Approval for £30m scheme by Manchester City Council’s own housing vehicle

Proposals for the first housing project by Manchester City Council’s own housing company, ‘This City’ have been approved by the authority’s planning committee this afternoon (September 1).

The £30m project will create 128 new homes, in two blocks of eight storeys and five storeys, as well as 10 three-storey townhouses, on brownfield land in the Ancoats part of the city to the west of Rodney Street.

This City seeks to develop high quality, low carbon housing for all Mancunians as part of boosting the city’s housing supply which includes providing affordable housing.

Speaking on behalf of the applicant, Anne Hargreaves, of Avison Young, said This City aims to “be more than bricks and mortar and to build communities”.

This City proposes to deliver 500 homes every year, using council land, with any profits made from market rented homes going towards the provision of affordable homes.

Thirty per cent of the new homes, including the town houses, will be available for affordable rent, based on the Manchester Living Rent, and the remaining homes would be available for market sale. Electric vehicle charging facilities are included.

The project is expected to create 548 construction jobs for the 24-month build period. There would be 466 jobs in the supply chain, and the GVA of the construction programme to the Manchester economy would be £14.1m.

Seven objections to the scheme were raised, ranging from claims that the area lacks spaces for the community, the scheme would take up valuable green space around Ancoats, which there is very little of, it would deprive local residents and wildlife of an essential green corridor and natural environment within the city, to a claim that the proposal is being used as a gateway to unprecedented further development and gentrification across Manchester in the midst of ecological, environmental and social crises when what is actually needed is preservation and care for community resources and concerted efforts at all levels to make the most of what already exists.

However, planning notes to the committee said: “The site is in an important regeneration area where change and development is expected to take place in line with council regeneration frameworks.

“This proposal would contribute positive (sic) to the supply of new homes in the area by providing 128 apartments along with three and four bedroom townhouses – 30% of the new homes would be available for Manchester Living Rent.”

Cllr John Leech said he “warmly welcomed” the fact that all 10 town houses are part of the affordable housing element of the scheme.

The application was passed with 10 votes in favour and one abstention.