Red Bank plans among latest Manchester approvals

The next phase of the Victoria North development in Manchester, one of the largest residential applications to be brought forward in the city in recent years, is among the planning schemes to have secured approval from the city council.Permission has been granted for two planning applications covering the Far East Consortium (FEC) and Manchester City Council’s joint venture.The approval helps to unlock FEC’s ambitions to develop up to 4,800 new homes in the emerging Red Bank neighbourhood across a range of tenure types and sizes, including affordable homes.The first, an outline planning application, is for the delivery of up to 3,250 homes and more than 160,000 sq ft of non-residential floor space to be earmarked for commercial uses, a health centre, primary school, residential amenities and community spaces. This will be accompanied by the creation of new public realm.The second approval is for a full planning application for FEC’s next phase of delivery on the three plots adjacent to the 634-home Victoria Riverside scheme, which is currently under construction.This will see the delivery of seven buildings varying in height between six and 34 storeys and comprising 1,550 homes, as well as a new high street that will include 20,000 sq ft of commercial and retail space earmarked for local independent businesses. The homes will comprise a mix of one, two and three-bed apartments and townhouses catering for a diverse mix of homes including build to rent (BTR), affordable and open market sale.Both planning submissions were centred on the Wild Urbanism concept, which prioritises green space, biodiversity, active travel and public realm as part of the city centre living experience, placing sustainable living at the forefront of the project.The masterplan and outline application proposals were developed in partnership with masterplanner Maccreanor Lavington and Copenhagen-based public realm specialist, Schulze+Grassov with support from local practice OP-EN and sustainability experts Useful Projects. The full application was created by Maccreanor Lavington in collaboration with Manchester-based practice Hawkins/Brown.Red Bank is one of the first of seven neighbourhoods being regenerated as part of the £4bn Victoria North project, which is one the largest in the UK and will create 15,000 new homes over the next decade.Hilary Brett, project director at FEC, said: “Red Bank is one of the most under-used areas in Manchester, but its proximity to the city centre and the existing natural assets of the River Irk and St Catherine’s Wood make it the ideal location for a thriving new neighbourhood.”Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: “It’s great to see the momentum continue for this part of the Victoria North programme. This area of the city centre has lain dormant for many years, and it should be cause for celebration that, through our partnership with FEC, we can ensure it meets its full potential.”Also backed were plans to re-develop the former Chorlton Leisure site as an affordable later living housing scheme.Brought forward as part of a partnership between Manchester-based MSV Housing Group and Manchester City Council, the scheme will bring a site back into use that has stood empty for more than seven years.The new development will provide 50 apartments (a mix of one bed and two bed) for the over 55s. Seven of the apartments will be for sale by shared ownership, three will be neighbourhood apartments providing step up accommodation, with the remaining 40 capped at the Manchester Living Rent.Lettings will be prioritised to over 55s with a housing priority need, including those wishing to right size and free up a social rented family home in the local area for families on the housing waiting list.Working closely with the Manchester-based architects’ firm Buttress, the development will be built to the HAPPI (Housing Our Ageing Population Panel) principles.