Quartet of Ancoats schemes unveiled  

A total of 225 homes across three developments plus a mobility hub, with parking for 400 vehicles and 150 bikes, make up proposals lodged by Manchester City Council, Manchester Life and Great Places Housing Group. 

The schemes form the next phase of the regeneration of Ancoats and New Islington in Manchester. 

Eliza Yard 

An eight-storey apartment block on the corner of Poland Street and Jersey Street featuring 118 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments. The scheme would be delivered by investor and developer Manchester Life, a joint venture between the city council and Manchester City FC owner and investor, Abu Dhabi United Group.  

Downley Drive 

Meanwhile, Great Places wants to deliver an affordable scheme comprising 45 apartments and 23 houses, providing a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom properties. The development would be located on the corner of St Vincent Street and Woodward Place, close to the Rochdale Canal. 

The site was previously earmarked for redevelopment under the Miles Platting Private Finance Initiative, a scheme that has seen the creation of a 264-acre housing estate in East Manchester, but the plans were never progressed. 

Ancoats Dispensary  

Great Places also plans to refurbish the grade two-listed building on Old Mill Street next to Manchester Life’s under-construction Lampwick scheme. The redevelopment of Ancoats Dispensary would comprise 39 one- and two-bedroom apartments for affordable rent.  

The Ancoats Mobility Hub 

Located on land between Poland Street and Ancoats Green, the proposed mobility hub is an emerging concept of a shared car and cycle parking facility for residents and visitors, with electric vehicle charging outlets, and a last-mile delivery consolidation centre to reduce vehicle movements and street parking. 

Ancoats Mobility Hub

The mobility hub would feature 25% EV charging

Plans for the mobility hub have been developed in response to objectives set out in Manchester’s city centre transport strategy and wider climate change commitments. 

Manchester City Council, Manchester Life and affordable housing provider Great Places signed a 10-year cooperation agreement in 2019 to identify viable sites for housing delivery in East Manchester. 

A consultation on the four schemes is now live and will run until 16 April. 

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Mobility hub in other words a car park with cycle storage ?

By Meeseeks

So glad to see the Ancoats Dispensary is being saved. Well, part of it anyway. Great news

By Steve

These schemes will help further link Ancoats and New Islington with the hundreds of new homes in Miles Platting, as well as the new Bee Network routes. One big issue is the car park…cough… “Mobility Hub”. As Ancoats is one of the low-traffic parts of the city, access to and from the Mobility Hub should be from Oldham Road only. There is enough rat running through Miles Platting, Ancoats and New Islington as it is.

By Bridging the Gap

Fantastic to see this neighbourhood thrive. I’m especially delighted to see the plans for the Ancoats Dispensary. I’ve grown very attached to the Dispensary having worked on close by projects; and over the last 3 years I’ve become more concerned it wasn’t going to be be salvageable. Great work Great Places and ManLife; can’t wait to see the Dispensary brought back to life.

By Matt Pickering

Impressive stuff, the whole area has benefited greatly from redevelopment over the past 15-20 years.

By John p

Affordable in Manchester City Centre? Shocked to see but very welcome. Very positive to see a mix in demographic rather than the usual £1500 month flats only aimed at young professionals. Whenever I visit European cities, you see a good mix of ages, living in city centres and it would be great to see this in the UK.

By Joanne

Great to see the plans move ahead. I’m particularly interested in Eliza Yard and the Mobility Hub. Both great designs Great to see the tower is being rebuilt on the Dispensary too though that addition is messy and needs a rethink. Perhaps change the colour as it’s jarring with the beauty of the red brick.

By Anonymous

Excellent to see parking and active travel thought about with the Mobility Hub. With some of the homes being affordable ones it may be some peoples only option to live here; what if they work out of town and require a car or works van? It’s remarkable how ignorant some people can be. I love the way this area is turning out to be after much needed and welcome investment, but complaining about parking for homes is gentrification at it’s finest.

By New Wave

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