A planning application has been submitted for an “outstanding, dynamic and creative” workplace development in the New Islington neighbourhood of Manchester.
With nearly £8m of social value set to be generated for the local community over a five year period, developers say the project will “set a new standard for social impact in the city”.
Subject to approval from Manchester City Council, developer General Projects will create a five building campus that will ultimately bring 3,500 jobs to the area, alongside over 100 SMEs together with a mix of innovative blue-chip companies.
General Projects’ vision for Pollard Street – which is its first development in the city – is for “an inclusive, modern, innovative and sustainable commercial destination” with space available within the campus ranging from micro-units, to Grade-A creative innovation offices, meaning it will appeal to ambitious start-ups, fast growing SMEs and more established businesses.
All organisations located at the development will share a common commitment to supporting local people through “community give back” initiatives, such as mentoring, training, employment or supporting apprenticeships.
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Located alongside the Ashton Canal and inspired by the city’s historic cotton and textile mills, the development – which is designed by architects Hawkins\Brown and landscape architects Planit.IE – will deliver over two acres of “new, exceptional public space” as the area benefits from a £5m investment into landscape and green space to create a better, healthier and safer environment.
The sustainable credentials of Pollard Street will be underpinned by its car free policy, low carbon transport links and an innovative low-carbon approach to construction and operation.
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Over 50 new trees will be planted on site and 550 bike spaces will also be provided as the development delivers a 30% net gain in biodiversity.
General Projects
General Projects’ vision is further emphasised by its commitment to “setting a new standard for social investment through the built environment” and this includes forming a new Community Wealth Partnership with Manchester City Council, which will see the delivery of a range of targeted social initiatives, including:
Mentoring programmes for local young people and businesses.
Free workspace for local start-ups.
Apprenticeship and internship programmes to tackle local unemployment.
Commitments to generate over 5,000 hours of community voluntary work per year.
A programme of regular events including school open days to skills and training events.
General Projects has adopted a ‘Manchester-first’ procurement policy – with at least 25% of supply chain spend in Greater Manchester – and during construction, an estimated £200,000 in social value will be generated from apprenticeships, work experience days, site open days and other voluntary, community and social enterprise commitments.
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It has already forged links with local schools, grassroots organisations and community charities to ensure that social value will directly benefit the immediate area as part of the company’s commitment to creating a lasting legacy in the city.
Jacob Loftus – Founder and CEO of General Projects – said: “We are thrilled and excited to be bringing our plans for Pollard Street forward. We have been eager to work in Manchester for a long time and while we know the pandemic will bring challenges for the local economy in the short term, it remains a city alive with an extraordinary buzz of enterprise, innovation and culture.
“At Pollard Street, we see the opportunity to do something unique and with a very significant social impact to really drive the recovery forward by creating new opportunities for start-ups, entrepreneurs and local people.
“We hope to set a new benchmark for delivering transformative social value through the built environment [and] we’re currently liaising with Manchester City Council and other local partners in order to ensure every aspect of the scheme helps support the local area, whether that’s through job creation or improving the local environment.
“We see our role as developer and building operator and also an enabler in terms of community engagement and social impact by removing many of the barriers that prevent a lot of businesses wanting to put something back into their local area from doing so.”
You can find more information about Pollard Street via the General Projects’ website here.
Property
Plans approved for new ‘first of its kind’ majority LGBTQ+ housing scheme for over 55s in Manchester
Emily Sergeant
Plans have been approved for the UK’s ‘first of its kind’ purpose-built majority LGBTQ+ social rent housing scheme for over 55s in Manchester.
Great Places Housing Group’s proposals for the site of the former Spire Hospital on Russell Road in Whalley Range – a brownfield site which has been vacant since the hospital was demolished in September 2019 – were approved at Manchester City Council’s planning meeting last week (26 September).
The plans for the majority LGBTQ+ ‘Extra Care’ housing scheme have been co-produced in partnership with the Russell Road Community Steering Group, Manchester City Council, and LGBT Foundation.
According to developers and the Council, this newly-approved development will be made up of 80 one and two-bedroom apartments for older people within a “high-quality sustainable building offering a safe and welcoming feel and inviting presence”.
Designed to “respect the surrounding conservation area”, the low-carbon scheme will also include several shared communal facilities too – including lounges, treatment rooms, and landscaped gardens.
The site will also include a neighbouring development of 40 shared ownership homes.
Plans have been approved for a new ‘first of its kind’ majority LGBTQ+ housing scheme in Manchester / Credit: John Walding (via Great Places Housing Group)
Greater Manchester‘s Extra Care housing schemes are all about increasing the opportunities for older people to move into high-quality accommodation across our region – with all the residents at Russell Road therefore being aged 55 or over.
The majority of residents at the development will also be members of the LGBTQ+ community from Manchester, and they will live alongside allies in what developers and the Council are aiming to be an “open and inclusive place of psychological safety”.
Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said the approval of the plans is “a real celebratory moment” and a “landmark development in every sense”.
He continued: “[This development] has been in the works for some years and is designed to meet a clear need for quality, social rent housing for LGBTQ+ older people to live in safety, dignity, and as part of a welcoming and supportive community.
“We have helped build hundreds of Extra Care homes across Manchester in recent years to meet demand for older people to live in their later lives, many with care needs provided on site, but this is the first purpose-built LGBTQ+ majority Extra Care community in the UK”.
Work on the new development – which will be funded by Great Places, complimented by grant funding from Homes England, and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Brownfield Housing Fund – will begin later this year, the Council has confirmed.
Featured Image – Manchester City Council
Property
The vision to turn familiar Manchester tower into a beautiful new hotel
Daisy Jackson
Plans are beginning to take shape to turn a landmark building in Manchester’s NOMA neighbourhood into a beautiful new hotel.
New Century House – the Grade II-listed, 14-storey tower next to New Century Hall – could be transformed into a 196-bedroom luxury hotel.
And if it all goes ahead as planned, that might mean a new rooftop restaurant and bar.
The huge 1960s building has a classic modernist design and is a familiar sight in the Manchester city centre skyline.
Now MEPC, the Development and Asset Manager for the NOMA estate, is working with hotel and leisure specialist practice Jenics to secure a hotel partner to see the plans brought to life.
The former Co-operative Insurance Society, later The Co-operative Group, could be transformed into an hotel with views across the city.
The proposals at this stage include restaurant and bar spaces, plus conference and leisure facilities.
It would be at the heart of the NOMA neighbourhood, just a stone’s throw from the AO Arena, Manchester Victoria, and all the local businesses that have sprung up, from The Sadler’s Cat pub to the reborn New Century Hall music venue and food hall.
Plans for the new hotel include a sky-high restaurant space. Credit: NOMAThe new hotel would have great views of Manchester. Credit: NOMA
The area is also home to the already-acclaimed and Michelin-recommended Skof restaurant.
NOMA is already home to businesses including Amazon, The Co-operative Group, ath-leisure brand Adanola, Material Source, and Arcadis IBI Group.
Once a hotel partner is secured, MEPC and Jenics will submit a formal planning proposal to Manchester City Council.
Dan Hyde, development director at MEPC, developer and asset manager at NOMA said: “New Century House is a Manchester landmark and we believe now is the right time to bring it back to life as a hotel.
New Century House is a landmark in NOMA. Credit: NOMAThe building could become a hotel. Credit: NOMA
“It’s a natural next step for our growing neighbourhood with the building located either side of BNY at 4 Angel Square and the destination venue of New Century Hall.”
Jeremy Collins of Jenics added: “Manchester has huge international visitor pull thanks to its global connectivity, world-leading universities and sporting and cultural assets.
“New Century House is a rare and outstanding opportunity and will be a tremendous addition to Manchester’s visitor economy offer, both from a business and leisure perspective.
“NOMA has adopted a flexible approach to secure a ‘best fit’ occupier by way of either a virtual freehold sale or lease disposal. This approach will drive positive interest from a range of operators.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2020 
