Manchester Green Belt and student housing policy on the line at next planning meeting

Planning officers in Manchester are recommending that the Planning and Highways Committee refuse an application by Aviva Investors for a £37m industrial development in Wythenshawe on the site of the former Ferranti factory next to Atlas Business Park.

Half of the site is on greenfield land, previously undeveloped and being within the Greater Manchester Green Belt.

Agents from Turley are expected to argue in an economic benefits statement that the proposal would provide 36,706 sqm of new industrial property that could create around 580 new jobs.

However, a report details why planning officers say the proposal should be refused: “On balance it is considered that the proposals constitute inappropriate development that is harmful to the Green Belt and very special circumstances have not been demonstrated to support the proposed development for that element of the site within the Green Belt.” 

Gamecock student housing scheme (from planning documents)

There are also likely to be clashes over a contentious Purpose Built Student Accommodation block in Hulme from developer Curlew.

The scheme returns to planners for a third time following refusals at two previous meetings and a vocal campaign of opposition from local residents.

A vocal Block the Block campaign in Hulme was initially successful, and received the support of local councillors and Lucy Powell MP.

Members were ‘minded to refuse’ the revised scheme in October 2022 due to the dominant visual impact and a lack of parking, and deferred a decision in July 2023 but officers now consider that there is no policy based refusal on the grounds of scale and massing that could be reasonably sustained. 

Officers are therefore “Minded to Approve” the scheme now. But the history of the scheme, and the wider policy of moving students into PBSA units, thus freeing up city centre apartments, and residential neighbourhoods is tested by this scheme.

A proposal for 5 storey and 10 storey dual tower including 256 apartments and ground floor commercial premises in Ancoats by the Abu Dhabi-backed Manchester Life developer, advised by Deloitte, has also been recommended for approval by officers.

The three schemes up before the committee will be expected to take up much of Thursday’s meeting. 

Officers have recommended for approval an extension to the house of Lee Ann Igbon, a councillor in Hulme ward.