Trinity Islands, Manchester

Trinity Island
Vista River Gardens (left) and Trinity Heights (right) under construction, January 2025
Trinity Islands, Manchester is located in Greater Manchester
Trinity Islands, Manchester
Location within Greater Manchester
Former namesTrinity Islands
General information
StatusTrinity Heights: topped out
Vista River Gardens: completed
TypeResidential
LocationWater Street, Manchester, England
Construction started
2022 (Vista River Gardens and Trinity Heights)
Estimated completion
2026 (Vista River Gardens)
2026 (Trinity Heights)
Cost£741 million
OwnerStarlight Investments (Trinity Heights)
Height
RoofTrinity Heights: 183 m (600 ft)
Vista River Gardens: 169 m (555 ft)
Technical details
Floor countTrinity Heights: 60
Vista River Gardens: 55
Design and construction
ArchitectSimpsonHaugh
DeveloperRenaker
Structural engineer
WSP
Other information
Number of units1,016

Trinity Island (formerly part of the wider Trinity Islands scheme) is a residential skyscraper cluster under construction in Manchester, England. The original proposal comprised four towers across two sites collectively known as Trinity Islands; the first site is now the singular Trinity Island, while the second has been rebranded as St John's Waterside. Trinity Island consists of two towers between 55 and 60 storeys: Trinity Heights at 183 metres (600 ft) and Vista River Gardens at 169 m (555 ft). Designed by SimpsonHaugh, the development includes 1,016 apartments with a total build cost of £741 million. The second site, St John's Waterside, also comprises two towers, with construction of the first, West Gate, beginning in May 2026.

In January 2026, the 60‑storey Trinity Heights topped out and became the second-tallest building in Greater Manchester, overtaking both Vista River Gardens and Beetham Tower.

History

Original proposal

The project began when the original developer Allied London proposed five towers on the site, with the tallest – at 67 storeys – reaching a height of 213 m (699 ft). If built, this tower would have overtaken Deansgate Square South Tower to be the tallest building in Greater Manchester, as well as the tallest building in the United Kingdom outside London. The scheme would have delivered around 1,390 homes, costing approximately £1.3 billion. This development was approved by Manchester City Council in July 2017.

Revised proposal

The site was subsequently sold to developer Renaker in 2018 for £13.4 million, who redesigned the scheme and lodged an application for four towers containing 1,950 apartments with Manchester City Council in December 2021. Planning approval was obtained in February 2022.

Construction

Construction of the first tower, Vista River Gardens at Trinity Island (formerly Building D2) (169 m (555 ft)), began in 2022. The building topped out in August 2025, with completion expected in 2026.

Construction of the second tower, Building D1 (183 m (600 ft)), also began in 2022. The tower topped out in January 2026 and was officially named Trinity Heights, becoming the second-tallest building in Greater Manchester.

Sale to Starlight

In November 2024, the Canadian real estate investment and asset management company Starlight Investments bought Trinity Heights from Renaker.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Whelan, Dan (21 November 2024). "Starlight acquires 100 storeys in Greater Manchester from Renaker in £500m deal". Place North West. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  2. 1 2 Whelan, Dan (16 December 2021). "Renaker tables £741m Trinity Islands proposal". Place North West. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  3. ↑ "Trinity Islands". Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  4. 1 2 Whelan, Dan (21 January 2026). "Renaker tops out 60-storey Manchester skyscraper for Starlight". Place North West. Retrieved 27 January 2026.
  5. ↑ Morby, Aaron (14 March 2017). "Plans in for Manchester £1.3bn vertical village towers". Construction Enquirer. Archived from the original on 4 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  6. ↑ Owen, Jonathan (25 July 2017). "Manchester's tallest tower set for green light". Building Design. Archived from the original on 12 December 2024. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  7. ↑ "Trinity Islands". Child Graddon Lewis. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Approval dates". Child Graddon Lewis. Archived from the original on 3 August 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2017.
  9. ↑ Schouten, Charlie (2 October 2018). "Renaker buys Trinity Islands from Allied London". Place North West. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "Trinity Islands". SimpsonHaugh. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  11. ↑ "Planning Application Summary 132429/FO/2021". Manchester City Council. Retrieved 29 January 2025.
  12. ↑ Tague, Neil (17 February 2022). "Trinity Islands sails through planning". Place North West. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Vista River Gardens". Renaker. Retrieved 26 July 2023.
  14. ↑ "Trinity Islands Building D2". Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  15. ↑ "Trinity Islands Building D1". Skyscraper Center. Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat. Retrieved 28 August 2025.

53°28′35″N 2°15′42″W / 53.4765°N 2.2618°W / 53.4765; -2.2618