CAPITAL&CENTRIC and Kamani planning new £37m Swan Street community
Local residents are being asked for feedback on plans to transform the derelict site on Swan Street into around 120 new homes, with a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bed design-led apartments.
CAPITAL&CENTRIC is planning a £37mtransformation of a derelict site on Swan Street – creating as many as 120 new homes.
The social impact developer – whose work was prominently featured in BBC documentary Manctopia – has launched consultation on plans to create a new community in Manchester’s New Cross district; which straddles Northern Quarter and Ancoats.
The plans have been put together in partnership with Kamani Property Group – with intentions to turn the space into a mix of 1, 2 and 3 bed design-led apartments with a shared roof terrace, ground floor workspace and business locations.
Located opposite the Mackie Mayor food hall and iconic Band on the Wall venue, it will also feature a huge art canvas on the front of the building which would be one of the largest in the city.
Local residents are now being asked for feedback on the plans.
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Tim Heatley, co-founder of CAPITAL&CENTRIC said: “This is a great city centre location in the heart of New Cross so, as always, we want to push boundaries with the design and create something bold. We’ve got a striking roof terrace on top and what could be Manchester’s biggest art canvas on the front.
“This part of Manchester is known for its awesome street murals and we’ll be showcasing work from local and international artists, creating another reason for people to visit the area.”
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The site, which CAPITAL&CENTRIC purchased with Kamani Property earlier this year, is currently home to two derelict buildings once used as a MOT garage and a storage facility.
During lockdown, CAPITAL&CENTRIC opened a COVID supplies depot on the street – providing £500,000 of essential items to local charities.
A new venue, now titled Ramona, will soon move in to the area – a temporary Detroit pizzeria and bakery and bar run by the team behind Trof, Gorilla and Albert Hall.
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Adam Kamani, CEO of Kamani Property said: “We’re eager to get moving with this exciting project and bring further regeneration to this dynamic area of Manchester. Our roots are firmly based in this region and to be able to renovate this derelict site in collaboration with Capital&Centric, will provide a further boost to the revival of the neighbourhood.”
Due to current COVID-19 restrictions the developer is not holding a public event – but locals can have their say by visiting the consultation website here.
Transformational plans set to be approved for ‘major’ new Manchester city centre park
Emily Sergeant
‘Transformational’ plans to regenerate an underused Manchester city centre site are set to be approved next week.
Following ‘overwhelming’ public support for proposals set out in a public consultation earlier this year – where more than 90% of respondents supported the key principles – Manchester City Council says its executive is expected approve an ambitious vision for the Water Street neighbourhood at a meeting next week (Weds 8 July).
The Water Street Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) is set to create a city centre district developed around a new urban park.
The SRF is described as being a ‘high-level blueprint’ for future investment that will guide development through the planning process.
The plans are comprised of a new landscape-led neighbourhood that combines homes – including 20% of them being ‘affordable’ – improved public spaces, enhanced walking and cycling connections, and ‘significant’ new green infrastructure centred around the River Medlock.
Sustainability was highlighted as an area of importance to local residents in the consultation, and to meet these demands, the plans include increased biodiversity, sustainable drainage features, and a largely car-free neighbourhood to support Manchester’s zero-carbon ambitions, as well as the new urban park being at the heart of it all.
The new neighbourhood will also offer plenty of new jobs, skills, and investment opportunities.
“The wider Water Street area has seen major regeneration in recent years with world-class investment at St John’s and Aviva Studios on its doorstep, alongside impressive residential developments,” explained Cllr Gavin White, who is Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration.
“This renewed regeneration framework will help guide investment to bring this area up to the same ambitious level with new housing, including affordable housing to create an inclusive new neighbourhood, complemented by a brand-new city centre urban park.”
Featured Image – Manchester City Council (Supplied)
Property
UK’s most popular commuter towns named and four are in Greater Manchester
Emily Sergeant
The UK’s most popular commuter towns have been named, and four of them are here in Greater Manchester.
Where are the most popular commuter towns in the UK right now?
Well, new data collated based on the number of people enquiring about available properties on Rightmove has revealed the locations where buyer demand is highest, and with Manchester being one of the largest cities in the country, of course there’s some Greater Manchester towns on the list.
Rightmove says that choosing the best commuter town requires buyers to balance a number of factors – including property prices, travel times, and local lifestyle.
To narrow it down, the property platform has chosen to focus on commuter towns within a 45-minute rail journey to the target city, and with at least 20,000 people living there.
For Manchester, it’s Stockport that’s taken the title as the city’s most popular commuter town, as amazinly, it generated 70% more enquiries per listing than Manchester itself.
The UK’s most popular commuter towns have been named / Credit: James Feaver (via Unsplash) | Manchester City Council
Being just an eight-minute journey from Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport has an average property price of £308,299.
Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, the picturesque Stockport town of Marple takes second spot on the list, while the Tameside town of Stalybridge comes in third place, and Rochdale also features in the top five, alongside Warrington – which is just outside of our region’s borders, but is only a short 22-minute train journey into the city centre.
Transport options is obviously one of the most important factors in what makes a town a so-called ‘commuter town’.
Stockport benefits from around six fast trains per hour, while Stalybridge and Rochdale offer four per hour. Marple is less frequent at two per hour but still attracts strong interest, likely due to its lifestyle appeal and stunning setting on the edge of the Peak District.
Price growth has been strong across most of the Manchester commuter towns, with Stalybridge (+6.1%) and Rochdale (+5.8%) seeing notable increases year-on-year.
However, average prices for four out of the five commuter locations on the list were higher than the average Manchester property price (£261,891), suggesting that lifestyle factors were a stronger draw for Manchester’s surrounding towns.
The Manc -
22nd December 2020 
