ONE Castlefield
welcome
We are pleased to present our proposals for One Castlefield, a landmark new residential development that would bring a long-vacant brownfield site back into use.
Below you’ll find out more about our plans and how you can provide your feedback.
About us
This project is being brought forward by Allied London Development Management on behalf of Chatha Capital.
Introducing Allied London
Allied London is an award-winning UK property development and investment company specialising in the creation of landmark mixed-use developments, buildings and urban environments. Operating across London, Manchester and Leeds, they prioritise thoughtful design and long-term stewardship, aiming to integrate new developments seamlessly into existing communities.
Through an integrated approach that brings together development, design, investment and operational expertise, Allied London delivers places that combine workspace, residential, hospitality, retail, leisure and cultural uses. Its work is centred on placemaking, creating distinctive, sustainable neighbourhoods that support modern urban life and evolving ways of working, living and socialising.
The Site
The One Castlefield site is bound by Trentham Street, Ellesmere Street, Castlefield Locks, the elevated railway line, and a small area of the Bridgewater Canal.
The site was previously occupied by office and industrial units, but was cleared for development back in 2021. Since then, it has sat vacant and makes limited use of its prominent location. Our proposals offer an opportunity to revitalise this prominent location, providing new homes and enhancing the public realm, contributing to the wider area's vibrancy.
AERIAL OF THE SITE
A well-connected, sustainable site
The site enjoys excellent connectivity. It is located next to Cornbrook tram stop, which provides direct access to all Metrolink lines linking the site with Trafford, Manchester city centre and wider Greater Manchester.
Established walking and cycling routes, including those along the Bridgewater Canal, provide convenient and attractive links to nearby neighbourhoods and green spaces.
Images of the site
The Bigger Picture
Manchester continues to evolve, with ongoing efforts to provide new homes and foster sustainable growth. One Castlefield offers a chance to sensitively redevelop a vacant brownfield site, delivering high-quality residential accommodation.
The development would make an important contribution to Manchester’s housing supply, helping to meet ongoing demand for homes in this highly sustainable location while enhancing the local environment. Viability assessments will be carried out to determine whether affordable housing can be delivered as part of the scheme.
Development Context
One Castlefield is situated in an area of exciting growth and investment. Several significant developments have come forward in the vicinity in recent years. These include:
No.1 Cornbrook:
A 24 storey building with homes, aparthotel studios and commercial space.
Gallery Gardens:
A residential led scheme of two buildings ranging from 8 to 18 storeys, delivering 366 new homes alongside commercial uses.
River Gardens:
A major mixed use development featuring four towers between 39 and 60 storeys, providing around 1,950 new homes and commercial space.
Our proposals for One Castlefield will bring forward the final undeveloped parcel within the wider St George’s regeneration masterplan, helping to complete the area’s long-term transformation.
Planning History
The site benefits from an extant planning permission granted in 2017 for homes alongside commercial and leisure uses. While demolition works established the principle of development, construction never commenced. Since then, changes to building safety regulations, including the Building Safety Act 2022, have significantly altered the requirements and costs associated with delivering high-rise residential development.
A Refreshed Approach
Our proposals build on the previously approved scheme, responding to changes in regulations, market conditions and housing needs. Through detailed technical analysis, the design has been refined to make more efficient use of the site, improve public spaces and resident amenities, and create a distinctive landmark for Cornbrook while carefully considering its relationship with neighbouring buildings.
Our proposals
The proposals for One Castlefield include approximately 593 new homes, offering a range of apartment types to contribute to Manchester’s diverse housing needs. Split between a 46 storey building and a c.8 storey building, our focus is on creating well-designed, high-quality living spaces.
The development will incorporate a thoughtfully designed range of amenities for residents, fostering wellbeing and a sense of community within the buildings.
The housing mix includes a majority of one and two-bedroom apartments, alongside a number of three and four-bedroom homes. This mix aims to provide choice and flexibility, contributing to the diverse housing options available in the area.
Site Layout
Tower building
172
1-bedroom apartments.
258
2-bedroom apartments.
6
3-bedroom apartments.
Low-rise building
26
1-bedroom apartments.
98
2-bedroom apartments.
20
3-bedroom apartments.
13
4-bedroom apartments.
CGI OF THE PROPOSALS
Supporting Sustainable Travel
We are strongly committed to promoting sustainable travel. The development has been designed to reduce reliance on private cars and encourage lower carbon travel choices. Key features include:
Excellent access to public transport, with Cornbrook Metrolink stop located just 100 metres from the site
42
Car parking spaces, equating to 7.2% of the total homes
388
Secure cycle parking spaces
4
EV charging spaces
Design
The proposals for One Castlefield comprise two buildings of c.8 and 46 storeys, creating a distinctive landmark for this prominent site adjacent to Cornbrook.
The variation in height has been carefully designed to respond to the surrounding context, maximise natural light and views, and integrate positively into Manchester's evolving skyline.
Detailed visual impact assessments have informed the design, including consideration of nearby residential areas, key viewpoints and the setting of heritage assets, including the Castlefield Conservation Area.
CGI OF THE PROPOSALS
LANDSCAPIng
The proposed landscape strategy aims to create attractive and welcoming spaces around the development, enhancing the public realm and providing green amenities for both residents and the wider Castlefield neighbourhood. New courtyards, and green spaces have been carefully designed to encourage movement, social interaction, and a strong sense of community.
Our landscape design incorporates extensive tree planting, shrubs, sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), and biodiverse planting to significantly enhance the site's ecological value. This will contribute to softening the building's appearance, improving the local microclimate, providing shade, supporting the city’s tree canopy, and creating new habitats for local wildlife.
LanDscape masterplan
Landscape precedents
HAVE YOUR SAY
The consultation on our plans will be open until Sunday 5 July 2026.
As part of our consultation, we’re keen to hear your views on our plans. If you would like to provide feedback, you can do so by filling our
online questionnaire.
Alternatively, you can tell us your views or ask any questions via email: info@onecastlefield.com
Come and meet the team
As part of our consultation, we are holding a public drop-in session. This will be an opportunity to find out more about our plans, speak to members of the project team and provide your feedback. You can find us at:
Venue: Makers Quarter (16 Worrall Street, M5 4TH)
Date: Thursday 18 June
Time: 4:00 pm – 6:30 pm
NEXT STEPS
Once the consultation closes, we will carefully review all feedback received and use it to refine our proposals. Following the review, we will finalise the proposals and submit a planning application to Manchester City Council.
Subject to planning approval, we anticipate starting work on site in 2026.
Thank you for taking the time to engage with our proposals.