The contractor has been named for the task of constructing a trio of new towers in a major residential scheme that will revive a largely run-down part of the city. 

Far East Consortium (FEC) has appointed CR Construction (UK) to build the three towers at Victoria Riverside on the banks of the River Irk, a site on the edge of the city centre close to Victoria Station. It forms a key part of the city council’s Victoria North project, which aims to deliver 4,000 new homes over the next 15 years.

The installation of curtain walling in Manchester has been a common activity over recent years as a plethora of tall buildings have risen up, although the very highest have been at the western end of the city centre, such as the Beetham Tower and the nearby Deansgate Square cluster. 

However, attention has been increasingly focused on the north and east fringes of the city, with developments such as the Green Quarter by Cheetham Hill Road, Noma and Angel Gardens – the latter with a skyscraper apartment block at its heart – providing new areas of growth.

Announcing the appointment of CR Construction’s contract, FEC’s commercial director Anthony Payne said: “We’re hugely excited to start bringing to life the vision for Victoria North with this landmark development that will bring additional green living to Manchester city centre.”

FEC is involved in several projects covering the various neighbourhoods in the wider Northern Gateway regeneration project, which covers an area stretching up the Irk Valley from Victoria to Smedley via Collyhurst.

Victoria Riverside will be part of the redevelopment of the Red Bank area, one of seven districts in the scheme. Like neighbouring New Town and New Cross it will consist mainly of apartment developments, while other areas are more focused on family homes and expanding access to green areas, especially parkland as the riverside area is opened up.