Manchester selects Glenbrook for 100% affordable Hulme scheme
A 2.75-acre site off Greenheys Lane West and Old Birley Street will be redeveloped into around 300 discounted homes.
Manchester City Council has selected developer Glenbrook to deliver a 100% affordable housing scheme on the Hulme site, which was once earmarked for an extension of UKFast’s headquarters.
As part of its ongoing estate strategy, the city council appointed CBRE to market the Birley Fields site for sale last year alongside Church Street car park in the Northern Quarter. Glenbrook was selected as preferred bidder for both.
Early thinking for the Hulme scheme is a 293-home low carbon development featuring a range of tenures including social rent, affordable rent, and affordable home ownership, as well as a community garden and other green spaces.
Jamie Sutton, senior development manager at Glenbrook, said: “We’re excited by the opportunity at Birley Fields and delighted to continue our partnership with Manchester City Council as their selected development partner.
“The essence of Hulme is one of resilience and community spirit – a part of our city that has helped shape modern British music, design, and identity. As a developer, we are acutely aware of the responsibility we hold in delivering such an important scheme, one that provides considered architecture and public realm whilst responding to the needs of the wider community.
“Over the coming months we will be reaching out and consulting with key stakeholders across the ward as we develop our initial concept in preparation of a planning application later this year.”
Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, described the proposed development as a “great scheme for Hulme”.
“The Birley Fields site has been an underused site for many years, so it’s great to see proposals emerging with the level of ambition and vision that is being developed, as well as a clear commitment to improving biodiversity across the site.
“Importantly, genuinely affordable homes – including social rent homes – are at the heart of this scheme, including quality green spaces and opportunities for the local community to come together. This approach has been guided by local people and it’s important that we continue to engage in the neighbourhood as the plans develop further.”
The residential-led plans for the site are a departure from early proposals. Lawrence Jones, UKFast’s disgraced founder, agreed a deal with Manchester City Council to acquire the plot of land opposite the firm’s Birley Fields campus in 2019.
The deal was agreed just before Jones stepped down from the company amid the sexual misconduct allegations that eventually saw him jailed for 15 years.
Fantastic looking scheme. Best of luck to all involved
By Anonymous
A great site for Hulme to deliver homes and start to see the benefits of the Manchester success story where you could argue they have been left behind. Hear good things above the developer so fingers crossed it all happens.
By Local lad
Certainly support the idea of developing that piece of scrub land that’s remained vacant since the crescents were demolished.
But oh my goodness those images are depressing. Typical insipid cereal box-looking apartment blocks with no balconies ( most flats built in Hulme have some sort of balcony or terrace). Just look at the Homes4Change building for inspiration. Really inventive architecture and looks great almost 20-odd years on.
By Anonymous
Why the obsession on PNW with the reference to ‘discounted’ to describe anything that’s affordable?
They are not ‘discounted’, they cost the same as any similar apartment building would to construct (potentially more) but are made ‘affordable’ owing to the amount of public funding that will be provided.
By Ram Tailor
This is positive news, but MCC having moved on from its Bernstein/Leese-era aversion to any sort of new affordable housing now keeps diverting time and developer contributions into Cllr Craig’s favourite “Shred Ownership” the shortcomings of which are well-known to buyers and have been excellently explained by a popular local TikToker, to the annoyance of the Town Hall.
By Anonymous
Well done anonymous 12-49 you have just taken the comments on this site to a level I thought was not possible. Social media is here to stay but the please don’t suggest on this site that we should give it any real credibility
By Barrym59
Great news for the area, now let’s get on and deliver!!
By Anonymous
The mentioned site .. isn’t under used. It’s been a great green space for the people on the asda side of Hulme .. and as for affordable housing .. Hulme desperately need social housing. Let people of Hulme let down by the council again.
By Anonymous
What a boring and Starlinist look they have . Zero imagination and totally bland . What a wasted opportunity.
By Anonymous
It’s a shame that the chosen scheme does not include any Community Led Housing as the site has attracted much interest over the years from various groups including cohousing and cooperative housing. Greater Manchester Community Led Homes would welcome the chance to talk to Glenbrook about how community led housing can massively increase housing diversity and build on the already strong sense of community in Hulme.
By GMCLH
100% affordable, fairly attractive design (especially that chamfered building with the green shop front), developing a plot that is currently derelict….
….and of course PNW commenters still aren’t happy.
By Anonymous
Re. Barrym59 – Not sure why you are dismissing very wide evidence of the shortcomings of Shared Ownership in terms of much of it not being in any way affordable (just a bit cheaper than market), high service charges plus 100% of repairs liability, limited mortgage options and frequent difficulty selling for those reasons.
The fact people are now using the likes of TikTok to explain this to new audiences isn’t anything to sneer at.
In amongst the admitted slop, many of the developers and firms covered on here will be using the exact same social media to sell their properties or services, along with other presumably disreputable types such as the Prime Minister, Cllr Craig and the very silly BBC News, which has 14.7 million followers.
By Anon and on
Really positive to see this site being put to good use — it’s never felt like it was contributing much in its current state. A 100% affordable scheme is a big win for Hulme, and the inclusion of integrated green space alongside a thoughtful design approach is especially encouraging. If delivered well, this could be a genuinely valuable addition to the neighbourhood.
By Anonymous
As I said like it or hate it it’s here to stay. But we all know how much tosh is out there and PNW shouldn’t publish comments that are mainly or partly based on something out there unless people are specific about what they are basing their views on so we can all take a peep …….on and on anon
By Barrym59
Nice to see something coming to this site but 1000% can we stop doing shared ownership, it’s well documented how bad it is for people. Also it’s a crying shame that this isn’t community led. Look at how amazing homes for change is, even an element could be. It looks grand, it’s a million miles away from the quality, innovation and architectural quality of homes for change but thats just sadly the times we live in. I would wish for some innovation and thought into the floor plans, interaction spaces etc but that’ll be wishful thinking. Glad it’s not an office block. At this rate there maybe a need to reopen the junction 😉
By Dan