Iconic office development, Four New Bailey, which has been pre-let to telecommunications giant, BT Group, has reached its highest point of construction, with the future occupier, city mayor of Salford, Paul Dennett and The English Cities Fund (ECF) all gathering to celebrate the milestone.
Once complete, the building will become an integral part of New Bailey’s commercial core, which, since One New Bailey launched six years ago, has become the bustling epicentre of the wider 50-acre, £1bn Salford Central regeneration.
Four New Bailey, which provides, 175,000 sq ft of prime, Grade A office accommodation, offers space for up to 2,000 BT colleagues.
BT Group employees more than 9,700 people in the North West, and generates a £1,710 million boost for the region’s economy. It is also responsible for generated £1 in every £160 across the North West.
The innovative office space at New Bailey will provide BT with exceptional communal facilities throughout the building for colleagues, right up to the roof terrace where they will be able to enjoy panoramic views across the city.
During the event, the BT team took to the rooftop, alongside ECF and the city mayor, who has frequently shown his support for the masterplan and praised ECF for bringing both residential and commercial life back into the area.
Phil Mayall, director at ECF, said: “It was great to have the city mayor and partners join us on site to celebrate the topping out of Four New Bailey, which is certainly a cause for celebration and we look forward to welcoming BT to New Bailey when the building opens.
“Together with the council, we’re continuing to deliver the Salford Central story at scale and pace, with 20 phases delivered in just nine years. We’re another step closer to completing the wider 50-acre masterplan, which has provided real benefits for the Salford community.
Brent Mathews, BT Group Property Director, said: “Our new Manchester base will continue the expansion of our Better Workplace Programme and make sure we are providing our colleagues with state-of-the-art buildings which they can be proud of.
“This milestone marks a key step on our journey in bringing together colleagues in the heart of Manchester and reaffirms our commitment to the region, which remains vitally important in our work to keep the country connected.”
Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett said: “The topping out of Four New Bailey is great news for the city. “The construction phases in the area have provided jobs as well training opportunities for local people to get involved with.
“The area has now been totally transformed with prime office space and first-class high-quality facilities for people to work in as well as the high-quality public realm. I look forward to welcoming the 2,000 workers who will be based in the building to Salford, and I hope they are looking forward to starting work here.”
Four New Bailey was designed by renowned architect, Make, and will feature an exposed lattice frame, influenced by the bridges along the River Irwell where the scheme sits. The building’s striking design is unlike any other in the city, adding to New Bailey’s eclectic mix of unique and exciting commercial developments. The building is being constructed by Bowmer and Kirkland.
The English Cities Fund, a joint venture between Muse Developments, Legal & General and Homes England, is currently delivering some of the most complex and most successful urban regeneration projects across the UK. Following the fund’s expansion in 2018, it continues to take on large-scale, challenging sites and create inspiring new places.
