McLaren Property has appointed McLaren Construction Midlands and North as main contractor for its £160m Upper Brook Street student accommodation development in Manchester.
The project is the second major scheme in the city where the two arms of the McLaren group have collaborated, following their work on St Gabriel’s Court.
Early works have already completed, with tower cranes installed, site clearance finished and piling works concluded.
A total of 219 piles have been installed, with slip-form rigs due to be assembled before Christmas to allow the concrete frame to begin early in the new year.
The scheme is being forward funded by Legal & General and will deliver 737 student bedrooms across two blocks of nine and 23 storeys, near the University of Manchester in the Oxford Road Corridor.
The development includes 288 studios and 449 cluster bedrooms, with shared amenities such as a gym, fitness studio, social space and a café.
It will also feature new public realm, including landscaped areas and trees, and a community facility.
The buildings will be constructed using a full concrete frame with fully unitised prefabricated concrete panels incorporating integrated brickwork and windows. Bathroom pods are being supplied off site by Walker Modular.
Completion is scheduled ahead of the 2028 academic year. The project is targeting BREEAM Excellent, EPC A and Platinum Wired Score ratings.
Social value commitments will be delivered in partnership with community groups and the Salvation Army, according to the client.
Source: McLaren Property press release
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Colin Marrs