Manchester council proposes four residential towers in updated regeneration plan

Manchester City Council (MCC) has reworked the regeneration plan for its Water Street site to focus on delivering four tall, high-density residential blocks.

The latest version of the strategic regeneration framework (SRF), which will be brought before the council’s executive at a meeting this Friday (13 March), was updated in response to “significant changes to the area since the completion of the 2017 SRF.”

The 2017 SRF set out a housing target of 800-900 homes but was unclear about what form these would take.

By contrast, the 2026 SRF gave some detail about the form but did not confirm a specific number of homes, although the council has said the figure could be in the thousands, with at least 20% earmarked for affordable housing.

The council’s report for resolution stated that “major parts of the SRF have now been delivered or are well underway, meaning much of the surrounding context has fundamentally changed.”

The result is a shift to delivering a “residential and landscape-led” scheme with a new public park along the River Medlock, alongside improved connectivity and a renewed consideration of the development’s impact on the Castlefield conservation area.

Bev Craig, leader of MCC, said: “We have major ambitions for this area – one of the last corners of our city centre that remains underused.

“Right now, the area feels fragmented and disconnected. But we have a real opportunity to create a thriving new neighbourhood connecting into the historic Castlefield and linking into the vibrant new St Johns area, with another big new city centre park and other green spaces – an inclusive place with affordable homes.”

The council’s executive will be asked to approve moving the proposals to consultation in the coming weeks.

Once a final version of the SRF has been green-lit, MCC will begin marketing to engage potential development partners for the land it controls within the Water Street Site, which is largely council-owned.