Adjacent areas

Eastlands development JV moves closer

3 March 2011 08:20 Comments (0)

A joint venture between New East Manchester, Manchester City Council and Manchester City FC is to be created to deliver development opportunities for land in east Manchester.

See gallery of plans below

Simon Bate, chairman of urban regeneration company New East Manchester, said: "This is the latest milestone in the regeneration journey that east Manchester has been on for the past 15 years. We have already seen how the area has gone from having no economic future to one where public and private partners together have stabilised the area and put in place a proposal for economic growth. We now have a long-term plan which will act as a platform for our priorities and actions over the coming years, enabling businesses, local resident and visitors to benefit from future investment opportunities."

The previous partnership arrangement, which began with the signing of a memorandum of understanding in March last year, is to be formalised with the creation of a legally binding joint venture, known as the Eastlands Development Partnership.

The JV will act as a vehicle through which activity and development opportunities for land in and around the City of Manchester stadium and its neighbouring communities, is delivered.

An Eastlands regeneration framework document was published on Wednesday, outlining the overarching vision for the development of land held by the parties totalling approximately 200 acres.

A photo gallery below shows maps taken from the document of the key areas.

In the short term, land already owned by Manchester City Football Club on the Openshaw West site will be the focus of exploratory remediation in the coming weeks and months.

NEM said it is intended that the land in this area be made good in order that it becomes useable should the Premier League club deem further development of football facilities on the site appropriate.

In addition to the club's review of potential football facilities, the partnership is gauging opportunities to expand community facilities.

NEM said such opportunities, on both the land under the club's ownership as well as on that across the broader 200-acre site, may include but are not limited to educational, recreational and swimming facilities which would form a part of the development of an Eastlands community sports plan.

NEM added that a period of significant community consultation will now begin to discuss possibilities for the area and to establish the wishes and needs of the local community.

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, added: "This framework along with the partnership will drive progress over the next decade and will not just secure the economic success of the area, but also be a truly groundbreaking relationship setting the benchmark in the world of regeneration.

Remediation work on a 17-acre site, originally intended for the supercasino, started last September.

The project was funded by the Homes & Communities Agency, which contributed £2.74m, Manchester City Council, £1.37m, European Regional Development Fund, £3.59m, and North West Development Agency, £450,000.

Construction is also well underway on the new £24m national indoor BMX centre, being carried out by Sir Robert McAlpine, and a network of new pedestrian and cycle links to the surrounding area. The BMX centre is expected to be completed this year.

Eastlands was originally built to host the Commonwealth Games in 2002. As well as the stadium the area houses the Manchester Regional Arena, National Squash Centre, Tennis Centre, English Institute of Sport and the Manchester Velodrome.

The development framework, which will be subject to formal consultation in May, can be read on the Manchester City Council website.

Click image to launch gallery