Manchester mulls CPO at Victoria North
FEC and Manchester City Council are aiming to stitch together a “patchwork quilt of land titles” to pave the way for the delivery of 1,551 homes off Dantzic Street.
The city council’s executive will meet this week to decide whether to authorise the use of compulsory purchase powers to rationalise the fractured land ownership within the seven-acre site.
FEC, which is leading the delivery of the £4bn Victoria North regeneration project, owns the majority of the land needed to develop the Dantzic Street residential scheme. However, some parcels are unregistered with no known legal owner, making the acquisition process trickier.
By using CPO powers, the council would be able to bring the sites under the control of the partnership, mitigating the risks to delivery of the six residential buildings ranging from six to 37 storeys approved earlier this year.
A spokesperson for the city council said: “The council is working in partnership with FEC to deliver a regeneration programme for the Dantzic Street area – part of the wider Victoria North project – that will transform and connect this long-neglected part of the city into the core of conurbation and celebrate the River Irk for the first time in decades.
“Previous and long-gone industrial uses have left behind a patchwork quilt of land titles and the JV are working to resolve these title issues to ensure the area can be regenerated and deliver the intended vision for the neighbourhood – developing new homes, creating new jobs and enhancing green space.
“The Council’s executive has therefore been asked to agree the use of CPO powers should the joint venture partnership wish to rely upon them. This process does not affect any land where the owners are known, nor does it relate to any existing homes or businesses.”
Be good to see this area regenerated, hope that they pull of the public realm and river improvements too and not leave it looking like a swamp.
By JAB
Manchester city centre has zero character now. Just bland newbuild after bland newbuild. Squeeze as many gross shoebox flats into as small an area as possible so more ‘professionals’ can move in. Dire.
By Barry Mahoney
Glad to see these buildings are made of brick. Brick buildings tend to stand the test of time as compared to those with cladding.
Some old, 20th century New York style setback apartments would be good if possible.
By MrP
Victoria North isn’t just in the city centre Barry. These are very extensive and long term plans including houses , river walks and parklands. Look at the plans, maybe visit now and again but mostly read more, try harder, this isn’t Instagram.
By Anonymous
If it was up to Barry, we’d still have slums in the city centre. God forbid anyone try to make an abandoned area of the city into a place that people would actually want to live and work in
By Anonymous
Brick is really nice if done properly.
If not, it looks dreadful, see Leeds for more info.
By Anonymous
What is important to me about this development, are the plans for the riverside park. If they get it right, it will be stunning. The towers are just a few more tall buildings in skyscraper city but that park will turn this area into a proper sustainable community and with the park will come bars, restaurants, a destination in the Summer, and hopefully some tasteful regeneration of Cheetham Hill Road, which is currently a disappointment, enhancing the grand structures and the bulldozing of the dross.
By Elephant
Have to agree on the public realm and the river walks being vital to the livability of that whole development going forward. This is just a small part of that development but 20 yrs from now when all those new districts have been added this should be a unique asset coming into the city.
By Anonymous