Delivering affordable housing while increasing long-term social value

Islington Wharf Phase 4 Integrated Engineering Design

Delivered through a joint venture between Muse Developments and the Canal & River Trust, Islington Wharf Phase 4 is a landmark residential development in Manchester’s city centre that responds to growing demand for high‑quality living. The scheme comprises 106 homes arranged across two residential towers, forming part of the wider Waterside Places regeneration area. Working as part of the multidisciplinary design team, our engineers provided integrated civil, structural, transport, geo‑environmental, and water services.

Climate resilience was a key consideration from the outset. Our water environment specialists undertook a comprehensive flood risk assessment in line with national planning guidance, assessing all potential sources of flood risk including fluvial, pluvial, groundwater, tidal, and sewer flooding.

Our geo‑environmental and geotechnical teams carried out detailed ground investigations and settlement analysis to enable refinement of the ground model and identification of opportunities to reduce cost and risk. As a result, the need for a suspended ground floor was removed, delivering significant substructure savings while maintaining safety and performance. We also supervised an unexploded ordinance (UXO) study on behalf of the contractor prior to piling, so construction could proceed safely and without delay.

Our civil and structural engineers supported the project from RIBA Stages 2–6, delivering a reinforced concrete frame solution tailored to the building’s height, repetitive layout and residential use. Post‑tensioned floor plates streamlined the structure, reducing material use, construction waste and embodied carbon.

Beyond the built outcome, the project delivered meaningful social value. Over 100 local people were employed during construction, alongside 15 apprentices and trainees, including participants from the PlanBEE initiative that gives local people the opportunity to begin a career in construction.

Across a combined floor area of 7,154 square metres (77,000 square feet), the development includes 33 one‑bed and 73 two‑bed apartments, with more than 50 percent available for shared ownership.