Tameside approves 102 affordable homes, primary school
Bankfoot APAM’s £33.5m plans for apartments and townhouses in Stalybridge and the Department for Education’s long-awaited replacement for Russell Scott Primary School in Denton both secured the go-ahead from councillors this morning.
Tameside Council’s planning committee met on Wednesday morning to weigh both applications, ultimately deciding to side with officer recommendations to approve both.
Stalybridge West’s first phase
- Application reference: 25/00972/FUL
Bankfoot APAM’s successful application is the first phase of the council’s envisioned Stalybridge West masterplan. It zeroes in on four acres of land off Water Street that used to hold the now-demolished Rassbottom Mill.
Bankfoot APAM is working on behalf of Greater Manchester Pension Fund on the project, which would transform this brownfield site between Stalybridge’s train and bus stations into a neighbourhood of 102 affordable homes. All the properties would be available for mid-market rents.
This includes both the townhouses and apartments designed by TODD Architects. These homes will comprise 35 three-bedroom residences, 39 two-bedroom properties, and 28 one-bedroom ones.
The project will also include a 990 sq ft commercial unit fronting onto Market Street.
While the development is in a great location for sustainable travel, there are also 56 car parking bays provided, including 12 with electric vehicle charging capability.
The proposals also include public realm by the River Tame, which borders the site.
Andrew Day, senior director at Bankfoot APAM, welcomed the planning committee’s decision.
“This consent represents a key milestone in unlocking a site that has remained underused for many years and bringing forward a scheme that can act as a catalyst for wider regeneration in Stalybridge,” he said.
“Delivering 100% affordable housing at mid-market rent levels is particularly important in a location where viability has historically been a challenge, and ensures the development will have a meaningful impact for the local community.”
Day continued: “We are now in detailed conversations with a preferred residential provider and are focused on ensuring the scheme can come forward without delay, maintaining momentum and delivering much-needed new homes as quickly as possible.”
Grant funding will be key to delivering the project, which has an estimated build cost of £33.5m, according to a viability statement from Aspinall Verdi. Because of the project is fully affordable, it has an estimated GDV of £18.5m, leaving a considerable gap.
In addition to TODD Architects and Aspinall Verdi, the project team includes planner AshtonHale, LDA Design, Anderton Gables, CWC, Civic, Stantec, JCA, Orion, GTech Surveys, WSP, and ESG Consultancy.
Ellis Williams Architects designed the new school. Credit: via planning documents
Russell Scott Primary School
- Application reference: 25/01008/FUL
For more than 10 years, students and staff at Russell Scott Primary School have had to work within a building with “significant structural problems, flooding, and fire safety defects,” according to Tameside Council. These were the results of a botched 2015 refurbishment job by now-defunct Carillion.
But now, there looks to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Tameside councillors voted to approve the Department for Education’s proposals for a new-build, 35,000 sq ft school next to the existing facility.
Designed by Ellis Williams Architects, the new school will have the same capacity as its predecessor – able to teach 472 pupils and host 64 staff. It will sit on the western edge of the current school site and its two storeys would hold an assembly hall, activity studio, infant classrooms, junior classrooms, library, dedicated SEND block, and more.
Crucially the proposals include open space for children to play – something they have been lacking since 2015 when the existing open space was deemed unsafe due to asbestos. As part of the new plans, there will be a playing pitch for 5v5 football and a multi-use games area with two netball courts.
Sustainability wise, the project includes a bio-solar roof on the school and air source heat pumps.
Parking provision would consist of a 32-space car park accessed from Clare Street. There would also be an area for 54 cycles to be stored.
Main contractor Tilbury Douglas Construction is due to begin construction in May and complete the school in September 2027. When the replacement school is complete, the existing facility will be demolished.
Funding for the project comes from the DfE’s School Rebuilding Programme. Russell Scott Primary School entered the programme in December 2022.
In addition to Tilbury Douglas and Ellis Williams, the project team includes Iceni Projects, BWB Consulting, TACE, OFR Consultant, Mode Transport Planning, AEC, Rappor, Urban Green, PSD Agronomy, Vietec, One FFE, The Airedale Group, Relux, EPS, HSP Consulting, 1st Line Defence, Ground Risk and SureScreen Scientifics.
Related Articles
Analysis - Commentary
Making room for placemaking in industrial schemes
Industrial doesn’t have to mean big grey sheds that sit on the edge of town. With proper placemaking we can deliver commercially viable schemes that are celebrated hubs of employment, writes Alan Lamb of AEW Architects.
52 parking spaces for 102 properties?
Where are the other vehicle owner expected to park?
By Gigantic Steve
@ April 15, 2026 at 6:31 pm
By Gigantic Steve
It’s next to a railway station. This proposal looks decent and well thought out slice of gentle density.
By Anonymous
Gigantic Steve, is that a train station I can see right next to the site!?! If having parking is so important, perhaps it’s not the site for you but this looks entirely sustainable and perfect for people who do not have/want access to a car.
By Anonymous
A lot of mates that live in apartments with loads of parking report that a lot of those parking spaces are empty. What’s the point in providing acres and acres of expensive parking that never gets used, only inflating build costs that increase costs for buyers and renters. If you want a car, go and live in some dull, drab suburb with ample parking – there are plenty of them. Normal people want to live in nice, car free places.
By Anonymous
@Anonymous 11.13am;- are you saying that people who live in the Suburbs and park their car on a driveway are not ‘normal’ ?!
By Just saying....
There are never enough spaces in developments, that’s why people rent spaces wherever they can, normal people have lives to live, places to go, friends and families to visit.
By Anonymous
…of course, people who own flats don’t own vehicles. Silly me.
By Gigantic Steve
Clearly if you want a flat or a house with a car then go and live in one that provides a parking space. There’s evidently demand for flats without parking spaces as many of the flats in town and elsewhere that provide little parking are all fully booked. It’s really just about using your common sense. I think motorists force their lifestyles on the rest of us too much – not everyone can or wants to drive. For me personally, owning a car would be a waste of time and money when I can get everywhere quicker by bike. Some of us have busy lives and don’t have the time to spend sitting in traffic or driving around a town for half an hour looking for a parking space. With a bike I can nip places quickly, park up outside, and be on my way.
By Common sense
This time the Architects need to ensure that the drainage systems for both surface water and sewage are designed and constructed correctly and when built must be accepted and signed off by TMBC Planning and Building Control and not a private Building Inspection contractor.If there are any existing mains surface water separate from existing sewage drains they need to be checked for additional capacity or if not completely replaced but this will cost very much more money.TMBC Planning and Building Control must inspect and take the responsibility for signing off the new school building when it has been completed and not by an external private Building Inspection Company..
I presume that there was no warranty insurance paid out for the defective existing school building.
By Paul griffiths
Have all of the Consultants and Building Construction Companies been selected through Local Government Tendering Process and Procurement as per current Government rules and Regulations ?
By Paul Griffiths
The Russell Scott Primary school should never have been opened and signed off by TMBC Planning and Building Control given the large amount of serious defects.Even if a private Building Inspection Company was appointed ultimately it should be the responsibility of TMBC.
By Paul Griffiths
GMCA data shows that 55% of people who live in apartments across the GM region don’t own a car. Most of the properties are 1 and 2-beds, next to a train station and shops and amenities. On that basis, you could argue that there is too much parking, not the other way around.
By Anonymous