Senior councillors in Manchester are this week to consider proposals for the construction of a low-carbon ‘woodland’ town in the city.
The city council’s cabinet is being asked to approve plans for the transformation of Holt Town at a committee meeting on Wednesday, following what is said to be positive feedback from a public consultation held last year.
Holt Town is described as a major regeneration opportunity to develop a new mixed use neighbourhood, highly sustainable with thousands of new homes of different types and tenures; from family housing through to age friendly and key worker apartments.
The scheme would incorporate high quality green spaces surrounding a 1km play street “spine”, the provision of new local services, cultural opportunities, and “significant” affordable workspace.
Situated along the Medlock Valley between the areas of Ancoats and New Islington, and the Sportcity and the Etihad Campus zones, it is claimed that investment in Holt Town will “unlock a missing link”.
Proponents of the scheme say the principles of development will take a carbon neutral approach and a “people-first ideology” that will prioritise active travel options and public transport over car use.
Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Holt Town has huge potential and this is feeding our ambition to create a brand new woodland town – the first of its kind in Manchester.
“We have an opportunity to deliver a transformative programme of investment and we expect this area to be Manchester’s next urban regeneration exemplar, creating a neighbourhood that meets the needs of our city and our people – with at least 4,500 new homes, including significant affordable housing options.
“This neigbourhood will represent a people first focus around active travel, green spaces, new play spaces for young people – and a digital first approach that will better connect the community with local services.
“Following consultation, we are beginning to move to the early delivery phase for Holt Town – a new town within the city of Manchester – that will finally bridge the gap between the city centre, Sportcity and the Etihad Campus in East Manchester.”
Proposals for Holt Town include:
- A new low carbon neighbourhood of around 4,500 homes across a range of building types, including low rise town houses and some taller residential buildings
- A mix of tenures and prices to support an inclusive community with at least 20% affordable homes – including social, council, and genuinely affordable housing
- A mixed-use area that will deliver 30,000 square feet of commercial space, including ground floor uses, live/workspace and smaller office floor space
- The creation of 15 acres of green space including enhancements to the river and canal settings, sustainable approaches to urban drainage and improvements to a new river park – known as a “confluence park”
- Establishment of an urban layout that prioritises pedestrian and cycle movements, including the creation of public amenity spaces and a 1km pedestrian play link that connects St Annes School with Park View Community School in Miles Platting
- Social infrastructure such as neighbourhood services, including health and retail to support the needs of a growing population
- Leisure and cultural uses including a Cultural Hub and Lido
- Mobility Mill with centralised parking for the neighbourhood, wrapped with affordable workspace and ground floor neighbourhood services
- Creation of a digitally enabled neighbourhood that includes the integration of smart technical infrastructure to enable the delivery of local digital solutions and services
Public view
Consultation with local people and businesses was undertaken between August and September 2024, including online options and in-person events – as well as workshops with local school pupils from St Anne’s RC primary to develop play space ideas for the community.
According to the council, the engagement attracted 10,000 website visits and 411 formal responses, which are said to show strong support for the vision of a mixed-used residential led neighbourhood outlined in the draft Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF).
Responses to the consultation include:
- Strong support for the delivery of around 4,500 new homes, including at least 20% genuinely affordable housing – as well as references to family housing and social rent properties
- Strong support for proposals around new quality public spaces and green spaces – alongside new neighbourhood facilities, including local shops, health services and community spaces
- Support for improving connectivity in the area and the need to address current traffic and car parking issues in the area
- The need for workspaces for new businesses was highlighted – in particular creative and makers’ spaces. And ongoing support for existing businesses in the area
The NDF has been produced by a multi-disciplinary team led by Studio Egret West that will help guide investment in the Holt Town area over the next decade.
The council says that work is already underway on a phasing plan for investment with a view to levering both public sector funding and private investment. A future paper to the council’s executive will be submitted outlining the delivery approach.
Main image: A CGI of Pollard Street, part of the proposed Holt Town regeneration
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