This is one of a pair of articles about the Ancoats/New Islington area of Manchester. They present contrasting faces. This article highlights how progress and movement in the redevelopment of the area appears to have resumed after the slump following 2008.
The other focuses on the new marina and how problems remain in fringe city centre areas such as Ancoats if, after expensive changes being made, maintenance and care of projects lapses. It highlights the need for proper legacy provision after completion, something, post-redevelopment, that has consistently failed across the country, not just in Manchester.
THE slumbering potential of Ancoats seems to be kicking into life again.
Maybe it was the blood and gore of Macbeth or the music of the Halle in St Peter’s Church that’s had an effect but more likely the £26m the Homes and Communities Agency pumped in last year to try and get developments moving.
They have been renting in CHIPS for years but wanted outside space. Nick said: “We came to see the plans and as soon as we saw the massive party terrace knew we wanted to buy it. It offers something unique.”
Two of the five schemes that got funding, Royal Mills and The Point have both launched and sales have been good.
Very good at Royal Mills where they sold 20 in one week. The developers at The Point are happy too with the three most expensive apartments with big roof terraces, selling first.
Royal Mills in the distance
There is activity on the rusty hulk of Sarah Point /Nuovo and news that work could start by the end of the year on refurbishing three former council tower blocks in Miles Platting - Chippenham, Saltford and Rodney Court – under the Built to Rent scheme.
Formerly owned by Urban Splash the 13 storey towers have been bought by a consortium which includes Stockport based Rowlinson Construction and will deliver 192 new apartments to rent.
Ancoats and Miles Platting, the seventies estates
So pleased is the HCA with the effect its financial helping hand is having in Ancoats that the entire board was bussed in last week for a quick tour.
There’s a nice picture of the Board inside St Peter’s and an official quote from the chair Robert Napier who said: “I had a really enjoyable tour of Ancoats and it was obvious there had been a lot of building activity since my last visit in 2012. HCA has invested £25.9m locally via initiatives such as Get Britain Building and Build to Rent, and it was good to see that these are helping to get over 500 new homes off the ground.
“During the tour we had the opportunity to look around the newly opened show home at Royal Mills and visit Sarah Point where 166 apartments are on site.
“What is great is that alongside the new homes being developed, there is substantial investment going into creating a real sense of community here. HCA has a number of heritage assets in the area and we met with the Chief Executive of the Halle Orchestra that has recently leased St Peter’s Church from the Agency as permanent rehearsal space.
“This entire City Fringe area presents a major opportunity for Manchester and I look forward to visiting again in the near future to see what further changes are taking place.”
Manchester Board Trip - HC
The HCA funding is a loan not a grant so it may be ten years but it has to be paid back.
The show home at Royal Mills is very well done and worth a visit on any tour.
These old mills with their big windows and red brick make remarkably good resi spaces and ING Real Estate did a decent job when they converted Old Sedgewick Mill in 2006 but Royal Mill is in a different league.
Royal Mills
Which is a bit surprising given that it is being done by Leeds-based construction company Renaker, more used to efficiently turning out basic units for the Buy-to-Let market. (see Delta Point on Blackfriars)
Steve Hogg is from selling agents Jones Lang le Salle and he said: “We pushed and pushed on the specification here because we know there is a demand for really high end quality apartments. The market is ready for this, a Century Buildings standard but in Ancoats.”
It is very well done, sleek German kitchens, great bathrooms, quality fittings and they are big spaces. Prices start at £119,950 for a one bed of 512 sq ft, with two beds at £169,950, that’s about £240 per sq ft.
So who are the 20 buyers? While an investor has bought a couple of one beds the rest have been bought to live, often by people currently living, if not in the actual building, then nearby.
There will be 40 apartments in Royal Mill, another 40 in Paragon Mill, just behind and probably similar number in a new build block that will complete the whole development.
The good news for all is that Renaker has taken over the maintenance of all the building and the impressive entrance lobby that previously served just the ground floor businesses will be the concierge for residents as well.
Further down the road towards Islington Square, Wigan based McCauls are well on with The Point and a show home opens there next month. Despite having nothing to walk round they held a lively sales launch in the Northern Quarter with agent Curtis & Bains and they have done sales off plan.
The Point
The most attractive apartments in the first phase have huge roof terraces which have proved to be the big attraction and Andrew Jackson and his partner Nick Hutchinson have already signed up for one.
They have been renting in CHIPS for years but wanted outside space. Nick said: “We came to see the plans and as soon as we saw the massive party terrace knew we wanted to buy it. It offers something unique.”
They have paid £175,000 for the two bed on the first floor with the terrace looking out over New Islington.
Prices for a one bed at The Point start at £112,000, a tad cheaper than Royal Mills and a chunk bigger at 581 sq ft. Two beds start at £139,950 for 807 sq ft. It will be interesting to see the level of specification when they open the doors.
There’s other stuff happening too - although not all are positive, as our article on the marina shows here.
Murray’s Mill, showcased during MIF as a holding pen for the Macbeth audience, should be brought to market soon, so too some of the plots of land at New Islington currently owned by Urban Splash.
The new primary school opens in September from a temporary site and plans have been approved to revamp the Great Ancoats Street retail Park with a cinema and a Sainsburys.
On a smaller scale a new convenience store under the Ice Plant and an independent coffee shop and a couple of new small businesses have brought more life here and the sure sign of an area’s upward swing, a new estate agents office. Julie Twist, one of the first into the city centre and the first into Salford Quays, has opened a new office.
As with everything, timing is all
Ancoats - Julie Twist Offices
The Point model
Time for Royal Mills
