All of the homes would be available for shared ownership. Credit: via planning documents

Southway firms up Chorlton Irish Club plans 

A year after acquiring the site, the housing association has applied to redevelop the club’s car park, creating 29 apartments for shared ownership. 

Southway Housing Trust is working with architect View Associates and planner Iceni Projects to progress the residential scheme. 

The submission of plans follows a lengthy sales process that pitted the club’s members against its trustees. 

In 2020, club trustees instructed Colliers to market the site for sale. The High Lane plot was advertised as a “prime redevelopment opportunity”. 

Throughout the sales process, campaign group Friends of Chorlton Irish Club complained of being kept in the dark by the trustees and voiced their concerns about the future of the venue. 

At one point during the sales process, Friends of Chorlton Irish Club agreed a deal with Hillcrest Homes that would see the developer purchase the site to build houses, while retaining the club as part of the project. 

While that deal never materialised, Southway’s acquisition proposed similar terms, including the retention of the Irish club. 

At present, the Irish club is closed but trustees plan to use the proceeds from the sale of the car park to pay off its debts and reopen in the future. 

A spokesperson for the trustees said: “We are still in the process of working through the debts associated with the Irish Association Social Club and ensuring each valid debt is settled in full.

“Once this process is complete and we have a comprehensive understanding of the IASC’s financial position, we will turn our attention to the future of the IASC.”

Nearby, Southway is one of the bidders hoping to acquire Ryebank Fields, another controversial development plot. 

Manchester Metropolitan University is in talks with four bidders over the sale of the site, as reported by Place North West in October. 

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