St. George's
Island -
Castlefield The George Island apartments
sit on a promentary of land close to the Mancunian Way in
Castlefield. This is the point where the Hulme Locks Junction
Canal once formed an important connection between the Bridgewater Canal
and the River Irwell / Manchester Ship Canal.
 The canal, that was only 200
meters in length, opened in 1938 but is in
a state of decline today. A new lock built in 1995, in the
vicinity of
Pamona Dock Number 3, has replaced it.
 A small basin sits in the middle of the canal between the locks.   The complex includes 5 apartment buildings set within almost two acres land between the Railway Viaduct and the canal. A footbridge and a road bridge provide access onto the site.
The architectural practice of
John McAslan and Partners designed the complex for the developers
Dandara. McAslan's website describes the development as follows, "The five towers, which step down from fifteen to eight storeys, have been composed to maximise daylight for each of the residential units whilst minimising over-looking. The manner in which the buildings sit on the site – ‘anchored’ into the urban grain at the southern end of the island and fanning out northwards – also makes best use of land and creates an irregular landscape to what would otherwise have been an uncompromising grid."
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