Next stage of Manchester’s £4bn Victoria North moves forward 

Part of what is billed as the city’s biggest ever regeneration project, Red Bank could deliver 5,500 homes on a swathe of land between Manchester Victoria and Collyhurst.

The project is being delivered by Manchester City Council and Far East Consortium and the joint venture has launched a consultation on its proposals for the Red Bank neighbourhood, one of seven included in the £4bn Victoria North strategy. 

The plans for Red Bank will see the transformation of largely brownfield land north of the city centre into a mixed-used community with a focus on low-carbon housing and sustainable riverside living, the JV said. 

A key element of the scheme will see the underutilised River Irk opened up with green spaces on its banks reinvigorated. 

FEC and the city council have secured £51.6m from the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund to deliver key infrastructure works and address some of the challenges presented by the site’s previous industrial uses. 

Bam Nuttal and Arup are leading the team delivering the infrastructure works, while Maccreanor Lavington and Schulze+Grassov are leading on the creation of a masterplan for Red Bank

The infrastructure funding will also pay for major improvements to St Catherine’s Wood, which will form the first phase of the 113-acre City River Park.

Victoria Riverside 2, FEC, P City Press PR

Victoria Riverside is part of Red Bank Credit: via City Press PR

The consultation will run from 14 October, and will invite community stakeholders to provide their input to the Red Bank neighbourhood masterplan and inform the design process.

Hilary Brett-Parr, project director at FEC, said: “Red Bank is home to thriving independent businesses, and we’re looking forward to working with these stakeholders to bring the area much-needed green space along with the new homes that will help establish it as one of Manchester’s most exciting new neighbourhoods.”

Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “This consultation presents the opportunity to help guide development in Red Bank and have a tangible role in the transformation of this part of the city.

“Victoria North is a once-in-a-generation programme of investment and we all have a chance to shape it. I would urge as many people as possible to make their voice heard.”

Red Bank forms part of the strategic planning framework for Victoria North, previously known as the Northern Gateway.

The first element of Red Bank’s regeneration is already underway. Victoria Riverside will deliver 634 homes across three towers off Dantzic Street. Plans for North View, located on a neighbouring plot, were approved in 2017 and the project proposes an additional 415 apartments.

Overall, the Victoria North masterplan could see the delivery of 15,000 homes across North Manchester over the next 15 years.

Covering 390 acres, Victoria North consists of seven neighbourhoods: Collyhurst Village, South Collyhurst, New Cross, New Town, Red Bank, Vauxhall Gardens and Smedley Dip & Eggington Street.

Your Comments

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Who will be able to afford to live there though? It’s going to cast an almighty divide.

By Tuna butty

What do you mean Tuna?

By Tim

Great development, I only wish it was taller! We need to keep building developments for young professionals in the city centre to keep rent costs down. The more young professionals Manchester attracts, the more high paying jobs will move to the city. People always forget the city centre isn’t a place for families to live, it’s for younger professionals. Developments like this not only attract talent, but give young Mancunians the chance to move out of their parents home!

By Matt

Don’t see many balconies on those blocks… doesn’t bode well for longer term occupation.

By Balcony watch

Re Matt… Totally agree.Build it and they will come.

By Simon Oliver

People want and need external space amenity and vegetation.
This model of living does not have much of a future.

By Duncan

Haven’t we seen all this before vast areas covered with sky high flats shortly followed by degeneration and deprivation. Why not lower level living in a more mall style living space where communities could be built up, no more than 5 floors, green space, shops, health centres etc.

By P. Riley

I drive through Dantzic Street everyday, and have recently noticed the new projects. Coming from London, I always wondered how an area so close to the centre was so under developed! Great to see its getting the required attention.

By Ibrahim Kreddan

I just hope that those small independent businesses get to stay and are not forced out via rent increases. The ones that own their own premises should benefit in the long term.
I’d like to see some family orientated developments with blocks of 4 storey townhouses with communal playground and new primary school, medical practice etc.

By Realist

Reply to Tuna, there is going to be120 units affordable apartments with L&Q. Yes it falls under the rip off shareownership etc scheme but its better than nothing. The question you need to ask what would you prefer? have an oversea investor put money into the city, creates job in the supply chain or leave it as it is? have you try walking around there at night.

The flaw in the scheme is there is no parking facilities, no balcony, insufficient green area but hopefully when the scheme completes it creates a proper vibe around the area.

By Elon Musk

great to see this area of Manchester developing – so close to town and the quality of these schemes looks decent! Build it and they will come!

By manc

There is so much dereliction beyond the Marble Arch pub, that area is ideal for stylish town houses as some have suggested. Hulme was a missed opportunity to me. We don’t only need to attract young professionals but professional families to the city centre and therefore we need decent houses. Can we not get the architects of Timekeepers Place in Salford, to create that development on a bigger scale? As our London commentator said, this is within walking distance of the booming city centre and should be heavily sought after.

By Elephant

I would love to see how many people who think these kind of apartments are suitable for young professionals would consider them sufficient for living in. All of these new Build to Rents are expensive stacks of rabbit hutches that are not fit for purpose. Cramped kitchens with about 2 worktops, lack of storage cupboards for storing tools to keep your home clean, small bedrooms and uncomfortable ‘luxury furniture’ packages.

By Young professional

Please build units that have generous room sizes and adequate storage. Manchester has enough accommodation for the transient population. It would be nice to see units that people can settle in, heck even grow in to… long-term residents are the ones that treat the city with respect – we need to encourage more of these!

By Manchester Resident

It should be noted by those bemoaning the high density of this development that this isn’t typical of what Victoria North will look like – further out there will be lower-rise and lower-densities. There is a big mix of housing types planned with the intention of attracting all age groups/household sizes.

By John C

Long overdue.

By H yeats

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