Domis Construction has completed Waterhouse Gardens, a landmark £195 million residential led development on the historic former Boddingtons Brewery site in Manchester.
Delivered in partnership with Salboy, Waterhouse Gardens marks Domis Construction’s largest project to date, bringing 556 new homes, 30,000 sq ft of commercial space and a major new amenity led neighbourhood to one of Manchester city centre’s most important regeneration locations.
Located on Great Ducie Street, just minutes from Victoria Station, AO Arena, the Northern Quarter and Manchester’s wider commercial and cultural core, the completed development transforms a long underused brownfield site into a vibrant new city centre address. Once home to the iconic Boddingtons Brewery, the site now connects Manchester’s industrial heritage with its next chapter of urban living.
Spread across five distinctive buildings, including a 26 storey tower, Waterhouse Gardens delivers a mix of high specification apartments, duplexes and penthouses. At ground level, the scheme introduces a new public avenue and commercial promenade, designed to create an active, walkable neighbourhood with space for independent food, drink, retail, leisure and lifestyle operators.
Waterhouse Gardens is already becoming a lived in neighbourhood. The first residents moved into Phase One in 2025, gaining access to The Waterhouse Club, a residents only amenity hub featuring a 2,500 sq ft gym, swimming pool, spa facilities, steam room, sauna, cold plunge, sports court, cinema room, private dining space, co working areas, games room, landscaped gardens and concierge support.
The commercial offer is also beginning to take shape, with Ancoats born Lucky Ramen confirmed as the first named tenant at Waterhouse Gardens. The restaurant is set to open its third Manchester location within Encore, the development’s commercial hub, helping to establish the new neighbourhood as a destination for residents, visitors and the wider city.
For Domis Construction, the completion represents a major delivery milestone on a complex, city centre regeneration site. The project required detailed planning, careful coordination and the ability to maintain progress across multiple buildings and work fronts, while managing the logistical challenges of a constrained urban site and significant changes in level.
Tony Lindley, Project Director of Waterhouse Gardens reflects: “After more than 25+ completed projects in my 30-year career, I can honestly say Waterhouse Gardens ranks number one for me. It has been 160 weeks on a highly challenging, tiered city centre site, with five towers ranging from 10 storey to 26 storey, amenity spaces and 5 large commercial units. It has been a challenge due to the major level changes and countless moving parts to coordinate, but the team has delivered it with real commitment and pride.
This project is a true trophy in the cabinet for everyone involved. The workforce has been outstanding, the site team has been incredibly close, and that togetherness has carried us through every challenge. To deliver a scheme of this scale and quality for Salboy, and to now see residents living here, is a very proud moment personally and professionally.”
The scheme was delivered by Domis Construction with the support of wider Domis Group partners, bringing together specialist capability from across the Group. Wright Landscapes supported the external works and landscaping, Matic Building Services delivered the mechanical and electrical package, NOVO supported MEP design and compliance, Casana Interiors contributed to the interiors delivery, and Domis Utilities supported the project’s utilities infrastructure.
This integrated delivery model reflects the strength of The Domis Group’s approach, combining main contracting expertise with in house specialist services to support the successful completion of large scale, technically complex residential projects.
Kingsley Thornton, Managing Director of The Domis Group added: “Waterhouse Gardens is a hugely significant project for Domis, not only because it is our biggest project to date, but because of what it represents for Manchester. This is a site with real history, now transformed into a new neighbourhood that will bring homes, amenity, public realm and commercial space to an important part of the city centre.
“Delivering a scheme of this scale for Salboy has taken a sensational effort from across The Domis Group and our supply chain partners. From construction and MEP to utilities, landscaping, design and interiors, every part of the team has played its role in bringing this masterplan to life.
“Salboy and Betfred continue to play an active role in Manchester’s growth, and it has been a privilege to help deliver their vision for Waterhouse Gardens. As a Manchester City fan, I know a thing or two about watching a team come together to build something special, and that is exactly what has happened here. This project is a landmark moment for Domis, but more importantly, it is another major step forward for the city.”
As Domis Construction’s largest completed project to date, Waterhouse Gardens stands as a major contribution to Manchester’s continued growth. More than a residential development, it is a new neighbourhood shaped around community, amenity, public realm and the regeneration of a site that has played a defining role in the city’s history.
From a former brewery site to a complete new city centre destination, Waterhouse Gardens marks another major step in Domis Construction’s delivery of high quality, high impact residential schemes across the North West.
