New £58 million plans to turn one of Manchester’s largest and oldest mills into a development of almost 300 canalside flats and townhouses have now been submitted.
Brunswick Mill on Bradford Road in the heart of Ancoats is a Grade II listed building that dates back to the 1840s and is currently being used by a range of tenants, including textile businesses, a rehearsal space for musicians, and more.
But under these newly-submitted plans, developer Maryland Securities would convert the building into 153 apartments and 124 properties.
There would also be two new-build blocks on adjacent land.
Being a building that boasts a great deal of historical architecture, the proposals – which have been designed by architect Hodder+Partners – will see the central courtyard retained, as well as the trussed ties and vaulted ceilings.
Brunswick Mill is currently tenanted by textiles businesses, musicians and more / Credit: Hodder+Partners
It is hoped that developing the site will help link together New Islington and the Etihad Campus.
The plans for the project – which is valued at around £58 million – include approximately 20,000 sq ft of workspace and community space on the ground floor of the refurbished mill.
This is “to help bring activity and vibrancy to Bradford Road”, Maryland says.
A convenient, well-lit and publicly accessible route through the site to the Ashton Canal towpath will also help provide “a revived sense of place”, the developer adds.
A viability assessment for the project has also been lodged, and Maryland has confirmed that its ‘relocation consultants’ have been in contact and have discussed the future of the building with all existing occupiers of the mill, adding that: “This engagement will continue throughout the planning process.”
The courtyard and some significant architectural features are to be retained / Credit: Hodder+Partners
Speaking on the submission of the plans, Stephen Hodder – Chairman of Hodder+Partners – said: “The main ambition of this scheme is to celebrate the listed Brunswick Mill, which is a key part of Manchester’s industrial heritage.
“The two new buildings for the site are designed to complement the mill and ensure its prominence in the area is not lost in future years.
“We want to create a sustainable and characterful neighbourhood that will enhance the local environment.”
Maryland has said it estimates that the project will create 376 off-site and on-site construction jobs, with the new residents and commercial occupiers creating an annual economic benefit of £25.5 million over the first five years.
The developers also said the new ground floor workspace and community accommodation would also support 155 jobs, which is a 45% increase compared to the current occupation.
Featured Image – Wikimedia Commons
Property
‘Major milestone’ as planning permission secured to transform Oldham town centre
Emily Sergeant
Planning permission has been granted for six transformational sites in Oldham town centre, with developers calling it a ‘major milestone’.
This approval marks a key step forward in Muse Places and Oldham Council‘s long-term partnership with a shared ambition to deliver a ‘vibrant, inclusive, and sustainable’ town centre that not only reflects Oldham’s heritage but also meets the needs of the people who live there.
Following ‘extensive consultation’ with the local community earlier this year, where hundreds of people took park and shared valuable feedback to help shape the proposals, a total of 1,619 new homes will be delivered as part of the plans, offering a mix of high-quality, energy-efficient apartments designed for families, older people, and young professionals.
The plans also include social and affordable housing provision too in a bid to help more local people find a home that suits their needs and circumstances.
According to the Council and developers, the approved plans will bring underused sites back into ‘productive’ use and support a ‘cleaner, greener’ future for Oldham, opening the door to new opportunities for local businesses and communities alike.
“This decision marks a key milestone in delivering on our promises for Oldham,” commented Cllr Arooj Shah, who is the Leader of Oldham Council.
Planning permission has been secured to transform Oldham town centre / Credit: Muse Places
“Oldham Council and Muse have a shared, ambitious vision to create a quality place that people genuinely want to spend time in.
“I am thrilled that we can continue moving forward with our plans, delivering high-quality homes, including the provision of social and affordable homes to meet local needs. We will also support local businesses and create opportunities for everyone, as part of a clean, green and sustainable future.
“Together, we are creating a place that we can all be proud of.”
Site investigation works are now complete at the Civic Centre, and works at Prince’s Gate will begin shortly, followed by the former Magistrates’ Court later this year.
With planning consent secured and preparatory works underway, construction at Prince’s Gate is expected to begin this autumn.
Featured Image – Muse Places
Property
Authorities prepare to ‘turn the tide’ on Greater Manchester’s housing crisis
Emily Sergeant
Greater Manchester is preparing to ‘turn the tide’ on its housing crisis by building new homes and protecting renters.
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has set out its comprehensive plan to connect communities to new jobs and opportunities, drive up standards across the rental sector, and build new homes – with the latter helping to fulfil its Housing First ambition give everyone access to a ‘safe, secure, and affordable’ home by 2038.
This week has already seen a ‘renewed focus’ on driving up housing standards thanks to the naming of the first supporters of Greater Manchester’s bold new Good Landlord Charter.
New analysis also shows that GMCA’s Brownfield Housing Fund, which was set up in 2020, has already provided grants to deliver more than 15,000 homes, with an average of just over 45% being affordable housing.
But, there’s still a long way to go.
🏡 Today at #Housing2025, we marked a major milestone: Over 50% of rented homes in Greater Manchester are now covered by the Good Landlord Charter 🎉
— Greater Manchester Combined Authority (@greatermcr) June 26, 2025
GMCA says those recent successes will not stand alone, but rather support plans to deliver more social housing than is lost across the region.
Unlocking brownfield land is what authorities claim is the key to turning the tide on the housing crisis, as since its inception in 2020, as mentioned, Greater Manchester has invested a whopping £135.4 million from the Brownfield Housing Fund to redevelop underused brownfield land, which ultimately delivered thousands of new homes.
It’s anticipated that further funding allocations will come in the summer to supplement those already approved and in the works.
GMCA is also using the power of Mayoral Development Corporations (MDC) – which are statutory bodies set up by the Mayor Andy Burnham, designed to speed up development and attract investment within a specific area – to unlock regeneration opportunities, as these ‘pioneering’ tools bring together local partners and drive forward the authority’s ambitions to build new homes, bring jobs and investment, and support economic growth.
Authorities are preparing to ‘turn the tide’ on Greater Manchester’s housing crisis / Credit: Benjamin Elliott (via Unsplash)
Some of these MDCs currently include Old Trafford (part of the proposed Western Gateway Mayoral Development Zone), the expanded Stockport MDC, and the Northern Gateway MDC (part of Atom Valley).
Together, these three alone are expected to deliver 27,250 homes over the next 15 years to help address the housing crisis.
“If we are serious about securing the long-term success of Greater Manchester, we need to free ourselves from the grip of the housing crisis,” commented Mayor Andy Burnham.
“Because of the decisions we’ve taken, Greater Manchester is now building more affordable homes than at any point since the turn of the millennium. We need to keep building on that momentum until we reach a tipping point where we build more social homes than we lose.
Emily Sergeant -
28th May 2021 
