New images of Holt Town regeneration plans released as Council set to approve plans

Our Strategic Partner Manchester City Council is moving a step closer to sign-off for its new 4,500 home redevelopment of Holt Town.

The Holt Town regeneration will repurpose 74 acres of brownfield land within the city to deliver homes of all tenures, 20% of which will be ‘genuinely affordable’, including social rent properties.

The Council's executive will be asked to approve the ambitious plans at a committee meeting next week following the positive feedback from comprehensive public consultation last year.

Holt Town is a major regeneration opportunity to develop a new mixed-use neighbourhood, highly sustainable with thousands of new homes of different types and tenures – from family housing through to age-friendly and key worker apartments – incorporating high-quality green spaces surrounding a 1km play street spine, provision of new local services, cultural opportunities, and significant affordable workspace.

The site sits on the Medlock Valley between the bustling areas of Ancoats and New Islington and the dynamic zones of Sportcity and the Etihad Campus. Investment in Holt Town will unlock a missing link between key parts of the city and breathe new life into this area of town.

The neighbourhood development framework (NDF) was produced by a team led by architect Studio Egret West, which won a competition to head the scheme in March 2024, and included planner Deloitte, digital engagement specialist Deetu, social value expert Hatch, transport engineer Hilson Moran, digital placemaking consultant MVRDV, and economic analyst Turley.

The NDF proposes a carbon neutral approach and a people-first ideology that will prioritise active travel options and public transport over car use.

The redevelopment will see a new low carbon neighbourhood of around 4,500 homes across a range of building types, including low rise town houses and some taller residential buildings.

There will be a of tenures and prices to support an inclusive community with at least 20% affordable homes – including social, Council and genuinely affordable housing and a mixed-use area that will deliver 30,000 square feet of commercial space, including ground floor uses, live/workspace and smaller office floor space.

Plans will see the creation of 15 acres of green space including enhancements to the river and canal settings, sustainable approaches to urban drainage and improvements to a new river park – known as a “confluence park”.

An urban layout will prioritise pedestrian and cycle movements, including the creation of public amenity spaces and a 1km pedestrian play link that connects St Annes School with Park View Community School in Miles Platting.

New social infrastructure such as neighbourhood services, including health and retail to support the needs of a growing city centre population.

While a Cultural Hub, Lido and a Mobility Mill with centralised parking for the neighbourhood, wrapped with affordable workspace and ground floor neighbourhood services will provide a cultural and leisure offering.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said:

“Holt Town has huge potential and this is feeding our ambition to create a brand new woodland town – the first of its kind in Manchester.

“We have an opportunity to deliver a transformative programme of investment and we expect this area to be Manchester’s next urban regeneration exemplar, creating a neighbourhood that meets the needs of our city and our people – with at least 4,500 new homes, including significant affordable housing options.

“This neigbourhood will represent a people first focus around active travel, green spaces, new play spaces for young people – and a digital first approach that will better connect the community with local services.

“Following consultation, we are beginning to move to the early delivery phase for Holt Town – a new town within the city of Manchester – that will finally bridge the gap between the city centre, Sportcity and the Etihad Campus in east Manchester.”

Consultation with local people and businesses was undertaken between August and September 2024, including online options and in-person events – as well as workshops with local school pupils from St Anne’s RC primary to develop play space ideas for the community.

The engagement opportunities attracted 10,000 website visits and 411 formal responses showing strong support for the vision of a mixed-used residential led neighbourhood outlined in the draft Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF).