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Manchester awarded £3m funding to build hundreds of new ‘affordable’ homes across the city

The housing projects will also bring long-term brownfield land back into use.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 8th November 2023

Manchester has been awarded £3 million in funding to support a number of housing projects across the city region.

Aiming to bring long-term brownfield land back into use, the funding will help build 210 homes at sites across north and east Manchester and one site in the city centre – with 119 of those homes to be considered ‘affordable housing’.

81 of the affordable homes are part of Manchester City Council’s ‘Project 500’ initiative.

Working in partnership with the city’s registered housing provider, Project 500 aims to make smaller, harder-to-develop pockets of land available in a bid to increase the number of affordable homes available in the city, with an initial view to build 500 affordable homes and an ambition to exceed that number in the coming years.  

All of the Project 500 homes will be capped at the Manchester Living Rent, which is the level set by the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rate, and ensures they’ll be affordable to as many people as possible – including those on housing benefits.

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Manchester awarded £3m funding to build hundreds of new ‘affordable’ homes across the city / Credit: Manchester City Council

Manchester City Council has confirmed the following Project 500 housing projects will receive a chunk of funding from the new allocation:

  • Rodney Street (Ancoats and Beswick) – £1,677,862 (38 affordable, 91 market – 129 homes) 
  • Parkmount Road (Harpurhey) – £467,178 (24 affordable homes)
  • Parkhill Avenue (Crumpsall) – £375,000 (25 affordable homes)
  • Blackwin Street (Gorton) – £160,000 (seven affordable homes)
  • Plant Hill Road (Higher Blackley) – £175,000 (12 affordable homes)

On top of these developments, 13 affordable homes are due to be built on Jurby Avenue in Higher Blackley, which will be social rent specialist ‘Extra Care’ homes for people with dementia – with a total of £215,280 allocated in funding.

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All of these new homes in the Project 500 initiative are part of the ambitious target set in the Council’s Housing Strategy up to 2032 – which includes the target to help build 36,000 new homes across the city.

10,000 of these new homes will be ‘affordable’, with 3,000 located in the city centre. 

“Developing this land and bringing it back into use is an important part of our plans to deliver 36,000 new homes in the next 10 years,” commented Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for Housing and Development, as the funding allocation was announced.

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“Brownfield land is often more challenging to develop, and we have lots of smaller plots that are financially difficult to build on.

“But this funding will support our partnership with the city’s registered providers to build on these smaller plots of land as part of our Project 500 initiative – delivering the affordable homes our residents need.” 

Featured Image – Manchester City Council

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Co-op Live recap – cancelled shows, rescheduled dates, and more from chaotic opening night

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Inside Co-op Live in Manchester

The opening night at Co-op Live was marred by ‘a venue-related technical issue’ (something fell from the ceiling), triggering further delays to the huge new Manchester arena and even more rescheduled shows.

The ground-breaking new arena, which will be the largest indoor venue in the UK when it actually opens, has once again had to postpone its official launch.

In a dramatic turn of events on Wednesday 1 May, fans who were already queueing outside Co-op Live were told the A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie concert had been cancelled.

Then followed further postponed gigs, with the venue also pulling the plug on Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour which was meant to visit Manchester on Friday and Saturday.

The Co-op Live has already rescheduled Peter Kay twice, as well as The Black Keys – and now more future gigs are being pushed back.

And now the question on everyone’s lips is whether Take That, Keane, or other huge shows will go ahead as planned.

It all happened pretty quickly last night, so here’s an essential recap of all the drama.

Which Co-op Live shows have been postponed or cancelled so far?

Peter Kay poked fun at Co-op Live in his event poster. Credit: Peter Kay
Peter Kay poked fun at Co-op Live in his event poster. Credit: Peter Kay
The Black Keys. Credit: Larry Niehues
The Black Keys. Credit: Larry Niehues

So far, the 23,500-capacity venue has had to reschedule or indefinitely postpone eight different events.

These have included Peter Kay, who was lined up to perform two gigs, which have now been moved twice.

The only event that has gone ahead so far has been a test event with Rick Astley, and even that saw thousands of tickets cancelled at the last minute to safely reduce capacity inside (we were one of the lucky few to go, and it does look amazing inside).

Then there was obviously the last-minute drama when A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie was cancelled while fans were already outside Co-op Live, and then pop star Olivia Rodrigo having TWO gigs rescheduled.

Here’s the full list:

  • Peter Kay – original dates 23 and 24 April. Rescheduled dates 29 and 30 April. NEW DATES 23 and 24 May.
  • The Black Keys – original date 27 April. New date 15 May 2024.
  • A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie – original date 1 May. New date to be confirmed.
  • Olivia Rodrigo – original dates 3 and 4 May. New dates to be confirmed.

What’s on next at the Co-op Live arena?

Take That is still scheduled to go ahead at Co-op Live after some other shows were cancelled.
Take That is still scheduled to go ahead at Co-op Live after some other shows were cancelled.

Despite these high-profile cancellations, the Co-op Live still has plenty of incredible shows lined up in the coming weeks.

Notably, Take That have essentially planned a residency that will see them take over the huge venue for SEVEN nights.

At the time of writing, the following shows will still be going ahead this month. Fingers crossed everyone…

  • Keane – 5 May
  • Take That – 7, 8, 10, 11, 12 May, then 11 and 12 June.
  • Elbow – 14 May
  • The Black Keys – 15 May (rescheduled from 27 April)
  • Eric Clapton – 18 May
  • Barry Manilow – 19 May
  • Peter Kay – 23 and 24 May (rescheduled from 23 and 24 April)
  • Nicki Minaj – 25 and 30 May
  • Eagles – 31 May, then 1, 4, 7 and 8 June

Olivia Rodrigo statement and updates

Olivia Rodrigo has announced a Manchester gig at Co-op Live
Olivia Rodrigo has had her Co-op Live gigs rescheduled. Credit: Nick Walker

Olivia Rodrigo is arguably the most high-profile music event to be postponed at Co-op Live so far, with the pop sensation due to perform two sold-out shows.

It’s all part of her GUTS world tour and was meant to visit Manchester on 3 and 4 May.

Although her two shows this week have definitely been postponed, Co-op Live have yet to announce new dates.

In a statement, she sad: “I’ve been having such a great time in Europe so far and I’m sooooo disappointed that we’re unable to perform in Manchester due to on-going venue-related technical issues.

“We’re doing our best to reschedule the show. you can hold onto your tickets for further info or request a refund at your point of purchase. More info will be sent directly to ticket holders.

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“I’m so bummed and I really hope to see you all soon.”

Why has the Co-op Live opening been postponed again?

Co-op Live’s initial delay was caused by ‘power supply issues’ and they postponed several shows to test emergency services communications.

This most recent delay was caused by ‘a venue-related technical issue’ which emerged to be a piece of the air-conditioning system falling from the ductwork inside the arena bowl.

It’s believed that the issue with the HVAC system was an isolated incident ’caused by a factory defect’.

Co-op Live said: “We were not able to verify that all similar nozzles were free of such defects.

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“In conjunction with wider stakeholders, Oak View Group has made the necessary call to ensure the full safety of all visitors to the venue, and to postpone the performance.”

What Co-op Live have said about the delays

As A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie’s gig was cancelled, Co-op Live said: “Due to a venue-related technical issue, tonight’s A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie show will no longer go ahead. We kindly ask fans to leave the area. Tickets holders will receive further information in due course. We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”

On Olivia Rodrigo, a statement released said: “Due to an on-going venue-related technical issue, the scheduled performances of Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS World Tour on 3rd and 4th May are being postponed. Ticket holders can either hold onto their tickets or obtain a refund from their point of purchase. We deeply apologise for the significant inconvenience this will cause for many.”

And as for the future of the venue’s opening schedule, they said: “We understand the need to reassure fans over future shows. We are working with artist management and promoters to limit the impact on the opening season schedule.

“Where necessary, we will identify alternate dates, and will continually reassess to provide fans with sufficient notice regarding imminent shows.

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“Should shows be cancelled or rescheduled, fans will be contacted by their point of purchase and offered a full refund where preferred.”

Co-op Live should announced details of rescheduled dates in due course.

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Featured image: The Manc Group

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Manchester Museum has been shortlisted for the 2024 Art Fund Museum of the Year

Danny Jones Danny Jones Manchester Museum shortlisted for Museum of the Year 2024

Another bit of very well-deserved recognition for our city as the Manchester Museum has been shortlisted for the 2024 Art Fund Museum of the Year.

Organised by the independent and membership-based British charity, which raises funds through the collection of important works and artefacts, it’s world the single largest museum prize in the world.

Shining as one of the crown jewels in Manchester’s cultural scene, the museum has been named among five other impressive finalists for this year’s award, which is evaluating inspiring projects from autumn 2022 through to winter 2023.

This wonderful news comes at a good time for Manchester Museum, which recently welcomed its one-millionth visitor since reopening to the public in February last year, following a £15 million values-led redevelopment. It really is back with a bang.

With Art Fund keeping audiences and communities at their heart, the highly revered accolade has a particular focus on community engagement, sustainable ways of working, and demonstration of ambition by reinventing what it means to be ‘the best’ museum for the audiences of today and tomorrow.

For context, the Manchester Museum (which sits as part of the University of Manchester) was the most visited indoor museum in the North of England throughout 2023, despite being shut for an entire month, welcoming a total of 790,332 people through their doors.

Speaking on this year’s selection, director Jenny Waldman, who heads up the 2024 judging panel, has applauded each of this year’s finalists for delivering “something for everyone” and keeping “community at the very heart of their programming.”

“Their commitment to innovative partnerships whilst operating within an extremely challenging funding environment is incredible”, she added. “I’m so pleased to see the way they support and centre young people through their work.

“Across a wide range of size and scale, these organisations are all real leaders in their field. I urge everyone to go and visit these extremely special spaces.” So do we.

name of the t-rex manchester museum
We’d recommend going along to Stand the T-Rex alone
manchester museum up for art fund annual award
You’ve got to see the giant Japanese spider crab
(Credit: Manchester Museum/Matthew via Flickr)

As for the museum themselves, Director Esme Ward said of the announcement: “Manchester Museum’s redevelopment was the result of 10 years’ collective endeavour, so being shortlisted for Art Fund Museum of the Year is a moment of joy for everyone to share in, from staff and partners to our communities and Manchester itself.

“It is an affirmation of museums’ power to bring people together in building a more inclusive, hopeful future.”

Built on self-proclaimed values of “inclusion, imagination and care”, the museum’s recent reopening has positioned it at the forefront of the sector here in the UK, with new galleries, partnerships, visitor facilities, sector-leading programming and digital innovations.

These updates, along with their existing and award-winning South Asia Gallery – the largest and first permanent gallery in the UK to celebrate the experiences and contribution of the South Asian diaspora co-curated by members from the community itself – are what have helped put it in the running for this prestigious prize.

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Visitor numbers for the first year following reopening were up 157% on 2019/20, with 57% of those being new attendees and more than one in seven’s first trip to a museum ever.

The other four shortlisted museums are the Craven Museum in Skipton, North Yorkshire; Dundee Contemporary Arts, the National Portrait Gallery in London and the Young V&A – Victoria and Albert Museum, also in the capital.

The winning museum will be announced at a ceremony at the National Gallery in London on 10 July and will receive £120,000 to put towards internal projects and cultural work. Better still, £15,000 will be given to each of the four other finalists, so everyone’s a winner in a way.

Congratulations again to everyone at Manchester Museum and well done for all your incredible hard work – we can’t wait to be right about you again in a couple of months when we’re confident you’ll be rightly named as the winner of the 2024 Art Fund Museum of the Year.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Supplied/Matthew (via Flickr)

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