Progress at three key developments in Ancoats come together to mark the final phase of the Ancoats redevelopment story – and the beginning of the end of more than 20 years of regeneration in the city
The investment will deliver a bigger and much-improved city centre park, new and enhanced green public spaces, an innovative mobility hub – with green living walls – and will also help unlock 1,500 new homes in the Ancoats area.
Find out more about the regeneration of Ancoats
This City – the Council’s own low carbon housing company
The inaugural This City housing development marks 10 months on site using long-term brownfield land owned by the Council in Ancoats to construct 129 new homes - including 119 apartments and 10 town houses.
This will deliver properties ranging from one bed to four bed homes, which will overlook Ancoats Green – a larger park space for the community – that will connect seamlessly to the surrounding neighbourhood.
The two apartment blocks have made good progress on site with the apartment blocks at the halfway point. The construction of the 10 townhouses is now underway.
30% of these homes will be capped at the Manchester Living Rent – which is the same level as the Local Housing Allowance rate – and means these properties can be accessed by residents on housing benefit and therefore affordable to as many Manchester people as possible.
This development will also be built to high sustainability standards, limiting heat loss through exemplar insulation, making the homes warm and cheaper to run – essential to support residents through the cost-of-living crisis.
The ambition is that This City will scale up to build 500 homes a year. Six further sites are currently being considered for development in the coming years.
As part of this project, 54 Manchester people have been employed so far and apprentices have been offered more than 160 weeks of workplace opportunities to gain vital on-site experience.
This development is expected to be completed in 2025. The scheme is being built by Wates and designed by architect Buttress.
Ancoats Green – a green heart of the community
On site since January this year, work is well underway to deliver a much-improved park that will act as a green focal point for the neighbourhood – creating clear connections between ongoing development in the area, including the This City housing development and Mobility Hub.
The project will ensure a bold and ambitious sense of place, including new walking and cycling routes through the neighbourhood, along with significant new planting – wildflower and wetland planting, and a range of new trees.
The park will be a quality multi-functional green space for existing and future generations, including new play areas with accessible equipment, open grassed areas, generous footpaths and space for hosting small events.
This development is expected to be completed later in 2024. The scheme has been designed by Planit.
Find out more about Ancoats Green and public realm investment in in Ancoats
Ancoats Mobility Hub
Development of the Hub has reached its highest point and has now celebrated its ‘topping out’.
The Mobility Hub is an innovative, highly sustainable project that supports the aim for Ancoats to be a low-traffic, pedestrian first neighbourhood.
The hub will feature secure parking for 150 bikes, alongside changing facilities, 102 electronic vehicle charging points, up to 30 spaces for car club and car share schemes as part of a total of 406 car park spaces which reduces the need for parking within new residential developments nearby (apart from disabled parking).
The building itself will feature 400 rooftop solar panels and over 400sqm of living green walls. A last-mile delivery hub and parcel lockers will centralise how local people can receive post and packages, vastly reducing delivery traffic in the area. A new commercial or hospitality space is also being explored.
The development will include over 1,300sqm of open public space and external areas featuring hard and soft landscaping - equivalent to the size of seven tennis courts. This will link seamlessly into the improved Ancoats Green. The Mobility Hub is expected to be completed in late 2024. This development is funded by a combination of Homes England and GMCA Brownfield Land Funding. Bowmer and Kirkland are the lead contractor for the project.
Find out more about the Ancoats Mobility Hub - along with associated development in the locale.
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of the Council, said:
“We’ve seen the transformation of Ancoats over the last two decades from a decking post-industrial inner-city area into a modern, vibrant, urban community.
“Through our This City development and the Ancoats Mobility Hub we see firsthand the innovative approach we are taking as a city to create more attractive, affordable and sustainable neighbourhoods – with a improved, high quality city centre park at its heart.
“As part of this we are thinking clearly about our green public spaces, a pedestrian first approach to development, and housing affordability – the latter making sure our communities are open to all Manchester people and a key part of our commitment to build at least 10,000 social, council and genuinely affordable homes up to 2032.”
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said:
“It’s great to see the progress at these projects in Ancoats and a privilege to witness the area’s regeneration come together – helping to create a green, sustainable neighbourhood.
“This is an exemplar approach to neighbourhood redevelopment – putting the resident, affordable housing, and active travel first – that we’d like to see replicated in other parts of our city ensuring clean, pleasant streets, finished to a high standard that our residents want to spend time in.”