New regeneration phase brings forward over 500 homes in West Gorton
WORK on the next phase of transforming West Gorton has begun, with a new masterplan being submitted to build 565 new homes and a community hub with retail and services.
The plan, for an an area of land between Hyde Rd, Pottery Lane and Bennett St, has been submitted by Manchester City Council, with Aecom and Taylor Young acting as advisors.
The work follows on from an earlier phase which has seen 214 flats, bungalows and apartments delivered for social housing, which are being managed by Guinness Northern Counties Housing. Existing council housing stock in the area has also transferred to Guinness Northern Counties.
The new homes will be built on more than 5 acres of land bought by the council with support from the Homes & Communities Agency. Existing council houses, former pubs and old commercial premises have also been bought up and demolished.
The plans involve delivering “a dynamic, forward-looking, environmentally sustainable neighbourhood that will be a highly attractive place to live, work and visit”.The site will also contain a “community hub” featuring almost 18,000 sq ft of neighbourhood facilities including a re-sited GP practice management offices for Guinness Northern Counties and several new retail units.
Leader of Manchester City Council’s strategic neighbourhood team, Ian Slater, said the site is being divided up into development plots which will be brought to market on a phased basis over the next 10 years.
He said that the masterplan was aimed at “diversifying the tenure and improving the quality of the housing” in the area.
“The intention is that they will be for market sale, although we have been subject to the vagaries of the market. We might look at providing some of them for private rental.”
He added that the council hoped to sign a heads of terms agreement with a developer for the community hub element of the scheme within the next month.
The masterplan is set to be put before Manchester City Council’s planning committee in August.
