Manchester to sign off Chorlton land disposal
Mosscare St Vincent’s Housing Group was selected as the city council’s preferred partner for the conversion of the Manchester Road building into affordable homes in 2021.
Manchester City Council’s executive will be asked to approve the disposal of the former Chorlton Leisure Centre site next week.
Subject to securing planning consent, the site, which has been vacant for around seven years, will be transferred to MSV on a 999-year lease this summer.
Initial proposals for the plot would see the existing buildings demolished to pave the way for the creation of 50 affordable apartments.
The scheme, designed by Buttress, would target over 55s and would comprise 40 affordable rent homes and seven for shared ownership.
Three properties would be used by the city council’s adult social care team for people who are well enough to be discharged from hospital, but still require some care before they can return home.
All of the homes would be designed and constructed in a manner aimed at reducing their environmental impact, as well as adhering to HAPPI design principles, according to the city council. Sustainable features would include mechanical vent heat recovery systems and air source heat pumps.
A public consultation on the proposals will be held in the coming weeks.
“We have had ambitions to bring affordable housing to this site in Chorlton for some years and so it’s a real milestone moment that we can approve the transfer of the site to MSV to then begin a public consultation for affordable housing in this key location,” said Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development.
“The council could have received a higher value return if we decided to sell this site to a private developer on the open market, but we have made a commitment to increasing the number of affordable homes for Manchester people, particularly in areas like Chorlton where we have an opportunity to create more diversity in the housing market.”
Charlie Norman, chief executive of MSV, added: “This is exactly the kind of investment we need in Manchester: 50 Later Living apartments for affordable rent, shared ownership and for people coming out of hospital and back into the community.
“The development is aimed at people in Chorlton and the local area and will play a significant part in freeing up larger family homes to those on the waiting list.”
Barton Willmore, now Stantec is advising on planning.
The homes would be aimed at over 55s. Credit: via MCC
Congratuations to all involved and especially to the local Elected Members. Targeting over 55s is the right solution – should keep the units out of any Right to Buy arrangements in the future and should free up family sized affordable units elsewhere in south Manchester.
By Anonymous
Crikey that’s incredibly dull looking, good to see balconies tbf, and HAPPI principles, but my god it doesn’t look like a well thought out design that gives me confidence this will be a nice place for people to live 🙁
By Dan
Only neighbourhood without a leisure centre or at least a gym and now being filled up with generic ”affordable” apartments. Strongly disagree.
By J Shield
bad decision. should’ve turned it in to one of three things: a gym , a community centre or a cinema. more apartments in a very congested part of chorlton makes so sense
By luther
Another building without absolutely no thought in its design, do the architects these days have no vision, or any thoughts to character, or are they working on a budget????
Chorlton could be a beautiful town centre, but the way things are going Im really losing hope. I hope there will be more thought put into
the high Street and shopping facilities that we’ve lost over the past few years. 🙏
By Haich
Would be such a shame to lose the existing historic frontage of the leisure centre.
By Chris W
unbelievably dull design. Surely the planners should be asking for more than this.. not good at all.
By hmmm
Torn on this one – the right thing to do for the community, but is it the right location – chorlton high street has been eroded for a while, would be good to have promoted a active use here to support footfall rather than more apartments
By Quixote
Agree it’s a great proposal to aim it for the affordable over 55s market to free up larger homes. Also agree it does look rather designed down to a budget. How much does imagination cost though?
By Anonymous
Looks good, nice neat modern scheme but not sure how ‘HAPPI’ the ground floor occupants will be looking out onto some prison-like tall steel security fencing.
Maybe raise the lowest apartments up a storey, do say with the crude, nasty fencing and include some mixed uses at ground floor like any responsible developer / planning authority would?
By Tall steel fencing watch
Horrible design ! Building for over 55s and affordable can be more inspiring, this does not feel part of Chorlton at all.
By Another Manc