Downing Starts Enabling Works On £400m Mixed-Use Scheme

Downing has started enabling works on its £400m mixed-use scheme at First Street, ahead of construction starting in March.

The regeneration project in the heart of Manchester city centre will deliver a community-centric development across three new buildings rising to 45 storeys.

It will include more than 2,200 bedrooms split across a mix of accommodation types and price-points, ranging from private studios to five-bedroom apartments, as well as conventional one and two-bedroom apartments.


A vast indoor private amenity offer will be provided to supplement the living accommodation, as well as 17,000 sf of commercial leisure, F&B/retail space.

The mixed-use regeneration development has been designed with a community-centric living approach at its heart.

In support of the Government's drive to increase the number of green space within our cities, Downing has worked with landscape architect and environment planner OPEN to build both extensive public and private gardens, which will include the planting of 140 trees across the site.

The mixed-use scheme is Downing's latest regeneration project in the area, following the development of student accommodation building, River Street Tower, which opened in September 2020 with 792 beds.