A recently launched Build to Rent development spanning two towers in MediaCityUK is supporting a local charity’s attempts to create a greener Greater Manchester. 

The region is set to become more eco-friendly as a result of almost 300 trees being planted at Duet Salford Quays. Duet opened its doors in February this year, with 270 luxury residential apartments on offer.

One tree will be planted for each of the 270 residents as they move into the building, helping to both offset carbon emissions and help re-invigorate Greater Manchester’s landscape.

Duet was delivered by Moorfield Group, the UK real estate private equity manager which has signed up to the City of Trees initiative through its ‘More. Superenting’ brand.

Each tree planted will capture an estimated 135kg of carbon over a 30-year period in Greater Manchester, providing a substantial contribution to the preservation of the local environment.

As each resident moves into Duet, they will be presented ‘with a City of Trees certificate and keyring to remind them of the positive work and contribution that has been made to making Greater Manchester greener on their behalf’.

The planting is being arranged in partnership with tree planting movement, City of Trees, which is aiming to help Greater Manchester become a greener place, as well as contributing to the region becoming carbon neutral by 2038. As of now, the initiative has seen over 459,929 trees planted across the city.

City of Trees believes that trees are an essential tool in addressing the current climate emergency. As such, it specialises in looking at strategies in which trees can be used to adapt urban areas, making them more resilient to a range of environmental challenges including air quality, flood risk and extreme heat. 

Dougie Orton-Wade, general manager at Duet Salford Quays, said: “The City of Trees movement makes a fantastic contribution to helping create a greener Greater Manchester. The reason we decided to pledge to this movement was to give something back to the community in which our residents call home. We couldn’t think of a better way to do this than to plant and help conserve green spaces and contribute towards improving air quality in the region, for current and future generations to benefit from.”

He added: “As our community here at Duet continues to grow, we will endeavour to support further green initiatives which will allow us to give back to the community and improve life in Greater Manchester.”

The premium apartment towers located near MediaCityUK are 15 storeys tall and have quickly become the latest addition to the Greater Manchester skyline. The scheme was delivered by Moorfield Group on behalf of funds under management, working with developer Glenbrook Property. It is professionally managed by Allsop, a specialist rental operator.

Duet is the most recent ‘More.’ BTR scheme delivered by Moorfield, following on from The Trilogy on Ellesmere Street in Manchester, which opened in April 2019 and is now fully occupied. It also opened The Forge in Newcastle in September 2018.

The scheme sits right at the heart of Salford Quays and is just a few minutes’ walk from MediaCityUK, a 200-acre mixed-use development on the banks of the Manchester Ship Canal which calls itself an international hub for technology, innovation and creativity.

It plays host to the BBC, ITV, Ericsson, dock10 and Kellogg’s, as well as more than 250 smaller media and digital businesses.