Manchester house prices

Manchester growth tops all UK cities in skyline analysis

Manchester has been the target of huge regeneration and redevelopment in recent years, and its skyline is almost unrecognizable compared with a decade ago.

In a study looking at the skylines that have grown the most over the past 10 years, the city of Manchester was found to have seen the greatest increase at 37% – well ahead of London’s 18%.

Solomon Investment Partners looked at the tallest buildings across seven of the largest cities in the UK to analyze the pace of growth and look at how many stories were being added through redevelopment.

While nine tallest buildings were found in London – with the Shard of course topping the charts at 310 meters high – Manchester now has a building in tenth position on the list, namely Deansgate Square South Tower which stands at 201 meters tall.

Acceleration in Manchester

The beacon of the northwest, which often competes with Birmingham for the label of the UK’s second city, Manchester has seen a massive amount of investment directed at it in recent years. It also now has one of the strongest property markets in the country in terms of demand.

Many of the buildings that have transformed the city’s skylines have been built or added to over the past few years. Deansgate Square’s arrival in 2018 contributed an additional 622 meters to the skyline from the four buildings, says the report.

It goes on to say: “Residential buildings form the bulk of planned developments for the city, largely positioned around the Deansgate area.

“Trinity Islands is expected to be the biggest of those, should building go ahead, while two 172 metre tall towers named Park Place in Castlefield are also planned for completion in 2026.”

Andrew Ward, managing director at Solomon Investment Partners, adds: “Residential projects, in particular, are really transforming cityscapes across the country, not just in major cities like Manchester and Birmingham, but in smaller cities and towns like Preston and Hull, which are welcoming major investment.”

Where does London stand?

While Manchester has marked itself out as seeing the most growth across its skyline over the past 10 years, London, in second place, is still home to the tallest buildings in the country. In 2012, the height of its top 20 buildings was 3,575, while today it is 4,222 – an 18% increase.

By contrast, though, residential dwellings do not dominate in the capital. Instead, the largest proportion are office buildings, with the tallest ones being found in the City of Canary Wharf.

The report states: “Of those office buildings, only One Canada Square predates 2010, with The Shard has been the tallest building in London, and the UK, for a decade.

“More recent developments such as 22 Bishopsgate and Landmark Pinnacle have continued London’s rising skyline over the past few years, welcoming that 14% increase in height over the decade, a total of 514 metres added to the top 20 tallest London buildings.”

Like Manchester, London has seen the most significant growth over the last four years. This is thanks to the addition of buildings including 22 Bishopsgate, Landmark Pinnacle and Newfoundland.

There’s also a lot more in the pipeline for the capital. “Several proposed and under-construction buildings will enter the top 20 tallest in London over the coming years.

“Consort Place is currently under construction in the Isle of Dogs area of the city and will be 216 meters tall when complete, with a total of 64 floors. That will surpass the likes of One Park Drive, and knock Manchester’s Deansgate Square South Tower outside of the top 10 in the country.”

Birmingham next

In third position in the list is the Midlands city of Birmingham. Its top 20 building height has increased by 8% since 2012, from 1,782 meters to 1,928 metres. But there are plans in the offing that could see the skyline change more dramatically.

“To this day, the BT Tower is the most iconic and recognizable tall structure in the city at 139 meters,” says the report. “However, that will all change over the coming years as planning permission continues to be accepted and the ground continues to be broken.

“That is expected to significantly increase the 8% rise in the tallest buildings over the previous decade as the city continues to expand.”

Self-certified Sophisticated Investor

Please read

I declare that I am a self-certified sophisticated investor for the purposes of the restriction on promotion of non-mainstream pooled investments. I understand that this means:

I am a self-certified sophisticated investor because at least one of the following applies:

I accept that the investments to which the promotions will relate may expose me to a significant risk of losing all of the money or other property invested. I am aware that it is open to me seek advice from someone who specialises in advising on non-mainstream pooled investments.

High Net Worth Investor

Please read

I make this statement so that I can receive promotional communications which are exempt from the restriction on promotion of non-mainstream pooled investments. The exemption relates to certified high net worth investors and I declare that I qualify as such because at least one of the following applies to me:

aerial-view-uk-houses

STAY AHEAD OF THE MARKET

Sign-up for first access to new developments and exclusive property investment opportunities.

We send limited and targeted emails on new launches and exclusive deals which best fit your areas. We are trusted by over 30,000 active buyers as their source for new stock.

  • New property developments
  • Professional market reports
  • Property deal alerts
  • Development updates
UK holiday let

FIRST FOR NEWS AND KNOWLEDGE.

Receive trending news straight to your inbox and stay up to date on all of the property market trends and advice.

Established since 2005 we are a leading voice of authority and commentary on the UK property market. Our news is trusted by Apple News & Google News.

  • UK housing market
  • Mortgage & money
  • Buy-to-let landlords
  • Guides & advice

Talk to us

Speak to our UK property experts today:

 

+44 (0) 333 123 0320

Open from 9am-6pm GMT

 

+852 6699 9008

Open from 9am-6pm HKT