City's tallest tower homeowners object to skyscrapers

Deansgate Square South Tower flat-owners have submitted letters of objection over the plans for Contour, shown here as an artists' impression

Homeowners in Manchester’s tallest building are objecting to the construction of four new towers next door.

Deansgate Square South Tower, which stands at 200m (656ft), opened in 2018, and the developers behind it, Renaker, are continuing with plans for the area which has been earmarked as "skyscraper district" by the council.

But neighbours are unhappy, citing loss of daylight and privacy as some of their concerns.

They have submitted letters of objection over the plan to build two 47 and two 51-storey skyscrapers on land currently used as padel courts and car parking, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Renaker has been contacted for a comment.

The project is called Contour, and aims to provide "luxury living for people who appreciate detail".

It will offer a dog spa, virtual driving range and podcast studio.

If approved, the towers will be called Contour and will offer a dog spa, virtual driving range and podcast studio

Renaker's latest proposal is called phase three, and would include "four residential buildings, providing a mix of one, two and three-bed properties" alongside "a two-storey colonnade surrounding new public square, with residential towers anchoring each corner of the square", according to the planning application.

There would also be commercial units at the ground floor, and a three-storey underground car park with 483 car parking spaces and 1,746 cycle spaces, one for every flat in phase three.

A template of the South Tower residents' objection letter shared on social media names their concerns as an increase in traffic, crime and anti-social behaviour, loss of daylight, and privacy, the LDRS said.

'Housing crisis'

However, Deansgate ward Councillor Marcus Johns said he would not stand in the way of the application after "carefully considering" the concerns of neighbouring residents which has been raised with him.

Some of the concerns, he said, were also applicable to Deansgate Square South Tower.

"I did not object to those homes being built then, and I have yet to see sufficient overall evidence why I should object to someone else’s future home here now."

He said he had raised his desire for on-site affordable housing to be included with the council, adding: “The UK faces a housing crisis that Manchester is on a mission to help fix with the council’s strategy for 36,000 new homes,10,000 affordable, by 2032."