FEC earmarks July for Collyhurst application

The developer and its partner Manchester City Council have outlined a timeline for the first part of the Northern Gateway scheme, which will contain 330 homes, 130 of them council houses.

The first phases will come forward in Collyhurst Village and South Collyhurst. Buttress has been appointed to design the project. Consultation opened on Tuesday.

Timeline

• March: the second phase of consultation will begin
• June: More detailed design proposals will be revealed
• July: A planning application is to be submitted
• End of summer: FEC anticipates a planning decision to be made
• January 2021: If the plans gain approval, FEC will start on site

The wider Northern Gateway project is a large-scale investment programme being delivered by the council in partnership with FEC, following a masterplan by architect Farrells. The concept is based on seven new and emerging neighbourhoods connected by green space. Northern Gateway is proposed to deliver 15,000 homes in the next 15 to 20 years and will include at least 3,000 affordable homes.

As part of the initial phase of consultation for Collyhurst, locals and interested parties have been asked to fill in a four-day ‘Collyhurst Community Diary’ to help FEC and the council to  “design the new homes and neighbourhoods so that they meet the needs of the community and understand how residents currently use the spaces and amenities in their neighbourhood”.

Some examples of elements the residents are being asked for views on include:

• Residential street: A green feel with street trees and landscaping; space for a car right outside the home; shared spaces to encourage walking and cycling; minimal fencing and barriers; a mixture of different types of homes
• Types of homes and their appearance: Use of traditional materials such as brick; A home all on one floor with no step access; A traditional house layout with front and back doors; Homes for sale and council homes looking the same; Open plan living
• Sustainable living: Homes powered by renewable energy; Energy efficient homes; Use of smart meters to support efficient energy distribution; Charging points for electric vehicles; Making cycling and walking easier

The comments will be reviewed ahead of the second consultation in March, and factored into the proposals, according to FEC.

Tom Fenton, project director of Far East Consortium, said: “In partnership with Manchester City Council, we want to offer Collyhurst residents and community groups the chance to engage with us in a transparent and inclusive consultation exercise that allows them to inform our thinking and shape our plans for new housing in their neighbourhood.

“As we have stated from the outset, we are committed to ensuring that some of the first homes to be built within the Northern Gateway project are for existing residents.”