We Can Do the Whole Journey | Howard Lord Talks to Insider
News
Our founder, Howard Lord, recently spoke to Insider Media about the journey behind CERT Property,
Manchester City Council’s planning committee granted us permission for our BTR scheme in New Cross, following an unanimous vote.
We’re working with the family office of local entrepreneur Oliver Cookson to deliver this £28m scheme. Currently a disused car park on Cross Keys Street, in the New Cross district, the approved plans include 104 thoughtfully designed BTR one and two-bedroom apartments and townhouses, some with terraces. The development will also feature a new public courtyard, a communal lounge, and a rooftop garden for residents, designed by Tim Groom Architects.
We’re delighted to receive resounding approval from Manchester, and we are looking forward now to the next steps to bring this scheme forward with our partner Oliver Cookson and his team.
We’ve worked closely with Tim Groom Architects to design a scheme that complements the surrounding neighbourhood and delivers a high-quality external design along with high-quality, tech-enabled apartments for the rental market. With a lighter touch to its amenity provision than many other BTR schemes coming forward, balancing these elements allows us to offer a more accessible BTR option to the Manchester rental market, while still providing a high-quality living environment and experience for residents.
The site was first developed in the early 19th century, becoming the Royal Lancastrian School, and is located alongside our Peelers Yard development, an 81-unit BTR apartment project on the historic 1800s police station site on Goulden Street. Both projects are backed by MyProtein founder Oliver Cookson, and upon completion, both schemes will be operated by our in-house property management team.
Oliver Cookson comments: “Manchester has always held a special place in my heart as my hometown, and I’m thrilled to continue investing in its future through this transformative project. Working alongside CERT, we’re not just building high-quality homes; we’re contributing to the evolution of a vibrant community in the heart of the city. I’m excited to see how this development will add to Manchester’s ever-growing landscape and provide accessible, high-quality living options for its residents.”
The wider project team includes: We Are Incognito for interior design, Layer.studio as the landscape architect, Enabl advising on the planning consultancy and acting as the quantity surveyor, Civic Engineers as the structural engineers, and Novo as the M&E engineer for the scheme.
