A Manchester-based homelessness charity is teaming up with two local powerhouse developers to deliver a brand new initiative.
Supported by Peel L&P and CAPITAL&CENTRIC, Embassy is planning to create a new community to help the city’s homeless and vulnerable get back on their feet, and it’s set to be the first of its kind in the UK.
The Embassy Village will provide up to 40 new, permanent modular homes that are made from repurposed shipping containers, and it will be located on a self-contained, currently-derelict site, owned by Peel L&P that’s just below the railway arches between the Bridgewater Canal and River Irwell in the heart of Manchester city centre.
It will provide safe and secure homes for people who are homeless, or are at risk of being homeless, with in-house start-to-end support, and routes into work.
The plan is to house the vulnerable people surrounded by the support and training they need to leave the cycle of homelessness, and alongside those high-quality homes, the Embassy Village will also include a Village Hall – which will become a community hub and training and mentoring facility for residents – as well as communal outdoor space with plenty of greenery, a multi use sports area, space to grow vegetables, and external eating and socialising areas.
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A consultation on the planning application has been launched today.
Embassy / Peel L&P / CAPITAL&CENTRIC
Plans for Embassy Village are being launched amid the closure of dormitory style shelters due to lockdown and social distancing measures, with growing concerns across frontline charities that there will be an increased need for homelessness support and temporary accommodation services as a result of the pandemic.
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Government coronavirus (COVID-19) support measures – such as a ban on evictions, and funding to house rough sleepers in hotels – are also due to end in the Spring.
This is heightening fears across the city’s charity sector it could drive a spike in homelessness.
At Embassy village, the charity’s team of re-settlement workers and volunteers will provide wrap-around support of at least six hours per week, per resident, to equip them with a range of life skills, including shopping and budgeting, cooking, and how to manage a home, as well as a course designed to help residents unpack past traumas and grow in confidence.
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The self-contained site will be managed 24/7 by Embassy’s experienced team.
Embassy’s training and mentoring programme is also being designed to boost residents’ work readiness through job application, interview support and wider training.
The charity plans to build on its successful track record of helping residents to resettle into secure long-term accommodation and find routes back into work, by collaborating with local employers.
A total of 12 companies have already signed up to offer employment.
Embassy / Peel L&P / CAPITAL&CENTRIC
Speaking on the announcement of the project, Sid Williams – Founder of Embassy – said: “This pandemic has only gone to further strain the resources of the poorest in our society and we sadly expect to see homelessness increase.
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“Our approach is to provide rented housing and formally end homelessness from day one.
“We aim to get people into full time work and private rental sector housing, rather than council housing and benefits.
“We interview everyone we assist and what we look for is a willingness to make progress, learn and, where possible, to work [so] Embassy Village will provide residents with their own front door, and teach them the life skills they need to become independent and start contributing to society again”.
James Whittaker – Executive Director at Peel L&P – added: “It’s been a real joy and a privilege to bring together the business community to help create our vision to deliver a special project to reduce Manchester’s homelessness by transforming our land beneath some railway arches in the city into much needed housing for the homeless.
“We’re delighted to partner with Embassy, a charity who will make a huge difference in helping vulnerable adults to obtain better lives through their restoration programme by getting them into housing, employment and independent living”.
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Tim Heatley – co-founder of CAPITAL&CENTRIC and Chair of the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity – said: “We’ve worked with Embassy for the last few years, helping them to get the original bus off the ground, but we’ve always had the vision to create something more permanent that gives people their own front door.
“Making sure it’s really high quality, with communal areas like the village hall and sports area, has been super important as we want the future residents to be proud of their community.”
Sir Richard Leese – Leader of Manchester City Council – added: “Meeting the growing demand for emergency accommodation to support people vulnerable to homelessness is a major challenge, particularly at this time of year when the number of people asking for support and sleeping rough is at its height.
“Developing a Housing First opportunity in the city is welcome and I hope this type of community has the potential to provide life-changing help for people facing homelessness in Manchester.”
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If you would like to take part in the consultation, you can head on over to the Embassy Village website and complete the online questionnaire.
Property
Plans for more than 400 affordable homes available by ‘social renting’ coming to Wythenshawe
Danny Jones
Plans for a slate of more than 400 new affordable homes in Wythenshawe, which will also be made available for ‘social renting’, are now said to be moving forward following the official submission of three different applications this month.
Development group and so-called ‘placemakers’, Muse, have teamed up with Wythenshawe Community Housing Group (WCHG) to deliver not just one batch of new properties but a trio of new living locations in the town centre.
More importantly, all 422 of these prospective homes will be available via social rent, i.e. low-cost housing provided and leased by local authorities and/or housing associations, which are typically aimed at those on lower incomes and facing other adversities.
While Wythenshawe has plenty of council houses and social housing already, thanks to the WCHG, these latest proposals could see thousands more Greater Manchester natives given the opportunity to be part of the area’s next big overhaul.
As per a recent press release from the team behind the project: “The plans represent the first phase of housing within the wider masterplan, which will see up to 2,000 new homes created over the next 10 to 15 years, alongside new community facilities, green spaces and places to work and socialise.
It’s also worth noting that this undertaking, which will span over the next decade and a half or so, is part of the Greater Manchester region’s overarching goal to increase the level of high-quality domesticity throughout the 10 boroughs.
Besides various other projects in different up-and-coming areas like Stockport, Strangeways, Bolton, as well as here in the city centre, the area is also being hit with a major regeneration scheme.
Subject to planning approval, Wythenshawe will see the Brotherton House, Alpha House and C2 The Birtles buildings transformed into a modern residential complex, comprising a mix of apartments and townhouses aimed at local people with “differing requirements”.
You can see the map for where the developments are in relation to each other down below.
Credit: Supplied
Developers have promised that homes will be affordable, high-quality and energy-efficient, “with additional outdoor and communal spaces to promote interaction, health and wellbeing”.
Brotherton House – a now abandoned former office building – will be turned into 216 new homes, including an extra care apartment building with a further 109 rooms for people in later life and those living with dementia. Find out more HERE.
Moreover, if fully green-lit when the planning permission process is completed, the overview also includes 81 apartments and 25 two and four-bedroom townhouses, plus landscaped gardens and green spaces to encourage local wildlife and nearby residents to spend more time outdoors.
Already under demolition, neighbouring Alpha House will also be flattened and rebuilt to provide 125 one- and two-bedroom apartments, including 16 wheelchair accessible homes.
Meanwhile, the venue currently known as C2 The Birtles (next to the old market square), which holds existing retail and office spaces, will be replaced with around 81 one and two-beds, along with a new ground-floor retail space to complement the wider Civic offering.
Local councillor and leader of Manchester City Council, Bev Craig, said of the plans: “Delivering truly affordable homes – with a focus on social rent housing – was one of our key priorities when we set out the vision for the long-term transformation of Civic.
“The town centre is the beating heart of this community, and that means building homes that are affordable to as many people as possible, creating a long-term sustainable community of people who are proud of where they live.
“These planning applications represent an exciting milestone for Wythenshawe – and it’s great to be working alongside Wythenshawe Community Housing Group to realise these important developments.”
As for WCHG, their executive director, Andrea Lowman, added: “We’re delighted to see the first phase of new homes progressing, marking a major step forward in delivering the high-quality, affordable housing that local people have told us they need.
“This phase will bring forward homes that support residents at every stage of life, creating a strong foundation for a vibrant, sustainable town centre that meets the needs of our communities now and in the future.”
They’re aiming to tackle the pressures currently being put on temporary accommodation by turning long-term empty homes throughout the region into safe and secure housing for families who need it.
Temporary accommodation is described as being a ‘vital safety net’ for people who are facing or are at risk of homelessness, as it ensures they have somewhere safe to stay – but rising demand, a shortage of affordable homes, and escalating costs have left Councils, such as Greater Manchester‘s, increasingly reliant on expensive alternatives that are often deemed unsuitable and place a significant strain on local budgets.
At the same time, thousands of long-term empty homes across Greater Manchester remain unused.
This is why, with new devolved powers, GMCA is now taking what it’s calling a ‘coordinated, region-wide approach’ to bring these empty homes back into use and pioneer long-term solutions to the temporary accommodation crisis.
Greater Manchester reveals its £11.7m plan to tackle empty homes across the region / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
New research has revealed that temporary accommodation usage across the region has nearly doubled since 2019, with 5,915 households now making use of it as of March 2025.
At the same time, it’s estimated that the region has around 12,700 homes which have been empty for six months or more.
So, the new £11.7 million package – which is funded by GMCA – will be used to refurbish or lease up to 400 properties and help Councils cut bills for ‘costly and unsuitable’ temporary accommodation, such as bed and breakfasts, hostels, or hotels.
“More than 8,000 children are among the families living in temporary accommodation in Greater Manchester and that is simply unacceptable,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham.
“Homelessness tears young families from their communities and support networks, leaving them in environments that are often wholly unsuitable. This experience leaves lasting scars and that’s why we’re taking bold action.
“By investing an initial £11.7m to bring long-term empty homes back into use, we can offer better housing options, reduce the reliance on costly temporary accommodation, and ease the financial strain on local authorities.”
Alongside this package, another £10.6 million fund will enable councils to provide financial incentives, repair support, and offer temporary leasing options for at least 400 empty homes, ensuring they can be quickly brought into use as temporary or settled accommodation for families.
The programme is part of the work of Greater Manchester’s dedicated Housing First Unit, established to deliver the vision for ‘a healthy home for all’ by 2038.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd February 2021 
