Manchester Life Vesta Street, Manchester
Overview
Manchester Life Development Company adopted the Manchester Residential Quality Guidance to deliver 171 new homes in a distinctive project sympathetic to its surroundings. With an emphasis on place-making, these high quality dwellings offer outstanding city living next to the Ashton Canal.
The scheme comprised of 54 one-bedroom apartments, 98 two-bedroom apartments, eight three-bedroom apartments, five three-bedroom duplexes, three four-bedroom duplexes, three four-bedroom townhouses and parking.
The apartment block offered a central lobby and amenity area at its heart, designed to bring its residents together.
78% Local workforce 
221.5 Apprentice weeks created 
570 Work opportunity weeks 
9 Work experience weeks
Key Challenges
- Working adjacent to the Ashton Canal
- Maintaining access to existing pedestrian routes
- Responding to changes in level between the site, Old Mill Street and the Ashton Canal Basin
- The existing live Electricity North West (ENW) substation and dilapidated building adjacent to it
- Restricted city-centre site working adjacent to several other live developments and occupied residential and commercial premise
Responding to changes in level between the site, Old Mill Street and the Ashton Canal Basin
Added Value
EWC has worked closely with the Client to provide value engineering alternatives which are both cost and time saving and also offer improved quality. An example of this has been the rationalisation of the ground works, which involved additional site investigation and adjustment in levels.
Additionally, EWC suggested an alternative rainscreen, which was investigated through a factory visit and visit to the manufacturer’s showroom to ensure suitability. By altering the modular layout of the scheme, EWC were able to minimise waste and maximise material coverage.
Throughout the build, EWC ensured the use of apprentices, local labour and the local supply chain to deliver this project.