Member Article

Manchester tower blocks regeneration scheme underway

Three empty residential tower blocks in north Manchester are to get a new lease of life as substantial regeneration work gets underway.

The blocks in Ancoats - Chippenham, Saltford and Rodney Court – have been standing empty for 15 years, but now a new partnership between Manchester City Council, Ancoats Residential Holdings and Rowlinsons Construction Ltd will bring 192 residential properties back into use.

The scheme is the first in the country to be approved by the Homes and Communities Agency to receive a Build to Rent loan.

Initial works have now begun in the Saltford and Chippenham blocks, clearing asbestos and preparing the site for a complete refurbishment both internally and externally, incorporating significant energy efficient measures designed to reduce both carbon emissions and minimise energy bills.

The redevelopment works will be completed on the Saltford block by December 2014, with completion on the other two blocks by March 2015 – providing 192 properties for open market rent.

Rowlinsons also partnered Manchester City Council to bring back into use 27 properties in East Manchester for affordable sale.* And like this previous partnership, the tower block development will ensure training opportunities for Manchester College students to gain on-site experience that is vital to complete their qualification.

The renovation the tower blocks coincides with the national Empty Homes Week (Monday 25 November to Friday 29 Nov) – following the Greater Manchester campaign in September – where empty property owners can get free advice to make their empty properties generate an income.

Empty property owners are invited to attend a free drop-in event from 3pm until 7pmon Tuesday 26 November in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour in Manchester town hall, while letting and estate agents with empty properties on their books can attend an agent’s event on Thursday 28 November, again in the Lord Mayor’s Parlour in the town hall.

Manchester City Council recently announced its draft Residential Growth Prospectus that set out the city’s housing priorities up to 2027, when population growth estimates show a need for up to 55,000 more properties across the city – and a key part of the strategy to keep up with demand is to bring Manchester’s empty homes back into use.

Since setting up in 2012, the city council’s dedicated empty homes team has already brought more than 500 empty homes back into use. Manchester City Council has secured over £4m of government funding to bring empty homes back into use using a variety of tools.

Cllr Nigel Murphy, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and regeneration, said: “These three blocks have been a blight on the landscape of north Manchester for far too long and local people will no doubt be relieved that works are now in progress to bring them back in to use.

“Empty homes represent a major housing resource for the city and projects like this are vital to ensure there is enough good quality housing for Manchester people.”

Steve Weir, Construction Director at Rowlinson Constructions Ltd, said: “The company prides itself on the skills of both its management and workforce and I am confident working closely with our supply chain and delivery partners the project will create employment and training opportunities.

“It will stimulate further growth for local companies and suppliers whilst also making a positive contribution to the regeneration of Ancoats and Manchester. We are confident this project will have a positive impact on the economic and social sustainability of the local community.”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Simon Malia .