Manchester City Council: Holt Town vision takes shape

Manchester City Council has revealed the vision for the regeneration of its Holt Town neighbourhood.

Earlier this year, Studio Egret West were chosen to lead a multi-disciplinary team to develop the neighbourhood regeneration plan that will guide investment in Holt Town over the next decade and more.

Holt Town presents a once-in-a-generation opportunity to transform 74 acres (30ha) of brownfield land to create a link between Manchester’s city centre and Sports City and the Etihad Campus in east Manchester – two key economic drivers for the city – and presents a natural extension of the ongoing, long-term regeneration in Ancoats and New Islington.

The Council's executive committee will be asked to approve the move to consult on a Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF) for the east Manchester neighbourhood.

The NDF will present:

• Potential for 4,500 new homes – including significant new affordable housing

• New commercial space that could support 1,500 new jobs

• 15acres (6ha) of new public realm and green space – including 1km play link

The proposals will look to deliver a major mixed-used, residential led programme of regeneration that will have the capacity to deliver 4,500 new homes, with significant affordable housing alongside a range of tenures and housing types to help diversify the housing offer in the city.

The vision presents a low carbon, sustainable neighbourhood that will take a nature-based approach to development. The investment will change the face of the area from post-industrial to modern urban district while celebrating the existing heritage buildings and canal waterways.

The pockets of nature that have persisted against the backdrop of industrial decline will be enhanced and woodland regrown as part of the ambition to create 15 acres of new and enhanced public and green space, including a 1km play link for you people to enjoy outdoor activities safely.

Investment in new commercial space has the potential to create around 1,500 new local full-time jobs and the growing neighbourhood will include a new cultural and community space for local residents.

The community will enjoy low-car principles, underpinned by safe walking and cycling routes connecting the emerging district to the surrounding communities and the city centre – and supported by a new mobility hub to help limit the number of cars in the area.

The development framework also considers the need for new health and education services for the community to meet a growing need in the area. And the Council is also exploring how digital technologies can be embedded into the fabric of urban regeneration projects to modernise the way residents can access public services – from traffic management, waste collection and neighbourhood management to health and social care.

Following executive approval, a six-week consultation is expected to begin later this summer.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of the Council, said:

“The evolution of East Manchester over the last two decades is driving forward our exciting plans for Holt Town. The neighbourhood is an under loved area of the city and investment in this community will create that vital missing link between the city centre, Ancoats and New Islington and the ongoing investment at Sport City and the Etihad Campus.

“Holt Town is an ambitious opportunity to create the equivalent of a new town in the city. A brand new district showcasing innovation, culture and sustainability – including 4,500 new homes, with a focus on affordable housing - that will support continued and sustainable economic growth for our city.

“The momentum to deliver our ambitions follows the successful regeneration of Ancoats and New Islington and this platform is already driving the regeneration ambitions for Holt Town – which will drive innovation, create new jobs and support population growth, new high quality green spaces, and a new era for urban renewal in Manchester.”