FEC plans ‘landmark’ tall buildings in £1bn Northern Gateway

Far East Consortium and Manchester City Council have outlined sites within the 15,000-home Northern Gateway, running from Victoria Station to Queens Park, which could host “landmark” tall buildings, according to a newly-released regeneration framework.

As part of its strategic regeneration framework for the site, FEC has outlined where tall buildings could be developed. These include sites along the River Irk; a site just outside Victoria Station on the Northern side of the railway arches on the station’s approach; and sites opposite Angel Meadow.

A map suggests the area, which has been split into seven neighbourhoods, will see buildings up to 16 storeys in height with “opportunities for distinctive landmark buildings with a focus on height” highlighted, particularly around Angel Meadow, St Catherine’s Wood, and the Green Quarter.

Other areas earmarked for tall buildings include areas to the north away from the city centre, near New Collyhurst Park and Sandhills Park.

Lower-rise buildings will be the focus to the north of New Cross, where high-density residential is favoured.

FEC Northern Gateway SRF Tall Buildings July 2018

Potential tall buildings are highlighted with a pink star

Much of the masterplan is residential-led, with 15,000 homes to be delivered, but some sites, particularly near the Green Quarter, have been set aside for a mix of commercial and residential uses, while some major areas are for social and community uses, including two sites north of New Cross.

These will include healthcare and education provision as well as sports and leisure facilities.

Retail and service hubs have been targeted for alongside the River Irk by the railway arches near Angel Meadow, which is also the site of FEC’s £200m MeadowSide project.

The seven neighbourhoods identified in the plan are:

  • Red Bank
  • New Town
  • New Cross
  • South Collyhurst
  • Collyhurst Village
  • Vauxhall Gardens
  • Eggington Street and Smedley Dip

The city council and FEC said 20% of the homes to be delivered as part of the masterplan will be classed as affordable, with the housebuilding programme set to start in Collyhurst with 110 homes delivered for social rent, if £10.25m of Government funding is secured.

At the same time, residential-led development will be brought forward at Red Bank and New Town, where there is potential for high-rise projects.

Both of these are expected to get underway within 12 months of the masterplan being adopted.

FEC and the council between them own 50% of the land required to deliver the Northern Gateway masterplan. This includes the site of the 344-home Angelgate project, which FEC bought from collapsed developer Pinnacle Angelgate earlier this year.

Northern Gateway Neighbourhoods July 2018

The area has been split into seven neighbourhoods

FEC project director Tom Fenton said: “Northern Gateway will reconnect the city centre and the outer lying northern communities. It will offer a range of housing types to cater for a diverse range of Manchester’s population on a variety of incomes and will become a new destination within the city.

“Northern Gateway offers the city centre a chance to naturally expand northwards from Victoria Station and in doing so, regenerate the communities of New Cross, Irk Valley and Collyhurst and act as a catalyst for further connectivity into Cheetham Hill, Miles Platting, Moston and beyond.”

“With the Irk River Valley acting as the primary catalyst for change, Northern Gateway will unlock the development potential of 390 acres by creating vibrant communities of family homes, parks, schools, healthcare and other public facilities, all linked by new parks and public realm around a network of integrated public transport provision.”

The strategic regeneration framework for the Northern Gateway will go before Manchester City Council’s economic scrutiny committee next Wednesday, and will go to the Executive for approval the week after.

Public consultation will begin in August, and a final version will go to the Executive for sign-off in Autumn this year.

The professional team on the Northern Gateway is made up of masterplanner Farrells; cost consultant Turner & Townsend; planning consultant How; Landscape architect Planit IE; engineering, transport remediation and sustainability consultant Arup; economic development consultant Regeneris; and project manager Buro4.

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