CERT, L&G, and TrueNorth JV wins Droylsden bidding war
A joint venture between the three companies has been selected as the developer of choice by Tameside Council’s officers to transform the former Droylsden Library and Lock Keepers site into 160 homes.
Tameside Council put the 2.3-acre plot on the market on 24 March, with Knight Frank charged with finding a suitable buyer. After evaluating 11 bids for the land by Droylsden Marina, council officers ranked the offer by a joint venture comprising TrueNorth Partnerships, CERT Property, and Legal & General Affordable Homes, as scoring the highest.
The local authority’s cabinet is due to approve the deal tomorrow.
The JV’s vision for the site would see the building of 152 flats and eight homes – all of which would be designated as affordable. The apartments would have between one and two bedrooms, while the houses would have three.
There would be undercroft parking, a pocket park, and a community centre as part of the development. A layout drawn up by Stockport-based Bowker Sadler Architecture would include links between Manchester Road and the nearby marina.
This is, of course, subject to planning approval as well as the securing of grant funding from Homes England, according to a council report.
LGAH would fully fund the land purchase price, which was undisclosed, and the construction costs. CERT and TrueNorth would provide the finances for all of the pre-development costs.
The joint venture has a target planning application submission date of 1 July 2026. If consent can be granted before 30 September that year, construction could begin at the start of 2027 and conclude two years later.
Once the build was finished, LGAH would retain and manage the housing complex.
Cllr Hugh Roderick, the executive member for finance and resources at Tameside, stated: “We are collaborating with developers to bring new affordable and top-quality homes to our towns, providing new community space, boosting local shops and hospitality and improving travel connections.
“These developers have a strong record, and this is an exciting opportunity for Droylsden.”
Elsewhere in the North West, CERT is delivering 116 homes in Stretford and 124 residences in Eccles,, as well as working alongside MyProtein founder Oliver Cookson to turn the former Shena Simon campus into a hotel.
Related Articles
Analysis
Remembering Eamonn Boylan: Greater Manchester’s placemaker
Eamonn Boylan never sought the spotlight. Throughout his 45-year-career as a public servant, he seemed content to just get on with the actual doing of things. Rather than lead, he preferred to guide. His impact was no less transformative.
Whilst we 100% need affordable home is this really the best place for it. Prime waterside location that will become an extended part of the town centre. There’s a bigger brownfield site less than 300 yards away that would be better suited just my opinion of course
By Anonymous
The council really need to step up here and specify a suitable amount of public space around this former public owned site. No reason not to build high along the main road and keep the footprint as small as possible to create a public friendly space around the waterside with shops cafes on the ground floor. The say this will be an extension of the town centre in their masterplan well prove it and don’t allow developers to squeeze in as many low quality homes on this prime site for droylsden
By Anonymous
Can’t help but feel we will look back on this as yet another missed opportunity in droylsden from the clueless tameside council
By Anonymous
Wasted opportunity AGAIN
By Anonymous
Maybe they should hang fire till Labour are inevitably ousted in tameside in the hope a new council may actually have some ambition for droylsden
By Dave
It looks like a proper boat haven (look at all those boats, it already bursting at the seams) with public paths, eating places, repair workshops, and so on, is a no-brainer … not simply houses.
By Anonymous