The city is currently ranked seventh, but a wave of approved and planned schemes could lift Manchester to being the fourth tallest city in Europe, with more than 200 towers over 50 metres
Manchester is set to become the fourth tallest city in Europe according to Barbour’s High Rise Construction Market Report, which identifies 26 buildings over 100 metres tall, with 10 over 150 metres, up from just four over 100 metres in 2017.
Manchester itself has seen significant growth over the last decade, with its local economy performing twice as well as the UK’s as a whole at 3.1% annual growth.
Manchester high-rise projects include:
Commercial and retail projects in planning:
- Manchester Innovation District Sister Plot C (£162m) – a joint partnership between the University of Manchester and Bruntwood SciTech to create a flagship flexible working space with civic square
- Colloco St John’s Campus (£140m) – 16-storey office building
- CIS Tower (£100m) – 30 storey office refurbishment
- Alberton House (£80m) – office and restaurant development over 18 storeys
- NXQ Building (£29m) – on Lever Street
- Astley House and Byrom House (£16m) – on Quay Street
Three significant hotels in the pipeline:
- Hotel Picadilly (£78m) – 34-storey hotel with rooftop bar and sedum roof
- Cornbrook Hub Manchester Waters (£75m) – 24-storey including 88 apartments
- Great Ancoats Street (£15.7m) – 20-storey 154-bedroom hotel
The majority of the residential developments in planning are for flats and apartments including three developments of over 70 storeys:
- Viadux Phase 2 (£600m) – 915 apartments in a 76-storey tower (a 2-year project starting in May 2026)
- Great Ancoats Street (£241m) – incoportates 758 apartments in a 75 storey tower (not due to start until April 2027 with delivery expected November 2030)
- The Lighthouse (£234m) – 642 apartments in a 71 storey tower on Great Jackson Street (scheduled for completion in May 2029)
The report findings follow a wave of Good Growth investment
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham recently announced a swathe of investments from the GM Good Growth Fund, as well as increased government investment bringing the fund’s total to nearly £2bn.
The investments include £420m for new homes, infrastructure and industry, £314m of transport investment and £85m for new housing schemes.
The city also launched a bid to host the Ryder Cup in 2035, creating a new purpose-built golf course in Hulton Park, Bolton and £69.8m in supporting infrastructure.
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