McCrory Brickwork

Project 1: One Port Street

Location: Manchester

Brick Manufacturers: Michelmersh Brick Holdings PLC / Other

Brick Names: Porcelain White / Crest Buckingham Multi

Architect: Simpson Haugh

Project 2: No.1 Ancoats Green

Location: Manchester

Brick Manufacturer: wienerberger Ltd

Brick Name: New Red Multi Gilt Stock

Architect: Buttress

McCrory Brickwork Ltd has established itself as one of the UK’s leading specialist brickwork subcontractors, delivering high quality masonry packages across residential, commercial, industrial, heritage and infrastructure sectors since 1993. Built on long-standing relationships, repeat business and a reputation for consistency, the company continues to grow while maintaining a strong focus on craftsmanship, quality assurance, health and safety, and developing the next generation of skilled tradespeople.

Quality assurance is embedded throughout every stage of project delivery. McCrory Brickwork holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 accreditations alongside Constructionline Gold, CHAS and Achilles memberships. Across all projects, we utilise the Fieldview digital management platform to record inspections, quality checks and photographic evidence in real time. This has significantly strengthened our ability to adhere to the principles of the Golden Thread, particularly around critical installations such as cavity fire barriers, while ensuring full traceability and accountability throughout the build process.

Health and safety remains a core part of the company culture. McCrory takes a proactive, people first approach to site safety, supported by dedicated in house health and safety management, regular workforce engagement and ongoing training. We believe strong communication and close relationships with our workforce are key to maintaining high standards on site. This approach continues to support an excellent safety record across a large directly employed workforce operating on complex projects throughout the UK.

Training and skills development are central to McCrory’s long term vision for the industry. We currently employ six apprentices within McCrory Brickwork, including a PlanBEE apprentice, with five apprentices actively enrolled onto the newly launched McCrory Strong Foundations Scheme. The initiative has been designed to provide a more structured and supportive apprenticeship experience, combining technical development with personal wellbeing support. Every apprentice is assigned both a dedicated brickwork mentor and a personal mentor, ensuring support is available not only on site, but also through college and personal development challenges. What makes the scheme unique is the close collaboration between McCrory, the apprentice and the college, creating a wrap-around approach where everyone works towards the same goals and standards and the apprentices feel their development is prioritised.

McCrory has also continued to support wider industry pathways through its partnership with the PlanBEE Manchester programme since 2022, helping provide young people with real experience across live construction projects. This has already led to successful long-term career opportunities within the business for former PlanBEE apprentices.

McCrory continues to invest heavily in long term training and structured career development. Alongside bricklaying apprenticeships, we support multiple progression routes including Level 4 apprenticeships and university day release programmes in disciplines such as management, marketing, quantity surveying and construction management. Developing people from within remains a major part of the company culture, with 19.4% of our current management and office staff having originally started as apprentices. We also continue to create opportunities through local engagement initiatives, with current first year apprentice Ryan Keating joining the business following a placement arranged through Bury Council and VINCI at Radcliffe Civic Hub.

Project 1: One Port Street

One Port Street is a landmark residential development in Manchester’s Northern Quarter district, delivered by Renaker for Select Property and designed by Simpson Haugh Architects. The scheme comprises a striking 100 metre, 33 storey tower fronting Port Street, alongside 11 storey, 9 storey and 7 storey elements wrapping around the wider development. As of January 2026, One Port Street stands as the 28th tallest building in Greater Manchester and has quickly become one of the city’s most recognisable new residential schemes.

McCrory Brickwork were appointed to deliver the full brick and blockwork package across the project, including facing brickwork, internal blockwork, insulation, fire barriers, masonry support, brick soffit systems, windposts, fire stopping and scaffolding. Delivered over a 47 week programme, the project represented another major collaboration between McCrory and Renaker following the success of Bankside at Colliers Yard.

Central to the architectural identity of One Port Street is its bold and highly detailed masonry façade. The development predominantly features Crest Buckingham Multi facing bricks, complemented by Michelmersh Porcelain White bricks which create contrast, depth and rhythm across the elevations. The rich red brickwork gives the scheme a strong contemporary character while referencing Manchester’s historic industrial architecture.

The detailing throughout the project demanded a consistently high level of craftsmanship from the McCrory team. Several elevations incorporated recessed brickwork features, including stepped white brick reveals recessed by 3mm to create refined shadow lines and visual depth. Elsewhere, brickwork projections stepped out by 102.5mm over three brick courses before returning back into the façade, forming repeating patterns across the elevations. Masonry support systems installed at alternating levels throughout the structure also required careful sequencing and coordination.

As with many constrained city centre developments, logistics and programme management were critical to the project’s success. With a relatively small site footprint and multiple trades operating simultaneously, deliveries had to be carefully coordinated to maintain workflow across the project. Despite delays earlier in the programme, McCrory worked collaboratively with Renaker to recover lost time and maintain progress on site.

At peak periods, McCrory had approximately 34 operatives working on the project, including bricklayers, scaffolders, labourers and telehandler operators. Quality assurance and fire safety remained key focuses throughout delivery, with extensive fire barrier installations and regular inspection procedures completed in collaboration with Renaker’s management team.

Beyond the brickwork itself, One Port Street became a strong example of McCrory’s commitment to social value, training and career progression. Colin Jones progressed from Project Manager into a Contracts Manager role during the scheme, while Andrew McNally moved from Bricklayer into his first Project Manager position. Apprentices Sean Brako and Mo Dawood both completed their bricklaying qualifications on the project, achieving Merit and Distinction respectively, while William began his apprenticeship journey during the build. The project also supported the development of Eamon Malony, who joined through the PlanBEE programme before progressing into a full time Trainee Assistant Site Manager role within the business.

Project 2: No.1 Ancoats Green

No. 1 Ancoats Green is a major residential development delivered in partnership with Wates as part of the ongoing regeneration of Manchester’s Ancoats district. Designed by Buttress for This City, backed by Manchester City Council, the scheme provides 129 new homes comprising 119 apartments and 10 townhouses across two apartment blocks and a row of three-storey townhouses overlooking the newly transformed Ancoats Green.

McCrory Brickwork was appointed to deliver the full masonry package across the development, including facing brickwork, internal blockwork, masonry support systems, brick slip lintels and cavity fire barriers. Delivered over a 40 week programme between 2024 and 2025, the £3.6 million package represented another significant residential project for McCrory within Manchester city centre.

Architecturally, the brickwork plays a major role in defining the identity of the development. The scheme predominantly features Wienerberger New Red Multi Gilt Stock bricks, carefully selected to reflect the industrial heritage of Ancoats while still giving the buildings a clean contemporary appearance. Deep recessed brick panels, picture framing around apartment windows, soldier coursing to the townhouses and recessed downpipes all help create shadow, depth and texture across the elevations. The brickwork detailing gives the buildings a strong visual character while complementing the wider regeneration of the surrounding area.

The project also carried significant technical challenges due to its Passivhaus design standards. Designed as an ultra low energy development, No. 1 Ancoats Green was constructed to achieve extremely high levels of thermal efficiency and airtightness, helping reduce residents’ energy usage and heating demands significantly compared to traditional housing. Delivering the masonry package within these standards required extensive coordination and precision throughout, including the installation of 250mm insulation systems, Teplo ties, masonry support systems and carefully detailed interfaces throughout the façade package.

Logistics and programme management were another major challenge throughout delivery. Working within a tight city centre footprint, with multiple trades operating simultaneously and areas being released later than planned, required constant coordination between McCrory, Wates and the wider project team to maintain progress across the development.

At peak periods, McCrory had approximately 40 operatives working across the site, including bricklayers, scaffolders, labourers and supervisory staff. Despite the complexity of the programme, the team maintained a consistently high standard of workmanship throughout the build, particularly across the detailed façade features and large areas of exposed brickwork which became increasingly prominent as scaffolding was removed.

Beyond the construction itself, No. 1 Ancoats Green forms part of a much wider social and environmental regeneration strategy for the area. Alongside delivering high quality new homes, the development provides genuinely affordable housing options, improved public realm spaces and stronger connections between Ancoats, New Islington and Miles Platting. Through its combination of sustainable construction, long-term energy efficiency and high-quality masonry detailing, the project has become a strong example of modern residential development that remains closely connected to Manchester’s historic character.