NOW the City Council has the money (click here) they want to consult on how best to spend it to create new communities in Ancoats and New Islington.
'Aesthetically, Ancoats and New Islington’s attributes are highly desirable, being a distinctive area with unique heritage assets that offer a fantastic opportunity to creatively reuse its historic buildings.'
Draft plans, set out back in 2008 have been updated by Deloittes and the revamped Neighbourhood Development Framework is now being aired to get people’s views and ideas and inspiration before it goes before the city council executive later this year.
Download it here – it’s worth a read.
It points out all the obvious things – how much has been invested in these two areas already/ proximity to the city core/ Metrolink/ the new primary school. It also points out how these are key to support future growth as part of the planned expansion of the city centre north and east of the established area in the next 10 to 15 years.
Get these two wrong and there’s not much hope for Miles Platting and the Irk Valley or even Holt Town.
The ambition seems to make the area, with its canals and 14 listed buildings an East Side Castlefield (although the maintenance of Castlefield is not without its issues). The idea is to make the most of what’s already there and building in new housing and new retail.
Murrays Mill gets special mention with a pledge that its basin should remain open and become a hub for new bars and restaurants with resi above.
Murrays Mills are worth a tour
There is positive talk about street patterns and building heights and the need for more retail at street level which is fine around places like Cutting Room Square but further back it would be nice to have front doors onto streets and a sense of place rather than boxes above empty glass spaces.
Look at the aerial plan of the two areas though and its Ancoats Retail Park that forms a big chunk of nothingness and new plans already passed for this site don’t seem in keeping with the Neighbourhood framework. Hopefully oweners Hendersons can be persuaded to re-think and with the huge amounts of investment here there must be more profitable options for them rather than re-vamped sheds.
As the report says: 'Aesthetically, Ancoats and New Islington’s attributes are highly desirable, being a distinctive area with unique heritage assets that offer a fantastic opportunity to creatively reuse its historic buildings.'
Don't mention the Dispensary
The last line will give campaigners to save the decrepit and largely destroyed Ancoats Dispensary a hollow laugh but the wish list includes:
- High quality, mixed residential homes set it a well-managed environment to encourage new neighbourhoods of choice.
- A licensing regime that will encourage a family-friendly, residential community.
- Pedestrian friendly developments with the encouragement of walkable neighbourhood layouts.
- Appropriate car strategy to minimise on-street disruption and encourage alternative, sustainable forms of transport.
- The framework also looks to take advantage of the locational advantages of Ancoats and New Islington, including the historical merits of the area, leisure opportunities (New Islington Marina, Cotton Fields Eco Park) and educational and cultural facilities – such as the recent refurbishment of
Cllr Jeff Smith, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said: “Ancoats and New Islington has been a key regeneration objective for the past twenty years. We have made great strides and some fantastic successes were achieved, but like many developments, these areas were hit by the recession.
“With signs of positive progress in both neighbourhoods, it is the right time to re-evaluate the strategy for Ancoats and New Islington and we urge local people to have their say on the future of their area.”
The consultation will remain open from 23 June to 22 July and the updated Ancoats and New Islington development framework will be considered by Manchester City Council’s executive later this year.
Open consultation events will take place on the following dates:
3 July 2.30pm - 7pm at St Michael's Church, George Leigh Street, Ancoats
17 July 2.30pm - 7pm, Vivid Lounge, Great Ancoats Street, New Islington
22 July 8am - 10 am, Unit 2, Royal Mills, Redhill Street, Ancoats.
For more information, please visit here.
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New Islington - the silent waters by
