Sumo unveils shelter plans as Manchester wrestles homelessness

Proposals for a development in Wythenshawe that will provide temporary accommodation for families without a place to live have been lodged with the city council.

Sumo Developments wants to build a 16-apartment scheme on a vacant plot off Moor Road, which will be leased to the city council once complete.

The scheme, which has received finance through the GMCA’s brownfield fund, is part of an initiative aimed at increasing the amount of specialist accommodation for homeless people across Manchester.

Q+A is advising on planning and Level 2 Architects is advising on design.

To learn more about the project search for reference number 139844/FO/2024 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.

There are currently just shy of 3,000 households in temporary accommodation across the city.

Manchester City Council has significantly reduced the number of families living temporarily in B&Bs from a peak of 227 families in February 2023 to seven families as of the end of June 2024, according to a recent report.

While improvements have been made with regards to B&Bs being used to house homeless people, the city council recognises more needs to be done to ensure people can be accommodated within the city rather than in neighbouring boroughs. This is where schemes like Sumo’s come in.

The authority said it recognises out-of-area placements are “far from ideal”.

Manchester City Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig said the authority is “doing all we can” to tackle homelessness but stressed that it cannot be eradicated with a solely local approach.

“Tackling homelessness remains a key priority for us and a huge challenge,” she said.

“After meeting with the deputy prime minister, we are looking forward to working with the new government to support a national homelessness strategy to address the underlying issues. It’s a complex challenge much of which can only be addressed at a national level.”