Plans to transform a derelict former leisure centre in Manchester into affordable homes have been given the seal of approval.
After Manchester City Council formally submitted its vision for the redevelopment of the former Chorlton Leisure Centre as an affordable ‘Later Living’ scheme for local people back in May, it’s now been revealed that the planning application was officially approved last week.
The development will be made up of a mix of 50 one and two-bedroom apartments for the over 55s.
Seven of the apartments will be for sale by shared ownership, three will be neighbourhood apartments that provide ‘step up accommodation’, leaving the remaining 40 apartments to be capped at the Manchester Living Rent – which means they will be priced either at or below the local housing allowance level.
Lettings will be prioritised to over 55s with a housing priority need, which includes those who are keen to ”right-size and free up a social rented family home” in the local area for families on the housing waiting list.
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The former Chorlton Leisure Centre / Credit: David Dixon (via Geograph)
The Council says it wants the development – which is set to see an investment of over £12 million – to have the “flexibility to adapt over time” in order to meet the changing needs of residents, meaning they can move from their existing family home and right-size to a new more suitable home that provides them with “everything they need for years to come”.
Not only will the development include “well-thought-out” communal spaces for residents, but the Council says there’ll also be opportunities to eventually integrate other external features within the community too.
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These include health services, wellbeing spaces, and different hubs for social interaction and involvement.
Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, called the approval of the plans a “welcome milestone”.
Our plans to completely re-develop the former Chorlton Leisure site as an affordable later living housing scheme has taken a big step forward today 🏠💚
He continued: “The project will deliver much-needed low-carbon, affordable housing for older people, helping to meet a clear need for this type of home in this neighbourhood [and] we know this will be a really positive investment in the heart of the Chorlton community.”
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As affordable homes to rent in highly sought-after neighbourhoods like Chorlton are much needed at the moment, the Council says it expects homes in the new development to be “in high demand”.
The development is expected to be completed Summer 2025.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Property
Molly-Mae Hague revisits first Manchester flat, now on the market for £185k
Daisy Jackson
Molly-Mae Hague’s first Manchester flat is now on the market for £185k – and the star herself has paid a visit to her old digs.
Those who have been following Molly-Mae since before she shot to serious fame on Love Island will have recognised the backdrop of her recent TikTok video.
The 27-year-old reality TV star and businesswoman posed around the one-bedroom flat, dancing to Sabrina Carpenter’s ‘House Tour’.
The apartment is where she lived just before entering Love Island, and where she and now-fiance Tommy Fury lived briefly when they left the show.
And now that exact flat where she really launched her social media career has been listed for sale, at £185,000.
The corner apartment stands on the 17th floor of Islington Wharf, overlooking New Islington tram stop and right on the doorstep of Ancoats.
Her former landlord, who arranged for Molly-Mae to have one look around her old flat before it’s sold, said that she was a ‘lovely, polite and down-to-earth young woman, and an excellent tenant who looked after the apartment extremely well.’
The one bedroom apartment has double-aspect floor-to-ceiling windows which look across Manchester on one side, and out towards the Pennines on the other.
It’s listed for sale with no chain and the option to include existing furnishings (which seems to include the same couch Molly-Mae had at the time).
The flat also has a kitchen/living space, a communal garden, superfast broadband, and is within walking distance of Manchester Piccadilly.
New measures announced to tackle ‘rogue’ landlords across Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
A cohort of trained enforcement officers are set to hit the streets in all 10 boroughs to help improve the lives of the region’s renters.
Forming part of Greater Manchester‘s commitment to the highest-quality housing standards alongside the Good Landlord Charter, the newly trained enforcement officers will be tasked with protecting tenants, joining Council teams in checking rental properties, bringing enforcement action against bad landlords, and cracking down on illegal practices.
The introduction of the new enforcement officers comes after what has been ‘years of sustained pressure’ on local budgets.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) says it is working with the 10 councils across the region to strengthen local teams, rebuild in-house skills and expertise, and ensure that powers can be applied with consistency in all boroughs.
As mentioned, this is happening alongside the Good Landlord Charter – which is GMCA’s ‘bold approach’ to drive up standards for renters across the region.
Landlords of more than half of rented properties in Greater Manchester have now signed up as supporters of the Charter, and as supporters, they have committed to going above and beyond legal minimums to improve the renting experience for hundreds of thousands of people.
“A safe place to call home is the cornerstone of a happy, healthy life,” explained Mayor Bev Craig. “But for years, people have felt trapped in poor-quality housing, and cash-strapped councils were unable to step in to help. I’m putting an end to that.
“We know there are plenty of good landlords in Greater Manchester, and many of them have already signed up to our Good Landlord Charter, but too many are just not good enough.
“That’s why we’re deploying a new generation of expert housing officers onto the streets of our towns and cities.”
Mayor Bev Craig declared that she ‘won’t stand by and let rogue landlords take advantage of people’.
She continued: “By empowering renters, working with responsible landlords, and using our powers to crack down on the bad ones, I will make sure everyone in Greater Manchester has the foundation for a good life.”
Emily Sergeant -
4th September 2023 
