lans unveiled for new 1,200-home Manchester neighbourhood
Plans to build a new 1,200-home mixed-use development in Manchester city centre have been revealed.
Developer Southvalley Estates, which is part of real estate investment and development firm MCR Group, wants to build a mix of townhouses and apartments in mid-rise blocks over the next 10 years, including a 33-storey residential tower as part of the Gasworks New Town development. Two new commercial units, a new park, and new pedestrian lanes will be added to the former Gould Street Gasworks site to the north of the city centre. The development value for the project has not yet been disclosed.
Manchester City Council earmarked the 2.7 hectare site for a residential neighbourhood in 2018 as part of its Northern Gateway Strategic Regeneration Framework, which will see the council invest £1bn in developing the northern area of the city over the next 20 years.
Southvalley Estates and MCR Property Group have owned the land since 2015. Plans are set to be submitted later this year and, if approved, Southvalley Estates and National Grid will begin to clear the site and start groundworks between 2021 and 2022.
The development will be a phased construction, starting with homes on the corner of Gould Street close to Rochdale Road, with homes set to be completed by 2023. The last piece of the development to be built will be the 33-storey residential tower, which will be completed towards the end of the decade.
MCR Property Group asset manager Nick Lake said the development will unlock a key city centre location. Lake said: “We have worked in close collaboration with Manchester City Council to bring forward a major transformative development that will create a new beating heart of a community in close proximity to the city centre.”
Consultant WSP has been working with the developer and the council to gain feedback from the local community and stakeholders for the draft proposals. WSP associate director Matthew Hard said the development will transform “one of the region’s most important areas for regeneration”.
