From the hills of the West Pennine Moors, Manchester's skyline has begun to resemble major American cities like Chicago or Dallas, as construction cranes work around the clock to build the latest skyscrapers. A new generation of city dwellers is being encouraged to rent or buy apartments in these towering structures, as urban living becomes increasingly popular across the region.
However, residents and officials are raising questions about whether this high-rise boom might repeat the mistakes of the past. People of a certain age will remember the 1960s and 1970s when Manchester's Hulme area was home to the Crescents, which at the time was the largest public housing development in Europe, housing more than 13,000 people. These buildings were supposed to be the solution to aging slums that were rightfully deemed unfit for human habitation.
Despite their initial promise, the Crescents were plagued by construction errors and antisocial behavior. Demolition of these properties began in 1993, just 21 years after they were built. Similarly, the Seven Sisters development in Old Trafford, constructed in the 1960s, finally met its end in 2013. Following these failures, a much more nuanced approach to new housing development became evident, with many new townhouses being built in cities like Manchester and Salford.
Yet the ongoing pressure for affordable housing across the UK means apartment blocks are often viewed as the most practical solution. While no one is suggesting that Manchester's current crop of high-rise buildings will face the same issues or suffer the same fate, concerns are being raised at the planning level. At a recent Trafford planning committee meeting, one councilor questioned whether such high-rises were suitable, particularly for young families.
This discussion arose during consideration of a development proposal for 382 build-to-rent apartments and 412 studio apartments on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal, near the Victoria Warehouse venue. The application was ultimately approved by committee members. However, Councilor James Wright, who was until recently the council's executive member for housing, expressed reservations about the project. "The report says the development is broadly compliant with accommodation for families," he said. "I'm not entirely convinced that a high-rise block of apartments next door to student accommodation would necessarily be perfect for families to move into."
Other colleagues disagreed and praised the plans for two towers reaching up to 18 and 24 stories high. A planning officer clearly disagreed with Councilor Wright's assessment, stating that such developments were considered highly suitable for families.
Local residents have mixed feelings about the high-rise trend. Georgie Grzesiak, 51, who runs the newly-opened Connect Cafe at the Christian Life Centre on Barton Road in Stretford, has vivid memories of visiting the Seven Sisters development as a child. "I was only very young, but my mom would let me go out and play," she recalled. "She had no idea where I was. I think that's a worry for people living in these skyscrapers. Where can the children play, and if they do go out, how can parents keep an eye on their children to make sure they're safe? It would worry me to death. Are we revisiting the sins of the past by building more of these? That's my question."
Emma Etheridge, 37, who lives in a new-build waterside apartment development in Stretford, shared her observations: "In my block there are three families and I would say they are overcrowded. Hulme was the epitome of the high-rise building culture and they ended up pulling it down." Her experience highlights ongoing concerns about whether modern high-rise developments can adequately serve family needs.
Barry Comar, 74, who remembers living in high-rise student accommodation at Lancaster University in the 1970s, offered a nuanced perspective. "The views were spectacular," he said. "I wouldn't mind living in one now, but I might struggle to get up the stairs. If I was physically capable or the block had a lift that didn't break down, it would be fine. But for young families, it's not such a good idea. Children need fresh air and open space."
Rosemary Greene, 64, who lives in Old Trafford and gave up a council house to live in an apartment, agreed with concerns about family suitability. "For families it's not suitable. Where would children play? There's also not enough doctors' surgeries, shops and open space to cope with the people that are living in these high-rises," she said, pointing to infrastructure concerns that extend beyond the buildings themselves.
However, some residents view the proliferation of skyscraper residential blocks as inevitable. Philip Kruger, 55, described the trend as a necessary response to population growth. "The only way to go is high rises. It's better than lots of green fields being swallowed up by more housing," he explained. "When I take a trip abroad and I fly out of Manchester, I see all these green fields. It would be awful to see them disappear. We need green fields so that farmers can function. I think the way farmers are being treated is disgraceful."
Bruce Reynolds, 82, offered a practical perspective on the housing numbers game. "On Barton Road there must be about 80 apartments but they are all empty. The government says they are going to build 1.5 million homes. On the footprint of a high rise, you can build about four houses, but they can put up a high rise with hundreds of apartments. So you can sort of understand it," he said, acknowledging the mathematical logic behind high-density development.
For some current high-rise residents, the reality of apartment living has been disappointing. Jane, 29, who has a two-year-old child and has lived in a high-rise block for a year, shared her frustrations: "I've had all sorts of problems with the heating and electricity failing. Getting these issues sorted out when you're renting is a real pain. I'd much rather be living at ground level in a small house. You can keep your skyscrapers and your landlord's management fees." Her experience illustrates the practical challenges that can make high-rise living particularly difficult for families with young children.
