Housing regeneration plans announced for North Manchester

More than 400 affordable new family homes are planned for Harpurhey and Moston in a deal agreed between Manchester City Council and Redrow Homes.

The new homes will support the regeneration of the area and in particular will help first time buyers through a 75 / 25% shared equity loan scheme administered by the Council.

Contracts have been exchanged on six different sites around Cole and Albine Street, Princedom Street, Winnie Street, Bute Street, Hanson Road and Kingsley Avenue and detailed planning applications for five of the sites will be submitted to Manchester City Council shortly.

In the meantime, a series of open days are being held locally to promote the plans to local residents, beginning Saturday, March 6th.

Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "These plans demonstrate real investor confidence in North Manchester despite the current global economic climate. Improving housing quality and choice in the area is a central part of our strategy to ensure it is a popular place to live.

“These 400-plus new homes will provide affordable, desirable housing options both for existing residents and people who want to move into the area. They will add momentum to the regeneration of Moston and Harpurhey, complementing all the investment that's taking place there.”

The six areas to be developed by Redrow range in size from one acre to seven acres, a total of 25 acres in all, and are all within half a kilometre of each other. Situated at the heart of Moston and Harpurhey, close to the Moston Lane and North City shopping and services centres, the six sites were prepared under the Housing Market Renewal Initiative to enable high quality housing.

Redrow’s plans include two, three and four-bedroom homes in a mix of terraced, semi and detached styles, ensuring a good mix of homes for sole buyers, couples, friends sharing and families. Every home will be offered with the potential to defer 25% of the initial purchase price for up to 10 years as an equity loan and there will be an exclusive sales period in which existing Harpurhey and Moston residents will get the first opportunity to buy the new properties.

Steve Greenhalgh, land director for Redrow Homes (Lancashire), said: “We are delighted to be working with Manchester City Council on this project. We are committed to a high quality housing scheme that will revitalise these areas and offer local people a real opportunity to get onto or move up the property ladder.”

The new homes will feature traditional elevations – based on those of Redrow’s recently launched New Heritage Collection with its ‘Arts and Crafts’ era influences – and are designed to blend with existing properties in the area. They will be built to high eco-design standards, with better energy and water efficiency, and will be fully accessible and easily adaptable for occupation by a disabled person.

Redrow is also committed to providing employment and training for local people and has signed up to the ‘Manchester Employment in Construction Charter’, which provides for contractors and sub-contractors working on the project to become signatories to the charter. Where appropriate and practical, employment opportunities will be provided to local residents, including possible trainees.