The huge face of a historic Manchester mill is currently being offered up as a blank canvas, ready for a local artist to add to the city’s flourishing art scene.
Developers Capital & Centric are on the hunt for a talented muralist to deliver a striking, permanent piece in Piccadilly East.
And it’s a big one – the successful artist will be tasked with designing a piece for the five-storey west side wall on Neptune Mill.
They’ll also be in charge of the tower rising above it and a smaller spot, with developers looking for a bold, impactful design.
The plan is that the huge mural will help to turn the building into an eye-catching fixture in the city and turn the heads of Manchester’s passionate art seekers.
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The paid commission will be completed before residents move in this summer.
Neptune Mill, a 19th century building on Chapeltown Street, is currently being converted into 22,000 sq ft of creative workspaces.
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Original features like exposed brick, timber beams, huge windows and cast iron columns will be retained, along with contemporary elements.
And Capital & Centric themselves – who are also behind huge projects in Manchester like Kampus and Stockport’s Weir Mill – will be moving their HQ into the building.
As they announce the hunt for a muralist, they’ve also released a new artist impression of a lush new courtyard with outdoor seating for a ground floor coffee shop.
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A new CGI of a courtyard at Neptune Mill, Capital & Centric’s new development. Credit: Supplied
Tom Wilmot, joint managing director at Capital&Centric, said: “Manchester’s street art scene is thriving, bringing colour and creativity to the city’s streets.
“Increasingly, some of the pieces are connected to brands and only available for a short spell for people to marvel at. We want to hand over Neptune Mill to a talented artist to paint the piece they’ve always wanted to deliver, creating a permanent fixture on Manchester’s scene.
“The piece will mark the start of the building’s next chapter as a five-storey hub for businesses that want a creative, beautiful base.
“The on-site coffee shop and new courtyard will be really cool spaces where people can spend time and meet like-minded neighbouring businesses.
“Work on site’s progressing well and the first occupiers will be able to move in and call Neptune home this summer.”
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So, if you’ve got artistic flair, this could be the job for you.
Those wanting to express interest in the paid-for street art commission, new workspaces available this summer, and the opportunity to operate the coffee shop can contact: [email protected] or visit www.capitalandcentric.com/neptune-mill
Government sets date for ‘historic’ no-fault evictions ban next year
Emily Sergeant
The Government has officially set the date for the ban of no-fault evictions next year.
Renting in England is expected to be ‘transformed’ with a raft of major changes coming into effect as part of the new Renters’ Rights Bill from 1 May 2026 for 11 million people across the country – and this, crucially, includes the end of Section 21 evictions at no-fault of the tenant.
As it stands, Section 21 notices leaving thousands of people vulnerable to homelessness every year, but in just under six months’ time, private renters will no longer face this threat.
To the vast majority of renters and landlords who play by the rules, this government has got your back.
Further measures announced as part of the new Renters’ Rights Bill – which has now been passed in law – include a ban on rental bidding wars, making landlords and letting agents legally required to publish an asking rent for their property and prevented from asking for, encouraging, or accepting any bids above this price, and also a ban on in-tenancy rent increases written in to contracts.
The latter will prevent landlords from implementing higher rents mid-tenancy, and only allow them to raise the rent once a year to the market rate.
Landlords will also no longer be able to unreasonably refuse tenants’ requests to have a pet, nor will they be able to discriminate against potential tenants, because they receive benefits or have children.
‘No-fault’ evictions are now banned in England under historic new legislation / Credit: Maria Ziegler (via Unsplash)
On the flip side, however, the new Bill means landlords will have stronger legally valid reasons to get their properties back when needed – whether that’s be to move in themselves, sell the property, or deal with rent arrears or anti-social behaviour.
The Government says this will work to deliver a fairer system for both sides.
“We’re calling time on no fault evictions and rogue landlords,” commented Housing Secretary, Steve Reed. “Everyone should have peace of mind and the security of a roof over their head, and the law we’ve just passed delivers that.
“We’re now on a countdown of just months to that law coming in, so good landlords can get ready and bad landlords should clean up their act.”
Alongside the Renters’ Rights Act, an ‘improved’ Housing Health and Safety Rating System, which will better assess health and safety risks in homes and making it more efficient and easier to understand, will also be introduced.
And there are also planned new standards to ensure privately rented properties are warmer and cheaper to run.
Featured Image – Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Property
Work finally begins on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley creating 20,000 jobs
Emily Sergeant
It’s official… work has finally begun on the first major development in Atom Valley.
If you’re not familiar with Atom Valley, this new project is set to be a unique innovation ‘cluster’ – plans of which were approved by local leaders all the way back in summer 2022 – with the potential to create up to 20,000 new jobs in Greater Manchester once it’s complete.
Greater Manchester wants Atom Valley to become a ‘springboard’ for new and emerging companies and researchers, giving them the support and the opportunities they need to trial and commercialise their innovations right here in our region.
The new development which ground has now been broken on is a Sustainable Materials and Manufacturing Centre (SMMC) – which is set to become a thriving hub of innovation.
Today is a big day for GM.
We break ground on a new research centre at Atom Valley – our emerging world-class cluster in advanced materials and manufacturing.
Here, start-ups and emerging companies will be able to pioneer new technologies and scale up their ambitions, all while creating jobs and driving growth across the region in the process.
Located next to the Kingsway Business Park in Rochdale, it will offer 30,000 sq ft of new laboratory space, workshops, and design studios, as well as a lecture theatre, meeting rooms, office space, and flexible workspace for start-ups.
With the ‘right’ support, local leaders say the SMMC will also be a vital link between Atom Valley and the Oxford Road Corridor, ultimately forging a pathway for new companies and projects to expand from the city centre out into the wider city region.
Work has finally begun on Greater Manchester’s new ‘innovation hub’ in Atom Valley / Credit: DLA Architecture
Mayor Andy Burnham says this is the ‘most ambitious development’ in Atom Valley so far
“It will help unleash the untapped potential of the world-leading research taking place across our city region, bridging that crucial gap from invention to bringing those new innovations to the market,” he explained. “And it will create a new hi-tech corridor from the out to the north of Greater Manchester, creating jobs and new opportunities for start-ups to scale up their ambitions.
“This is integrated, well-connected development in action, and a clear sign of our mission to spread the benefits of growth right across our city region.”
The Manc -
9th April 2024 
