscore and Preconnect® will be fundamental to this as it guarantees a minimum connectivity rating of Gold.

Steven Calder, Head of Connected Buildings at Telcom, commented:

“We are immensely proud to be a part of the St Michael’s development. As a Mancunian-born company, Telcom couldn’t be more humbled or thrilled to be contributing to the revitalisation and development of our city’s historic centre. Preconnect®, our market-leading commercial property solution, will give tenants an unparalleled connection experience by getting them connected to 10Gbps full fibre internet in as little as 24 hours. What’s more is that there’s absolutely no cost to the building owner or management company for the upfront installation and ongoing management.

We look forward to working with Relentless Development, their partners, and the future tenants of St Michael’s to provide seamless, full fibre internet connectivity in support of their business objectives.”

Anthony Kilbride, Co-Director, Relentless Developments, commented:

“St Michael’s is a highly ambitious development set to transform this critical yet underused area of Manchester into a world-class destination for work, stay and play. We wouldn’t be able to achieve our pioneering vision for the scheme without collaborating with forward-thinking partners like Telcom, who are game changers in their own sector. Delivering hyperfast, reliable, and convenient connectivity for our commercial tenants is going to play a big part in making St Michael’s one of the most sustainable and smart spaces in the UK.”

The McGoff Group and Consensus Property have joined forces to create a new joint venture (JV) to deliver The Downs Quarter development in Altrincham.

Both the McGoff Group and Derek Thompson’s Consensus Property are family-owned Altrincham-based companies, each well established in the North West construction and property sector. 

The Thompsons have been involved in the overall Downs project for many years and are determined to deliver it effectively. They initially started to assemble the land 19 years ago, building and selling 15 apartments and six commercial units along the site frontage of The Downs while preparing the infrastructure for a further 39 properties to the rear of the site. 

This part of the site was sold to House Crowd in January 2019. Following the subsequent collapse of the House Crowd development in March 2021, Derek Thompson concluded negotiations to purchase the site back from the administrators late last year, with a £2.5million facility provided by specialist lender Together in under two weeks.

Committed to rescuing the embattled project located in the heart of the historic market town, the two firms have been working closely together since the start of year with a view to bringing this prestigious development forward.

Nestled away in Altrincham, The Downs Quarter comprises a collection of contemporary one, two and three bedroom apartments as well as stunning three bedroom townhouses and a commercial unit. There will be a total of 39 new homes built on the site, four of which offer a live/work option.

Sitting at the heart of the McGoff Group, McGoff Construction will complete the design and build of the development, utilising in-house resources from Group companies Panacea Building Systems (drylining) and McGoff Group Facilities Services (M&E, Passive Fire & Joinery). The Group’s residential arm, Villafont, will develop and manage the sales strategy for the development. There is also scope for the Group to undertake the ongoing building and facilities management once complete.

Commenting on the JV, Declan McGoff, Joint Managing Director at the McGoff Group, says: “The Downs Quarter is a superb site in a much sought-after location. The opportunity to work with Derek and deliver 39 new homes in Altrincham was something we were really keen to do, and we are very much looking forward to getting started on site, showcasing our expertise from various divisions within the Group.”

Derek Thompson adds: “I am delighted to be able to hand the completion of this landmark project over to the McGoff brothers in complete confidence that their professionalism, expertise and deserved reputation for excellence over many years will ensure that this significant development will be completed to the highest standards.”

Manchester’s Beyond Corporate is advising on the build contracts whilst Brabners is dealing with the conveyancing and plot sales. Together is financing the design and enabling phase of the development, with a view to financing the development as a whole.

Chris Taylor, Head of Portfolio & Risk at the Manchester-based lender, said: “We’re delighted to support the McGoff Group and Consensus Property to revive this ambitious scheme. Consensus Property originally approached us to help them purchase the property out of receivership, something we as a lender specialise in. 

“Reviving what is an eyesore in the middle of Altrincham, The Downs Quarter will play an important part in the residential development of the town centre, and once completed, it will provide a thriving place for people to live and work.” 

Head of Special Projects at McGoff Construction, Brendan Caloe, concludes: “Having now commenced with the detailed design of the scheme, we anticipate the build of the project to take circa 61 weeks. The marketing of the individual properties will commence imminently, which will undoubtedly generate huge interest in the development.”

Property & Development Magazine | The Home of Residential Sector News

Aspen Woolf, a property investment firm, has announced that Mariners Wharf, the new luxury apartment complex set to be built at Salford Quays is now open for reservations to future residents.

The new 30 story apartment complex, with 158 luxury apartments available on pre-sale, is being built by developer Fortis Group. It will offer “picturesque views of the Salford waterfront, complete with a rooftop garden”. The apartments will be an ideal home for those looking to live close to Manchester City Centre, Salford Quays, and the vibrant MediaCityUK.

Mariners Wharf is the new buy-to-let development to be situated along the Salford Quayside, which has become a dream location for young professionals. The apartments will be a short walk from hundreds of restaurants, shops, bars, and public transport options in and out of Manchester.

The apartments will be in walking distance (5-minute walk) to the iconic MediaCityUK, the quayside development park home to the Quayside Lifestyle Retail Outlet, Imperial War Museum North, BBC, and ITV Studios, the Lowry Theatre and Gallery and a wide range of waterside activities.

Mariners Wharf will offer an awe-inspiring private rooftop garden for residents, an on-site gym, concierge service, secure cycle storage, and car parking facilities (including electric charging points).

The private communal rooftop garden will offer a stunning, unique view of the Salford Waterfront.

Developers Fortis Group say many of the uniquely styled features of the 1, 2 & 3 bed apartments available at Mariners Wharf are being designed in response to the new post-pandemic world. After a year locked inside, many people are now looking for property with outside space and features that offer the ultimate luxury when working from home.

Mariners Wharf Salford Quays could prove an outstanding opportunity for buy-to-let investors. Property prices in Salford are expected to enjoy a 30.5% increase in the next 4 years.

As property opportunities are increasingly running out alongside Salford Waterfront, property in the area is in high demand. Investment firm Aspen Woolf are offering buy-to-let apartments at Mariners Wharf with just a 25% down payment needed.

Due to open in 2024, sales at Mariners Wharf will officially open in the coming months, but Aspen Woolf are currently taking pre-launch reservations to enable early bird investors to secure access with just a 25% deposit. Apartments will start from £149,245.

Mariners Wharf is being built at Fortis Quay, a new property complex that already homes two new-build residential towers. It will be built next door to the Northill Apartments which is due to open next month.

Speaking about the investment opportunity Russell Midgley, Director at Aspen Woolf said: “Mariners Wharf offers one of the last true Quayside opportunities in Salford. Property at this growing iconic Manchester location is becoming harder to find. Greater Manchester has become one of the hottest property markets in the UK, experiencing a staggering 47.6% increase in price value (significant returns for those buying property) over the last 5 years alone.

Salford Quays has become a hotbed for young professionals who want to live in the magnificent, regenerated hub of Salford and be amongst the vibrance of Manchester. More and more businesses are looking to move to Salford and the number of businesses in the city has increased by 20% in the last five years.

With the pre-launch apartments available at Mariners Wharf – we advise people looking to buy to act quickly, get first pick on the best apartments and buy an extremely unique property will experience a strong increase in value over the coming years.”

To find out more about Mariners Wharf, visit the official website of the development.

Property & Development Magazine