Greater Manchester has been handed a pot of more than £97 million to fund the construction of thousands of new homes right across the region.
The money has been supplied via the Brownfield Housing Fund (BHF) – a scheme designed to support building on brownfield sites – and will go towards creating 2,700 Greater Manchester properties.
Manchester borough will receive £7.82m as part of the second tranche of funding – which will be used to deliver 500 homes.
BHF money will also go towards 69 low carbon homes in the Silk Street Development in Newton Heath – built with solar panels, Ground Source Heat Pumps, electric vehicle charging points, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery to reduce utility costs.
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275 homes in the Back of Ancoats area and 39 homes in Ancoats Dispensary will also benefit from the fund.
A further five schemes are on the reserve list – representing a further pipeline of 1,336 new homes.
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Manchester City Council had pledged to deliver at least 6,400 affordable homes between 2015 and 2025 – with a total of 32,000 homes expected to be built during this period overall.
Cllr Suzanne Richards, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said the BHF funding was “very welcome”.
“The challenges in urban areas of remediating brownfield land can impact on the financial viability of affordable housing,” the Councillor stated.
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“This funding will allow us to support the delivery of much-needed council, social and affordable housing to meet growing demand in the city.
“Everyone in this city deserves a safe, secure and affordable home and it is for this reason we have set an ambitious affordable home building target of at least 6,400 homes between 2015 and 2025.
“Despite the challenges of the last year we are on track to exceed that target. This is testament to the strength of the partnerships that Manchester has built with our social landlords in the city and our commitment to back affordable house building with Council land and resources.”
The full list of proposed sites under Tranche 2 of Greater Manchester’s Brownfield Housing Fund allocation can be found here.
Feature image: Collyhurst Village development illustration.
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Work begins on new £500m ‘culture hub’ with a cinema and performance spaces in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Work is finally beginning on a new £500 million culture hub in Manchester.
The first phase of plans to transform Wythenshawe Civic has entered an exciting new chapter, with Manchester City Council and placemaker Muse officially commencing construction of the new Culture Hub – which is tipped to provide a ‘major boost’ for budding artists, and creative groups and organisations in the area.
The hub is set to include space for food and drink on the ground floor, while the first floor is home to a mix of artist studio spaces and flexible areas for workshops, exhibitions, classes, and community events.
Locals can also expect a brand-new 40-seater cinema, which has been included following feedback given during a public consultation, and 200-seater performance space for a diverse range of performances.
Everything from dance and drama, to music and modern art will fill the performance spaces once the hub opens.
Expected to be completed in 2027, the Culture Hub sits within the first phase of a wider plan to ‘refresh’ Wythenshawe Civic, and will come to life thanks to £20 million of funding from the UK Government and a further £11.9 million from the Council.
What Wythenshawe Civic Centre looks like currently, before being transformed / Credit: Wikipedia Commons
“Listening to local people over the last year and more, we know that Wythenshawe residents want more from their town centre – more things to do, opportunities to spend time in Civic and night time attractions that give the area a lift and attract visitors,” explained Cllr Bev Craig, who is the leader of Manchester City Council.
“This is the drive behind the Culture Hub – a place for local people with an interest in the arts to take part in creative activities, see a show, or enjoy the cinema space, right in the heart of their community.
“This is another exciting chapter in the transformation of Wythenshawe town centre.”
Joe Stockton, Development Director at Muse, called the construction of the new Culture Hub an ‘exciting moment’ for Wythenshawe.
He added: “Our aim is to create a space for the town’s talented artists and creatives to come together and give them the facilities and the space they’ve asked for, to put on amazing shows, live performances, and workshops.
“It’s all part of the wider plan to create opportunities for residents, new homes and jobs, as well as a thriving high street for people to spend time in.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
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Police launch investigation after man found ‘injured and unresponsive’ in Manchester road
Emily Sergeant
A police investigation has been launched after a man was found ‘injured and unresponsive’ in the middle of a road in Manchester.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) was called out Plymouth Grove, in the Longsight area of Manchester, at around 9pm this past Friday (30 January), and when they arrived at the scene, found a 61-year-old man lying in the road.
After being found ‘unresponsive’, the man was immediately taken to hospital, where he is currently being treated for head injuries.
At this time, it is currently unknown how than man came to be in the road.
With so many questions left to answer, and a police investigation now underway being led by GMP’s Serious Collision Investigation Unit, officers are now urgently appealing to the public for witnesses and information.
“We have an open mind as we investigate how this man became to be injured,” explained PC Megan Stockton in the appeal. “However, there is the possibility he was struck by a vehicle.
“We are appealing for anyone who may have been in the area at the time, particularly anybody who may have dashcam footage taken in the area on Friday night.”
Can you help? If you have any information that could assist GMP’s investigation, then please contact police on 0161 856 4741, quoting incident number 3421 of 30/01/26, or by calling 101 or using the LiveChat at www.gmp.police.uk.
Alternatively, you can contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
The Manc -
26th March 2021 
