Partners join policyholders to celebrate New Victoria topping out

Partners and pension policyholders got together on site at New Victoria in Manchester to celebrate over 500 Build-to-Rent apartments reaching the highest point in construction. 

We joined funder Pension Insurance Corporation plc (PIC), contractor VINCI, Manchester City Council, Homes England and some of PIC’s policyholders for a ‘topping out’ ceremony to mark the milestone. 

Regenerating a former surface car park, once considered unviable due to a Victorian culvert running under the site, New Victoria showcases what’s possible through close collaboration between a long-term investor, developer, contractor and the local authority. 

Once complete, New Victoria will offer 520 apartments alongside a state-of-the-art gym, communal lounges, cycle storage and a rooftop garden, right next to Victoria Station. 

Over the course of construction, more than £40 million has gone directly into Greater Manchester’s economy through local employment, businesses and material sourcing. 99.5% of waste at the site has been recycled, reused, or disposed of in more environmentally friendly ways, so avoiding landfill. 

David Burkinshaw, development director, said: 

Tracy Blackwell, CEO at PIC, said: “We’re incredibly proud to mark the topping out of our first Build-to-Rent development. Not only has this development incorporated leading design features including on safety and environmental standards, it has also seen the creation of considerable social value through jobs and education.” 

New Victoria has been supported by Network Rail, Manchester City Council and Homes England.