FEC picks Northern Gateway housing partners
The developer has appointed a panel comprising Trafford Housing Trust, Great Places Housing Group and the Guinness Partnership to deliver affordable housing at the Red Bank neighbourhood, part of the 15,000-home Manchester masterplan.
A total of 20% of the homes planned as part of the £1bn Northern Gateway scheme, being delivered by a joint venture between Far East Consortium and Manchester City Council, are to be designated as affordable and the JV aims to deliver 800 of those in the Red Bank neighbourhood over the next 10 years.
Red Bank, 50 acres earmarked to deliver a high-density, residential-led neighbourhood of around 5,500 homes, is one of the first parts of the wider masterplan that could see 383 acres redeveloped into housing over the next 15-20 years.
Affordable housing within Red Bank, one of seven neighbourhoods within the Northern Gateway, will be delivered by the three firms appointed to the panel following a procurement process led by consultancy Avision Young.
The first affordable units to be delivered at Red Bank are to be included as part of FEC’s three-tower Victoria Riverside, plans for which were lodged last March. The development comprises more than 600 homes and is due to start on site this summer.
As well as the towers, the proposal includes 10 townhouses and 35 maisonettes and low-level apartments. A total of 32 homes at Victoria Riverside will be classed as affordable, and will be available for shared ownership.
Hilary Brett-Parr, project director at FEC, said: “Our three panel members will each be able to bring something extra to the table from their experiences across the UK and their input will be invaluable in helping to shape our proposals for a new mixed community in Red Bank.”
Nicola Rigby, principal at Avison Young, said: “Red Bank represents one of the biggest affordable urban housing opportunities outside of London, so we are very pleased to announce that we have secured three highly experienced partners to assist FEC in its delivery and roll-out.”
The panel will run for three years with an option to trigger a further three years on a rolling basis, according to FEC.
