Homes to be built on council-owned land across seven schemes
Manchester City Council is set to finalise an agreement with the region’s local authority pension fund with a vote later this week.
The council announced plans to form a joint venture with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund last summer, as part of an effort to drive forward the next phase of its housebuilding plans.
Its executive is set to vote on the final arrangements agreed with the pension fund this Friday (13 March).
The pair are set to deliver the next phase of development planned by This City, the wholly-owned housebuilder set up in 2021 to carry out development on council-owned sites.
Council documents reveal that the pair opted against initial plans for an overarching joint venture to handle delivery of the plans, instead deciding on a collaboration agreement.
Together, they aim to deliver around 1,600 new homes on brownfield sites over the next 10 years. This period could be extended by mutual agreement between the partners.
More than 20% of new homes are intended to be let at Manchester Living Rent, a tenure type where rent is set at or below the Local Housing Allowance level.
The first development by This City, the 129-home No.1 Ancoats Green, welcomed new residents last year.
Seven future sites have been identified, with a focus on the north and east of Manchester.
In east Manchester, these include 88 homes at Kirkmanshulme Lane and 84 homes in Hyde Road, both in Longsight, as well as 145 homes at Grey Mare Lane, Ancoats and Beswick.
Other developments include 651 homes in Monsall, Harpurhey, 181 homes at Downing Street, Downing Street, Ardwick, and a further project at Heyrod Street.
However, the site set to be developed most immediately is Postal Street in the city centre’s Northern Quarter.
Demolition of an existing single-storey commercial building has already been completed, which will make way for 126 low carbon homes, pending planning permission.
Bev Craig, leader of Manchester city council, said the partnership would “enable us to drive forward the work of This City to build the homes the city needs on council-owned land”.
“Completing No.1 Ancoats Green last year was a great start – but this collaboration with the Greater Manchester Pension Fund provides long-term assurance that we can bring forward and deliver even more ambitious schemes,” she added.
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