Regeneration housebuilder Lovell Partnerships, part of Morgan Sindall Group, has begun work at Stonedale Crescent in Croxteth to build the mixed-tenure affordable housing development for Liverpool City Council.

Designed by DK-Architects, the project will provide 80 two- to three-bedroom houses and eight one-bedroom flats built on redundant parking land, marked as one of the city’s mayoral priority development zones to improve social and economic conditions.

The scheme will offer 100% affordable housing provision, with all homes available for affordable rent, rent-to-buy, or shared ownership.

Tahreen Shad, regional partnerships director at Lovell, said: “As we begin our work on the Croxteth site, we will also be getting further embedded in the local community through our social value programme by engaging with nearby schools and groups, as well as employing and training young people through our apprenticeship scheme to deliver lasting outcomes.”

A total of £12m grant funding has been secured for the project through the Homes England Affordable Homes Programme and Liverpool City Region Combined Authority’s Brownfield Land Fund.

Local housing provider Cobalt will manage the homes, adding to its 6,000-strong portfolio across North Liverpool.

This project forms part of a wider regeneration for the Stonedale and Stonebridge area. Cobalt has already delivered 57 new homes at Altbridge Park and is working with masterplanner Gillespies on a large-scale programme of estate regeneration works at the estate.

Claire Griffiths, chief executive of Cobalt Housing, said: “[This project] signals the continuation of our £300m investment in our neighbourhoods over the next 10 years, in existing and new homes for rent and sale, which we have set out in our new corporate plan.

“This development will be a catalyst for increased confidence and aspiration in the Stonebridge area of Liverpool, as we continue to expand our partnerships and investment, working closely with our customers and the wider community.”

Want to find out more about the project? Search for application number 21F/0330 on Liverpool City Council’s planning portal.

The post Lovell starts work on affordable Croxteth resi appeared first on Place North West.

Also on Preston City Council’s agenda are Community Gateway Association’s returning plans to build 58 homes off Tabley Lane, as well as Wain Homes and Liberty Care Developments’ proposals for a 72-bedroom care home off Sandy Lane.

Residents would have access to a roof garden. Credit: via planning documents

Winckley Square

Application number: 06/2023/0124

Branco Winckley Square wants to demolish one of two remaining parts of the former Preston Catholic College to make way for 35 flats off Mount Street.

Designed by Studio John Bridge, the scheme would see the grammar school’s 7,000 sq ft sixth form centre bulldozed and replaced with a five- to seven-storey apartment block.

There would be 27 one- and eight two-bedroom homes, several of which would benefit from their own roof terrace or balcony.

Proposals also feature a 500 sq ft gym and 100 sq ft of co-working space, along with a shared roof garden.

The former sixth form centre is currently used as a canteen building, joined to an office building through a linked footbridge. The footbridge would also be demolished under the proposals.

Opened in 1865, the college has a rich history with ex-pupils including footballer Mark Lawrenson and Beano cartoonist Leo Baxendale. Gateley Smithers Purslow provided the heritage statement for the site.

Plans for the school’s redevelopment were submitted in February.

The project’s developer, Branco Winckley Square, is a subsidiary of Branco Capital and already owns a 40,000 sq ft office building in the area.

If approved, the flats would join more than 200 residences already built in Winckley Square alone as part of the city council’s City Living Strategy to build more quality homes in the city centre.

Smith and Love is the scheme’s planning consultant. BWB is providing the flood risk assessment and drainage strategy, while MJM is advising on transport.

The 38,500 sq ft facility would provide 72 beds. Credit: via planning documents

Land at Sandy Lane

Application number: 06/2023/0599

Liberty Care Developments and Wain Homes are seeking reserved matters approval to deliver a 72-bedroom care home, made up of four connecting blocks off Sandy Lane.

C Squared Architects designed the scheme, which would see the construction of the 38,500 sq ft complex surrounded by 19,500 sq ft of community gardens.

Designed to provide specialist dementia care and 24-hour elderly nursing, the care facility would also provide residents with a tearoom, an activity room, a cinema room, and a hair salon.

There would be 28 car parking spaces, including three accessible and four electric vehicle charging bays.

Outline permission was granted for the project in January 2021 to create flexible floorspace, drinking establishments, hot food takeaways, a medical centre, a pub and hotel, and a care home on a wider six-acre site.

The developers are only moving forward with the care home and retail space, which will be the subject of a separate reserved matters application.

Plans were submitted in June and form part of a wider development area known as the North West Preston Strategic Location, which proposes around 5,500 homes on an 800-acre plot.

The one-acre plot is currently being used as a site compound for Wain Homes’ creation of 230 homes there.

JLL is the planning consultant for the scheme. Also on the project team is transport consultant Cameron Rose Associates, landscape architect Landstruction, and engineering and environmental consultant BWB Consulting.

Tabley Lane

Application number: 06/2021/1226

Community Gateway Association’s plans to build 58 residences off Tabley Lane will return to Preston City Council’s planning committee on Thursday, two years after it was first considered.

The Levitt Bernstein-designed scheme would feature 12 apartments, as well as two two-, 11 three-, and seven four-bedroom houses. The remaining 26 plots would be reserved for custom-build housing.

Currently agricultural land, the site is allocated for housing under Preston’s local plan and benefits from outline permission for up to 58 homes, which was granted in December 2018.

Plans form Parcel A part of a wider scheme. Community Gateway was granted planning permission to deliver 175 homes on the adjacent Parcel B in December 2021.

The proposals for Parcel A were first considered by the planning committee in December 2021, and again in November 2022 due to a financial error in the original report.

The application was recommended for approval both times, subject to a Section 106 agreement securing a financial contribution towards the East-West Link Road, the provision of on-site affordable housing, and the future management and maintenance of the public open space.

In August, the developer approached the local planning authority due to difficulties in securing the S106 provisions and suggested that planning permission be granted before the agreement is signed, with an additional condition preventing any development from taking place until it is completed.

The development is recommended for approval on Thursday.

PWA Planning is the scheme’s planning consultant. The project team also includes Amenity Tree Care, Powers, SCP, and Hepworth Acoustics.

The post Preston primed to permit 165 homes appeared first on Place North West.

Gladman Developments had lodged outline proposals to build 170 homes on the plot off Warrington Road, west of Lymm town centre. 

Of these homes, around 30% would be delivered on affordable tenures. 

Around 11 acres of the site would be given over to housing, with seven reserved for public open space. 

While currently designated as Green Belt, the site is earmarked for release in Warrington’s emerging local plan, which is on course to be adopted this autumn. 

A design and access statement prepared by Gladman states that the application is “made in the context of the government’s ambition to boost housing delivery and the identification of the application site as a suitable and sustainable location to meet Warrington Council’s housing needs”. 

To learn more, search for application reference 2023/01074/OUTM on Warrington Council’s planning portal. 

Pegasus is advising on heritage, Tetra Tech on transport, and FPCR Environment and Design on arboriculture.

The post Gladman plans 170 Lymm homes  appeared first on Place North West.

Situated on a plot between Knowsley Lane and Astley Road in Huyton, Ferrersfield is the largest new-build project HMS has undertaken.

The project, when complete, will comprise 131 homes designed by Bowker Sadler Architecture. The houses will be a mixture of two-, three-, and four-bedroom residences and available on a rent-to-buy tenure.

Work started on the scheme in 2021. The first 19 homes have now been delivered, with the remaining set to complete later this year.

HMS is delivering the scheme on behalf of Torus Developments. Both HMS and Torus Developments are part of the same organisation: Torus Group.

“This was a big undertaking for HMS when we started on site in 2021 as it was the biggest new-build project we had ever mobilised, but seeing the homes we have worked hard to build completed and people receiving the keys to their new homes is fantastic,” said HMS construction director John Barrow.

He added later: “I know that Ferrersfield will provide hundreds of people with a great place to live and taking a lead on regenerating a disused piece of land is something that the whole team is proud of.”

Torus Developments’ group head of developments Anna James praised HMS’s work.

“Over the years, HMS has proven to be a resilient and reliable contracting partner and as the next 18 months will be one of HMS’ strongest in terms of handovers and completions, I am looking forward to continuing to mark these kinds of milestones with the team,” she said.

Planning permission for Ferrersfield was granted in August 2020. In addition to Bowker Sadler Architecture, the project team includes PB Sustainability, EnviroSolution, Shape Engineering, The Alan Johnston Partnership, SRL Technical Services, Hinchliffe Heritage, AJP Structural Engineers, and Resource & Environmental Consultants.

You can see the original application by searching 20/00099/FUL on Knowsley Council’s planning portal.

The post HMS starts 131-home handover in Huyton appeared first on Place North West.

Cheshire East’s Southern planning committee met on 30 August to debate the applications in a nearly six-hour meeting. The largest of the projects on the agenda were the three mentioned. Read on to learn more about each.

Land off Sydney Road in Crewe

Application reference number: 22/1412N

Councillors spent more than an hour debating Anwyl Partnership’s application for 45 affordable homes on 2.5 acres of former pastureland situated off Sydney Road in Crewe.

Ultimately, they voted to reject the application, stating that the benefits of the project did not outweigh the harm it would have on the open countryside because of the scheme’s cramped form, layout, and design.

This is the second time an affordable housing development has been rejected on this site. Anwyl had issued an earlier application that was refused in 2019. This newer application had sought to address the concerns of the committee, by offering more smaller units, bungalows, and a children’s play area.

In total, Anwyl was proposing to build three bungalows, 16 one-bedroom apartments, 14 two-bedroom homes, and 12 three-bedroom residences. The project would have been 100% affordable rented homes.

Anwyl’s plans had been recommended for approval by the council’s planning officers, however, the application faced opposition from 14 neighbours and Crewe Town Council. The objections described the scheme as overdevelopment and said the accommodation was contrary to Nationally Described Space Standards.

Ascerta was the landscape architect for the scheme, which was designed by JDA Architects. Stantec was the planning consultant.

Acanthus Darbyshire Architects drew up the plans for the care home for Crown Care Group. Credit: via planning documents

The Limes in Sandbach

Application reference number: 21/4635C

Crown Care Group’s plans for a 57-bed care home got the green light from the committee, despite concerns over the amount of parking provided. The decision was in line with officer recommendation.

The care home will be built on the site of the former The Limes Public House, which has been closed for more than two years. It will provide accommodation for a mixture of care needs, including those with dementia.

Only 23 car parking spaces are provided, which is less than the 27 that is policy standard.

Acanthus Darbyshire Architects designed the care home, which will keep the Limes Bowling Green for use by the area’s bowling team. The project team also includes ITransport Planning, The Home Engineers, Pennine Ecological, and arboriculture consultant Iain Tavendale.

Cheshire East councillors did not agree with BLOK’s argument that its office park would not harm the open countryside. Credit: C4 Projects via planning documents

Land north of Alvaston roundabout in Nantwich

Application reference number: 22/0720N

Councillors agreed with their planning officers when it came to BLOK’s application to construct six office blocks totalling 60,600 sq ft on a nearly three-acre site north of Avlaston roundabout in Nantwich. The plot in question sits next to Alvaston Business Park.

Officers had recommended the rejection of the application because of the development’s size and the site’s location within open countryside. The officers stated that BLOK had not adequately justified the need to build employment space on the site when there was other land provided in the local plan.

This is the second time an office development has been proposed on the site. An earlier application was rejected in 2021 for similar reasons. In BLOK’s application, submitted by Gartner Town Planning, the company argued that these reasons for refusal were not valid, stating that the project would integrate well into the landscape and was well contained.

The project team included Mode Transport Planning, marketing commentator Legat Owen, landscape and visual appraisal reporter Enplan, flood risk and drainage consultant Tier Consult, and ecologist ERAP. C4 Projects designed the offices for BLOK.

The post Cheshire East rejects 45 affordable homes appeared first on Place North West.

Manchester City Council approved FEC’s two Red Bank-related applications at its planning committee meeting Thursday afternoon. The developer is working with the authority on the project, which zeroes in on 35 acres of brownfield set aside to become the future Red Bank district.

Also permitted were MSV’s £12m later living proposals for the former Chorlton Baths and Loreto College’s 24,000 sq ft extension.

The decisions to approve each of these applications were made in line with officer recommendations.

Land at Red Bank

Application number: 136812/OO/2023

The first of FEC’s applications has been granted outline permission. The scheme will see the delivery of up to 3,250 homes, a 210-place primary school, and 67,800 sq ft of commercial space.

Focusing on two areas within the Red Bank neighbourhood, Red Bank Plateau and Red Bank Viaduct, the scheme will also deliver a health centre measuring up to 35,000 sq ft.

Proposals for the project’s residential aspect feature 798 one-, 2,053 two-, and 399 three-bedroom homes. There will also be a 20% affordable housing provision, which equates to around 650 homes, subject to viability.

Given the site’s proximity to public transport, just a 12% parking provision will be delivered, along with 3,250 cycle spaces.

The developer estimates that this section of Red Bank will create 4,640 construction jobs a year for 10 years, with around 30% of those positions being taken by Manchester residents.

At the meeting, councillors raised concerns regarding the lack of social housing and school provision, however, the applicant affirmed that these are outline plans and detailed proposals will follow.

The project team for this scheme includes Hoare Lea, Counter Context, TEP, WSP, Schulze+Grassov, Optimised Environments, and Maccreanor Lavington.

FEC’s designs include a 34-storey tower. Credit: via Citypress

Land bounded by Dantzic Street

Application number: 136814/FO/2023

FEC’s second successful application revolves around seven residential buildings that will provide a total of 1,551 apartments and townhouses.

These towers will be set across seven acres bounded by Dantzic Street in Manchester and reach 34 storeys, 31 storeys, and 27 storeys at their tallest. Two of the towers will step up, going from eight storeys at their smallest to their respective tallest heights.

More than 60% of the approved residences will have two or three bedrooms, while the scheme will offer a 5% affordable housing provision. FEC hopes to increase the affordable housing figure to 20%, subject to funding.

Plans for the site go beyond just housing, with 20,000 sq ft of commercial space and a six-storey amenity block also included.

There will be 152 car parking spaces provided for residents and additional spaces for visitors, along with 1,551 cycle spaces.

It is hoped that work will start on site later this year, creating 1,800 construction jobs.

Hawkins\Brown, Maccreanor Lavington, Optimised Environments, and Schulze+Grassov worked together to design the project for FEC.

FEC’s scheme has a value of £330m, according to council papers.

Hilary Brett, project director at FEC, said: “Red Bank is one of the most under-used areas in Manchester, but its proximity to the city centre and the existing natural assets of the River Irk and St Catherine’s Wood make it the ideal location for a thriving new neighbourhood.

“We are delighted to have received approval and want to thank everyone who has been involved and supported the project to get us to this point.”

Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, added: “It’s great to see the momentum continue for this part of the Victoria North programme.

“This area of the city centre has lain dormant for many years, and it should be cause for celebration that, through our partnership with FEC, we can ensure it meets its full potential”, he continued.

“Red Bank will be a new and exciting neighbourhood for our ever-growing city, and we look forward to implementing the next steps in the long-term journey of delivering Victoria North.”

• Read more about the Victoria North masterplan.

The homes will be aimed at over 55s. Credit: via Manchester City Council

Former Chorlton Leisure Centre

Application number: 136791/FO/2023

Manchester-based MSV Housing Group has secured the green light for its plans to transform the derelict leisure centre off Manchester Road into two five-storey later living housing blocks.

Approval comes two years after the housing group was selected by Manchester City Council to deliver a residential solution to the long-vacant site.

Designed by Buttress Architects, the scheme will deliver 50 one- and two-bedroom units for over-55s following the demolition of the existing leisure centre.

There will be seven apartments available for shared ownership, three will be neighbourhood apartments providing step-up accommodation, and the remaining 40 will be capped at the Manchester Living Rent. These are the first affordable homes to be delivered in Chorlton since 2015, according to the developer.

The development has been designed according to the Housing Our Ageing Population Panel principles. These principles include space and flexibility, as well as a focus on health and wellbeing so that occupants’ changing requirements will be met over time. There will be large balconies, increased light levels, and shared social spaces .

There will be 19 car parking spaces provided.

Charlie Norman, chief executive of MSV, said: “Our pledge to build age-appropriate homes for every stage in life remains as firm as ever, and ensuring an ageing population has a home that supports their lifestyle and health needs is absolutely a must.

“Chorlton and the surrounding area needs affordable homes to rent for its older citizens and we are proud to be the organisation that will deliver a highly sustainable development of the highest calibre and green credentials.”

David Coulson, associate at Buttress, added: “The design prioritizes wellness in the home and embraces people’s changing living requirements as they age.

“In addition, the plans for the site will create much-needed, highly sustainable, and affordable homes for local people within their existing community.”

The building has been vacant since the closure of the leisure centre in 2015. The centre’s facilities have since been replaced at Hough End.

The development was quickly passed at the meeting, with only small concerns raised regarding the small number of car parking spaces.

Work on the project is expected to complete in summer 2025 and will see an investment of over £12m.

Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: “This is a welcome milestone on the transformation of this site, which has stood unused for a number of years.

“The project will deliver much-needed low-carbon, affordable housing for older people, helping to meet a clear need for this type of home in this neighbourhood.”

Stantec is the scheme’s planning consultant. Also on the project team are Stephen Martlew Landscape Architecture, Lally Tree Management, SK Transport Planning, Salford Archaeology, ERAP Consultant Ecologists, Carley Daines and Partners, and Azymuth Acoustics.

• Read more about the project.

The three-storey building will accommodate 3,558 students. Credit: via planning documents

Loreto College

Application number: 136963/FO/2023

Currently oversubscribed, Loreto Sixth Form College can now accommodate a further 264 students in a new 24,000 sq ft teaching block next to its existing campus off Chichester Road.

Loreto College currently enrols 3,558 students, of which 216 students are currently located in temporary classroom accommodation.

Designed by 10architect, the scheme will see the demolition of the former St Vincent’s probation centre to make way for the three-storey teaching block, which will front Moss Road West. The two-acre site is council-owned and has been vacant since 2021.

Plans for the facility feature an additional 20 classrooms, assembly space, a study centre, and staff rooms.

Loreto College was awarded a grant from the Department for Education last November to deliver the scheme.

Residents at the meeting raised concerns regarding poor traffic management and the pollution caused by school travel. The application was approved with a condition to create an active travel plan for the whole school site.

The project team includes Waterman Building Services, WML Consulting, Arbtech, Redmore Environmental, Hepworth Acoustics, and SK Transport Planning.

• Read more about the plans.

The post Manchester approves thousands of homes at huge meeting appeared first on Place North West.

Persimmon Homes has submitted plans to Ribble Valley Council to build 85 houses, featuring six two, 40 three-, 35 four-, and four five-bedroom properties.

Of the 85 homes, 25 would be available for affordable rent, making up almost 30% of the development.

Proposals also include nine properties that will be allocated as over-55 accommodation, four of which are within the affordable housing allocation.

All houses within the proposed development would be allocated a minimum of two car parking spaces, which include off-road parking and detached garages. There would be a further ten visitor parking spaces provided across the site.

The project team includes WSP, Edge Consulting Engineers, ERAP, Pegasus Group, Geol Consultants, SCP, and Trevor Bridge Associates.

Want to learn more about the plans? Search for application number 3/2023/0614 on Ribble Valley Council’s planning portal.

The post Persimmon lodges plans for 85 Wilpshire houses appeared first on Place North West.

Manchester City Council’s £47m capital funding package will be spent on delivering a host of improvements across the properties from 2024 to 2026. 

Work will include the installation of new bathrooms, and kitchens, as well as rewiring, fitting new doors and adapting homes for disabled residents.   

Of the near-£50m investment, £5m will be used to enhance safety across 12 high-rise blocks, including further investment in sprinkler systems and wider fire safety improvements including flat compartmentation, new fire doors, and better access routes. The city council did not disclose which blocks were up for refurbishment.  

In addition, £2m of the fund has been earmarked for essential adaptations, making sure the needs of residents with accessibility requirements are met and ensuring they can live in their homes independently for longer.   

Replacement boilers, ground or air source heat pumps, and solar panels will also be installed at some properties to improve their energy efficiency. 

The work is part of an ongoing commitment from the city council to ensure authority-owned homes meet decent homes standards and improve conditions for the city’s social housing tenants.  

Beginning in 2024, the city council’s housing services team will start to develop a five-year programme of home and estate improvements. This will be supported by a condition survey of all 12,500 city council-owned homes in the city which will help inform and prioritise any improvement works that are required.  

In July, the Manchester announced a £60m energy efficiency programme over the next two years, which will deliver upgrades to 2,100 Manchester homes as part of the city’s target to become net zero by 2038.   

“This is one of the biggest investments in council-owned homes in many years and is a clear commitment to our residents to deliver a social housing sector that our tenants can trust and homes they can be proud to live in,” said Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development. 

“We want to deliver the best possible service for social housing tenants, and we firmly believe that everyone in Manchester deserves a safe, secure and decent home.”   

He added: “Bringing the management of the social housing the council owns back in house was done to help continue with our focus on improving the management standards of our residents’ homes.  This move was also a commitment to delivering vital and further capital investment to improve the quality and standard of our homes and properties.” 

The post Manchester commits £47m to social housing improvements  appeared first on Place North West.

The Heaton Group has lodged its latest plans with Wigan Council for the regeneration of the 17-acre Eckersley Mills site off Meadow Road.

Plans form the third phase of of the Wigan-based group’s wider £180m masterplan for the transformation of the Victorian cotton mills.

The first phase is already under construction, as Mill One becomes a mixed-use building with 80,000 sq ft of offices, a rooftop restaurant, a food hall, and a microbrewery. Plans for Mill Three were approved in June for its conversion into 137 apartments.

Plans form the third phase of Heaton Group’s masterplan for the site. Credit: via Viva

Designed by Fletcher-Rae Architects, the scheme would see the demolition of various buildings including Mill Two, the former welfare building, the former 1884 reeling room, and Mill One’s weaving sheds.

Another former reeling block, as well as the winding block and offices on site would be retained and redeveloped.

The former reeling block would provide a 2,100 sq ft roller rink and events area, alongside 16,200 sq ft of commercial space.

In total, 13 commercial units ranging from 200 sq ft to 3,000 sq ft are proposed to be delivered within the former winding block and office building.

Heaton Group also wants outline permission to build 817 homes across five blocks, which would bring the total of homes across the site to 954. There are also plans for a 120-bedroom hotel and two commercial units totalling 4,600 sq ft, as well as a 289-space multi-storey car park.

Proposals feature 505 one-, 280 two-, and 32 three-bedroom homes, including 121 later living residences.

Fletcher-Rae Architects designed the scheme. Credit: via Viva

John Heaton, managing director of Heaton Group, said: “We’ve spoken to residents and key stakeholders from the council, Homes England and Historic England, and the local MP to explain our thoughts and take in their comments and feedback.

“For us as a Wigan-based business, we know that this site has been neglected for far too long and our plans will bring new life to an important site”, he continued.

“They will provide significant benefits for the whole town, providing high-quality facilities everyone will be able to enjoy.”

Paul Butler Associates is the scheme’s planning and heritage consultant. The project team also includes Rachel Hacking Ecology, Salford Archaeology, Exterior Architecture, Quality Engineering Design, Temple Group, Andy Maw Design, and JBA Consulting.

Those interested in learning more about Heaton Group and its projects can visit heatongroup.co.uk to get involved.

Want to learn more about the plans? Search for application number A/23/95983/MAJES on Wigan Council’s planning portal.

The post Heaton Group reveals £180m vision for Eckersley Mills appeared first on Place North West.

Last year, the two developers formed a 50/50 joint venture to deliver St Michael’s tower on land bounded by Jacksons Row, Bootle Street, Southmill Street, and 201 Deansgate.

Designed by Hodder + Partners, the scheme will feature five storeys of office accommodation and a five-star hotel spanning 10 floors that will be operated under the Marriott Group’s luxury W Hotel brand.

The Relentless and Salboy JV has lodged fresh plans to add another two storeys, taking the building’s height to 43 storeys. This increase will allow another 16 apartments to be built to create a total of 229 flats.

Approval would also see a small decrease in the office floorspace from 324,000 sq ft to 316,900 sq ft, as well as a small increase in spa floorspace from 197,000 sq ft to 200,000 sq ft.

The refreshed plans come while the project is already under construction, with contractor DOMIS starting work in April.

The hotel and residential tower makes up the second phase of the wider St Michael’s project.

The first phase will deliver offices and a rooftop restaurant. Main contractor Bowmer + Kirkland began work on the first phase last year, with construction expected to complete in 2024.

Zerum is the planning consultant for the scheme. Also on the project team are Stephen Levrant Heritage Architecture, WSP, Novo, Planit-IE, GTech, and ArcAero.

To learn more about the refreshed skyscraper plans, search for application number 137873/JO/2023 on Manchester City Council’s planning portal.

The post St Michael’s skyscraper in Manchester could get even taller appeared first on Place North West.

Bury Council approved the residential schemes along with its own £20m flexi-hall. The decisions were made in line with officer recommendations.

Flexi-hall

Application number: 69580

Bury Council’s 23,400 sq ft multi-use facility will be built off Angouleme Way and accompany the redevelopment of the town’s market.

The JH Architects-designed scheme will deliver a three-storey building, which could be used for a variety of activities, from holding conferences to hosting festivals or parties.

Plans for the ground floor include a café bar, as well as a multifunctional events space that can support market stalls, pop-up trading, live performances, and community events.

Upstairs, the first floor will provide six meeting rooms, which could also be used for exhibitions, community groups, and educational events.

The authority will also carry out improvements to the existing Bury Market in the form of a new canopy, maintenance repairs, and an enhanced environmental performance through recycling infrastructure, energy efficiency improvements, and the decarbonisation of existing structures.

There will be six accessible car parking spaces provided.

The three-acre site is currently occupied by 13,900 sq ft of retail space and 4,600 sq ft of offices within the buildings at 1 Murray Road, 47-51 Market Street, and 2-10 Princess Parade.

These buildings will be demolished to make way for the flexi-hall. The offices will be relocated within the new flexi-hall, while the shops will be moved into the Mill Gate Shopping Centre.

Bury Council was awarded a £20m grant in January from the government’s Levelling Up Fund to bring forward the flexi-hall.

• Read more: Levelling Up Fund: North West secures £355m

Plans form part of a wider masterplan for the regeneration of the town centre, which also includes the £81m redevelopment of the Bury Interchange and the transformation of Mill Gate Shopping Centre to provide homes.

Vinci Construction has been appointed to build the flexi-hall.

The project team also includes AJP, Crookes Walker Consulting, Sharps Redmore, and Ameon. Gillespies is the landscape architect. WSP is the highways engineer.

Riverside School was demolished in 2015. Credit: via planning documents

Former Riverside High School

Application number: 69233

Hive Homes can now get to work on delivering 90 houses on the six-acre plot off School Street.

Designed by MCK Associates, the scheme will provide 78 three- and 12 four-bedroom homes, 22 of which would be affordable.

Each house will have two off-street parking spaces.

The brownfield site is part of the former Riverside High School grounds, partly occupied by special education facility Millwood School.

Also accessed off Abden Street, the land is now vacant following the school’s closure and subsequent demolition in 2015.

Bury Council’s cabinet then signed off the plot to Hive Homes in October 2021 and the LK Group remediated the site ready for construction in the same year.

Approval for the redevelopment of the former Radcliffe school comes as the council launches a consultation on its proposals to build a new school on the site of the town’s current leisure centre.

Hive Land & Planning is the planning consultant for the residential scheme. The project team also includes Eddisons, Edge Consulting Engineers, Bowland Tree Consultancy, PDA Acoustic Consultants, and LK Group.

There will be 10 affordable homes. Credit: via planning documents

Springside Road

Application number: 68055

Morris Homes will build 41 houses on the four-acre greenfield site in Walmersley.

Astle Planning & Design is behind the scheme, which will deliver a range of detached, semi-detached, and terraced properties.

Proposals feature 10 two-, 13 three-, and 18 four-bedroom homes, including 10 affordable houses.

There will be two access points into the development, one from Springside Road and another from Burnley Road.

Iceni Projects is the scheme’s planning consultant. Also on the project team are Barnes Walker, Harttron, United Environmental Services, Pell Frischmann, and E3P.

The post Bury approves £20m flexi-hall appeared first on Place North West.

The government is proposing an amendment to the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill that will remove the requirement for housing projects in protected areas to be ‘nutrient neutral’ – in other words, the development cannot increase the amount of nitrogen or phosphorous in rivers.

• TAKE A DEEP DIVE: How river pollution is putting development plans in purgatory across the North and North Wales

Water companies are the largest source of phosphorous pollution, according to the government – which also states that agricultural practices are to blame for the pollution status of 40% of the country’s waters. The Home Builders Federation has argued that the built environment contributes less than 5% of pollution to rivers.

To combat pollution without stymying development, the government has increased funding for Natural England’s Nutrient Mitigation Scheme by £140m. Now, with a £280m investment, Natural England will create bespoke plans to address pollution issues in specific impacted areas.

Natural England will also increase the inspections it conducts on farms, support farmers in employing innovations to avoid nutrient runoffs, and double down on requirements for sustainable drainage solutions in housing developments.

According to the government’s announcement, homebuilders will also be consulted regarding the best ways to ensure developers “make an appropriate and fair contribution” to nutrient neutrality efforts.

The government also reiterated its push to have water companies invest in their infrastructure ahead of 2030.

The current nutrient neutrality rules are leftover from when the UK was part of the EU. They have impacted housing projects within the borders of 62 local authorities, including Cumberland Council and Westmorland and Furness Council.

When the rule was issued last year, it equated to a building ban impacting 2,500 homes in Cumbria.

That figure came from the Home Builders Federation, which welcomed the government’s announcement.

“Today’s very welcome announcement has the potential to unlock housing delivery across the country, from Cornwall to the Tees Valley, where housebuilding has been blocked despite wide acknowledgement that occupants of new homes are responsible for only a tiny fraction of the wastewater finding its ways into rivers and streams,” said HBF executive chairman Stewart Baseley.

“The industry is eager to play its part in delivering mitigation and protecting our waterways,” he continued. “We look forward to engaging with government on the right way to do so, now that ministers are acting upon the arguments that builders both large and small have been making for so long.”

Nicky Gordon, chief executive of Genesis Homes, described the nutrient neutrality issue as “a major blockade to much-needed housing development across the country”.

He continued: “It has taken a ridiculous amount of time to sort something even though the housebuilding industry has long informed central government right through to local authorities of its wrongful singling out of homebuilders when the contribution of the industry to river pollution is almost zero.

“We now hold our breath for the finer details of the proposed changes to nutrient neutrality but we’re hopeful that some real progress is made so the 100,000 new homes currently on hold across the UK – including around 2,500 in Cumbria – because of this issue can finally start.”

Secretary of state for Levelling Up, Housing, and Communities Michael Gove said: “The way EU rules have been applied has held us back.

“These changes will provide a multi-billion-pound boost for the UK economy and see us build more than 100,000 new homes,” Gove continued.

“Protecting the environment is paramount which is why the measures we’re announcing today will allow us to go further to protect and restore our precious waterways whilst still building the much-needed homes this country needs,” he said.

The post Govt to relax nutrient neutrality rules in England appeared first on Place North West.

The housing provider has appointed Forshaw Construction to build the remaining 70 homes in Hartford, with works including highways and lighting.

Previously being delivered by Lane End Developments Construction, the scheme was stalled in April as the contractor entered into administration having handed over just 38 homes.

Located on land previously occupied by Mid Cheshire College’s Hartford campus, Manor Gardens will provide a total of 108 homes when completed.

JDA Architects designed the scheme, which features a mix of two-, three-, and four-bedroom houses, as well as two-bedroom bungalows.

Lorraine Donnelly, development director at Your Housing Group, said: “Your Housing Group has always remained fully committed to completing the construction and when work stopped we immediately set about the process of finding and appointing a new-build partner.

“It was really important that our new partner understood the importance of completing Manor Gardens to both Your Housing Group and our residents.”

Lyndon Forshaw, group managing director of Forshaw Construction, added: “I’ve been impressed with the effort and speed with which Your Housing Group moved forward with the Forshaw team to ensure Manor Gardens now gets completed to the high standard it deserves.”

Stantec is the scheme’s planning consultant. The project team also includes Ellis Williams Architects, Bureau Veritas, Cundall, Urban Green, and Croft.

Work is expected to complete on the final homes in early 2025.

To find out more about the plans, search for application number 19/00203/FUL on Cheshire West and Chester Council’s planning portal.

The post Forshaw Construction picks up stalled Hartford resi appeared first on Place North West.

Ribble Valley Council signed off the project at its planning committee meeting on Thursday.

Situated on more than two acres east of Whalley Road, the proposed 34,600 sq ft care home will be built by LNT Care Developments’ sister company, LNT Construction. The contractor is anticipating delivering the project within 16 months.

The two-storey, H-shaped care home will boast solar panels on its roof and landscaped gardens. It will also provide residents with a series of amenities including a lounge, dining room, family room, garden room, cinema, hair studio, and shop. Each will offer both general and dementia care. All 66 bedrooms will have ensuites.

Car parking would be provided for 25 vehicles, including three spaces designated for those who are disabled and six with electric vehicle charging capability.

In addition to the care home, the application includes the demolition of the buildings at 23-25 Old Row. This includes the former La Taverna restaurant.

In their place, LNT Construction will build three terraced houses, two with two bedrooms and one with a single bedroom. These homes would have a parking space each.

You can learn more about the project by searching application reference number 3/2023/0153 on Ribble Valley Council’s planning portal.

The post Ribble Valley approves 66-bed care home appeared first on Place North West.

Rochdale Council approved the proposals at its planning and licensing committee meeting yesterday. The decision was made in line with officer recommendations.

CJ Partnership and Urban Green designed the scheme, which will convert the former cotton mill to provide 33 apartments and 11,700 sq ft of ground-floor commercial space.

The dilapidated buildings next to the mill will also be redeveloped. Plans will see these buildings demolished to make way for a further 31 three- and four-bedroom houses.

Finally, the greenfield plot within the wider site will see the creation of 150 three- to five-bedroom houses.

In total, seven one-, 23 two-, 106 three-, 57 four-, and 21-bedroom homes will be provided.

There will also be improved access to the development, with alterations to the road bridge into the site and upgraded public rights of way.

Crimble Mill closed more than 20 years ago and has been vacant since 2015, the same year that Prescot Business Park acquired the site.

According to an officer’s report, the project demonstrates “very special circumstances” in order to justify Green Belt development, with proposals including the restoration of a grade two-listed heritage asset.

Plans were submitted for the development last July.

Urban Green is working as the landscape architect, arboricultural consultant, and on wider masterplanning for the scheme. CJ Partnership is the masterplanner for the mill complex segment.

Lichfields is the planning consultant. The project team also includes Blackett-Ord Conservation Engineering, CB3 Design, Roger Hannah, Redmore Environmental, RJT Consulting, Tetra Tech, and E3P. Lanpro is the archaeological consultant.

Want to learn more about the plans? Search for application number 22/00588/FUL on Rochdale Council’s planning portal.

The post Rochdale approves mill conversion appeared first on Place North West.

Situated on 12 acres of agricultural fields off the A69, the proposed neighbourhood would comprise 10 different house types, including terraced, semi-detached, and detached units.

Of the 112 houses proposed, eight would be two-bedroom homes, while 44 would have three bedrooms. There would be 48 four-bedroom houses and 12 five-bedroom ones.

Story submitted plans for the project in 2021, building upon an earlier, smaller scheme on the site from 2017.

Cumberland Council’s planning officers are recommending the authority approve the application, subject to a satisfactory nutrient mitigation scheme being put into place to address pollution in the River Eden Special Area of Conservation and a section 106 agreement.

However, the housebuilder could be due for a surprise ending. While the council’s planning experts are encouraging sign-off, Wetheral Parish Council has issued its own objections. The council claims the project would overdevelop the area and fails to integrate with the traditional village setting of Scotby.

The parish council also objects to the affordable housing provision in the project. Story has planned to have 19 affordable homes in the development, of which eight would be available for affordable rent and the other 11 for discounted sale.

The parish council argues that the site is capable of accommodating 33 affordable homes and should have to do so. Similar concerns have been voiced by the council’s housing development officer as well.

In evaluating the application, the planning officer noted that there are viability issues, which prevent Story from providing the appropriate 33 affordable home provision.

Urban Green composed the design and access statement for the project and is providing consultancy services on arboricultural impact and ecology. SUMO is the geophysical survey consultant, while SAJ is charged with transport. Root3 is the landscape architect.

The project team also includes Orion Heritage, Travel Plan Service, RS Acoustic Engineer, and ID Geo Environmental.

You can learn more about the project by searching 21/1068 on Cumberland Council’s planning portal for Carlisle.

UPDATE 31 August 2023: The application was deferred at the 30 August planning committee meeting.

The post Cumberland flirts with approving 112 houses appeared first on Place North West.

Officers have recommended that Bury Council approves both schemes at its planning committee meeting next Tuesday.

Former Riverside High School

Application number: 69233

Hive Homes is eyeing the six-acre plot off School Street to deliver 90 houses.

The MCK Associates-designed scheme would provide 78 three- and 12 four-bedroom homes, 22 of which would be affordable.

Each house would have two off-street parking spaces.

The brownfield site is part of the former Riverside High School grounds, partly occupied by special education facility Millwood School.

Also accessed off Abden Street, the land is now vacant following the school’s closure and subsequent demolition in 2015.

Bury Council’s cabinet then signed off the plot to Hive Homes in October 2021 and the LK Group remediated the site ready for construction in the same year.

The decision on plans for the former Radcliffe school as the council launches a consultation on its proposals to build a new school on the site of the town’s current leisure centre.

Hive Land & Planning is the planning consultant for the residential scheme. The project team also includes Eddisons, Edge Consulting Engineers, Bowland Tree Consultancy, PDA Acoustic Consultants, and LK Group.

Springside Road

Application number: 68055

Morris Homes wants to build 41 houses on the four-acre greenfield site in Walmersley.

Astle Planning & Design is behind the scheme, which would deliver a range of detached, semi-detached, and terraced properties.

Proposals feature 10 two-, 13 three-, and 18 four-bedroom homes, including 10 affordable houses.

There would be two access points to the development, one from Springside Road and another from Burnley Road.

Iceni Projects is the scheme’s planning consultant. Also on the project team are Barnes Walker, Harttron, United Environmental Services, Pell Frischmann, and E3P.

Also up for approval at the meeting is the council’s own £20m flexi-hall.

The post Bury primed to approve 131 homes appeared first on Place North West.

Sourced Development Group wants to provide a mix of one- to three-bedroom flats and townhouses on the former site of Coconut Grove nightclub.

Named Carlton Court, the part five-, part six-storey building would also feature 2,800 sq ft of ground-floor commercial space.

Plans would bring the vacant Tuebrook site back into use.

The home of the Carlton Cinema from 1932 until 1982, the plot was soon transformed into Coconut Grove nightclub. The venue closed in 1997 and was demolished in 2017, with the site remaining empty since.

Carlton Court is part of Sourced Development Group’s plans to deliver 3,000 homes across the North West over the next three years.

The company is currently on-site building its 310-apartment Scholar’s Court complex in Liverpool. Work is also progressing in Salford, where Sourced is delivering the 525-home at Regent Plaza.

You can access the consultation for Carlton Court at www.carltoncourtconsultation.com.

The post Sourced lines up former nightclub site for Liverpool resi appeared first on Place North West.

FEC is working with Manchester City Council on the project, which zeroes in on 35 acres of brownfield set aside to become the future Red Bank district.

There are two Red Bank-related applications on the docket for next week.

The first on the agenda is an outline application for up to 3,250 homes, a 210-place primary school, health centre, and 67,800 sq ft of commercial space.

The second application is for three residential towers, the tallest of which would be 34 storeys. These would sit on seven acres of land bounded by Dantzic Street and provide 1,551 homes.

Avison Young is the planning consultant for both projects.

Land at Red Bank

• Application reference number: 136812/OO/2023

The outline application looks at two areas within the Red Bank neighbourhood: Red Bank Plateau and Red Bank Viaduct. Red Bank Plateau is surrounded by Barny’s steps and St Catherine’s Wood. Red Bank Viaduct is bounded by the River Irk, Dantzic Street, and the railway line.

The proposed primary school would be 29,600 sq ft and accommodate 210 children, while the health centre would be up to 35,000 sq ft.

Of the 3,250 homes proposed, most would be two-bedroom residences. The numbers break down to 798 one-bedroom homes, 2,053 two-bedroom ones, and 399 three-bedroom units. There would also be a 20% affordable housing provision, equating to around 650 homes. This is subject to viability.

Given the proximity of the site to public transport, a 12% parking provision is included. There would also be 3,250 cycle spaces.

FEC’s plans include an excess of 10% biodiversity net gain.

The developer estimates that this section of Red Bank would create 4,640 construction jobs a year for 10 years, with around 30% of those positions being taken by Manchester residents.

The project team for this scheme includes Hoare Lea, Counter Context, TEP, WSP, Schulze+Grassov, Optimised Environments, and Maccreanor Lavington.

Manchester City Council planning officers have recommended the planning committee approve the project, subject to the signing of a legal agreement for affordable housing and the retention of the project architect for each delivery phase.

Land bounded by Dantzic Street

• Application reference number: 136814/FO/2023

FEC’s second application revolves around three towers on seven acres bounded by Dantzic Street in Manchester. These towers would be 34 storeys, 31 storeys, and 27 storeys at their tallest. Two of the towers will step up, going from eight storeys at their smallest to their respective tallest heights.

Of the 1,551 homes proposed, 78 would be affordable. This equates to a 5% affordable housing provision. Nearly 60% of the apartments would have two or three bedrooms.

The towers would be more than just filled with residences, they would also have commercial space, effectively creating a new high street in the area. A six-storey amenity block is also proposed.

The project also features 152 car parking spaces for residents, with additional spaces for visitors. There would be 1,551 cycle spaces provided.

Hawkins\Brown, Maccreanor Lavington, Optimised Environments, and Schulze+Grassov worked together to design the project for FEC.

FEC’s scheme has a value of £330m, according to council papers.

Planning officers have recommended the project the approved, subject to the signing of a legal agreement to lock in the 5% on-site affordable housing provision – as well as a review later on of the project’s viability to see if more affordable housing can be provided.

The post Manchester looks to greenlight 4,800 Red Bank homes appeared first on Place North West.

Liverpool City Council approved the conversion of the grade one-listed old Bank of England into a restaurant at its planning committee meeting yesterday. This decision was made in line with officer recommendations.

Meanwhile, Kersh Worral will persist at appeal with councillors minding to refuse its proposals due to a lack of affordable housing and open space.

Former Bank of England

Application number: 22F/0422

Situated at 31 Castle Street, the grade one-listed building is set for a new lease of life under JSM Company Group’s proposals to transform it into a restaurant.

Wroot Design is the architect behind the scheme, which will see the creation of a dining area and a central bar set across two floors.

Downstairs, the basement will house the kitchens and other back-of-house facilities, while storage and office space will be provided upstairs.

As the Bank of England building is a grade one-listed property, only certain alterations will be permitted. The property was built in 1845 and remains “architecturally in good order”, according to a heritage impact assessment submitted by Townscape.

Built in 1945, the property has been vacant since TSB Bank left in the 1990s.

Councillors approved the scheme despite concerns raised by councillors Nick Small and Christine Banks regarding the potential negative impact of the project on neighbouring residents.

The approval follows the withdrawal of plans to create a retractable glass section on the existing disused car park to be used as a bar in the summer.

The site has been derelict for some time. Credit: Google Earth

Vauxhall Road

Application number: 21F/0722

Liverpool City Council rejected Kersh Worral’s bid to redevelop the former Elaine Norris Centre site to deliver 29 flats within a four-storey block, as well as 39 houses, despite a recommendation by planning officers to approve.

Designed by DAY Architectural, the scheme is subject to a non-determination appeal due to delays in the process.

This means that the committee cannot make a decision on the proposals. However, at yesterday’s planning committee and following a site visit, councillors resolved that the application would be refused if it were to come before the committee.

A lack of affordable housing, open space, and biodiversity net gain were cited as the reasons for the proposed refusal.

The developer lodged plans for the project in March 2021, with officers recommending that the scheme be approved in December 2022. This decision was deferred so that a site visit could take place, however this never materialised.

Kersh Worral later lodged an appeal and asked that the city council cover the costs due to the “unacceptable, unnecessary, and unreasonable” delay, according to the applicant’s statement of case for the appeal.

The city council have said that the delay was down to the elections that happened earlier this year.

Kersh Worral had stated that it would halt these proceedings if the city council conducted a site visit and approved the project.

Broadgrove Planning and Development is the planning consultant for the scheme. The project team also includes PGA landscape architects, 4C Engine, and ADS Structural.

The post Liverpool approves old Bank of England restaurant conversion appeared first on Place North West.