Cole Waterhouse has submitted a planning application for the former Hilti HQ site, off Trafford Wharf Road in Stretford, Manchester. It follows a public consultation programme on the developer’s plans. Paul Butler Associates is acting as planning consultant for the scheme.
The vision for Trafford Wharf is to deliver a mixed-use development on a 2.2 acre brownfield site. It would deliver 419 purpose-built student accommodation (PBSA) beds and a 24,057 sq ft higher education facility with teaching space, offices, a range of student amenities and an on-site café.
Proposals also include 438 Built to Rent apartments including 20% affordable homes for Trafford residents.
The site is located within Trafford Council’s Wharfside regeneration zone, which aims to transform the area by delivering up to 5,000 new homes and a new stadium for Manchester United.
The Trafford Wharf plans represent a multi-million-pound contribution to the local economy, with the creation of over 1,300 jobs during construction and nearly 300 during operation.
The scheme will provide over £1.6m in s106 planning contributions and has a gross development value (GDV) of approx £200m.
Designed by Chapman Taylor, the scheme would feature two residential towers and include on-site amenities, extensive new landscaped public spaces and flexible commercial space at ground level.
“This game-changing project would help to transform this well-known brownfield site into a thriving new community. It would deliver hundreds of new homes helping to address the acute need for more affordable properties in Trafford.
“In addition, there has been significant growth in Manchester’s student population in recent years with estimates of a shortfall of up to 4,000 student beds.
“Trafford Wharf is well located with highly sustainable transport links to the education campuses in Salford and Manchester. It is the perfect location to provide top of the range student accommodation to help meet that need and we believe our plans will make a significant contribution to the continued regeneration of the wider area.”
Simon Gallanders, managing director, Cole Waterhouse residential
In April, Cole Waterhouse exchanged contracts to acquire the Trafford Wharf site from Hilti for an undisclosed sum. As part of the conditional purchase agreement, the planning application is a joint submission with Hilti, which if successful, would see Hilti conclude their involvement in the scheme.
The wider project team includes Project Manager TSA Riley, Quantity Surveyors/Cost Consultant Russell Bolton Consulting, Structural Engineers XO Square, M&E Engineers Watt WECE, and Proximity delivering daylight/sunlight consultancy.
