12,500 new homes pledged under Manchester Housing Strategy

Manchester City Council has promised to build 12,500 new houses by 2021 in underdeveloped areas.

To meet the growing investment in the city, the newly released housing strategy reveals plans to build the properties in areas such as Ancoats and Collyhurst.

The strategy recognises the link between economic prosperity and a strong housing market, aiming to be a city that “meets and exceeds the needs of its residents whilst standing unique it its enterprise, creativity and industry.”

Councillor Bernard Priest, Deputy Leader of Manchester City Council, said that the strategy is exactly what Manchester needs to sustain growth.

He said: “Put simply we need more high-quality, liveable homes with high sustainability credentials.”

Kate Wilson, co-owner of Rudy’s Pizza, local business pioneer in Ancoats, said that without such investments their business would not have developed in a once deprived area.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OM0uE2067HA

She said: “I think it’s a very good thing for small businesses to get a foot in the door.”

However, many have raised concerns that the strategy does not contain enough provision for the protection of local, poorer families. 

Although the strategy places a focus on high-value properties, it acknowledges the challenge of ensuring a “progressive and equitable city by unlocking the potential of our communities.”

When asked whether development of high value housing in such areas would cause gentrification, Collyhurst community activist Sister Rita Lee said that there is growing concern that the unstable situations of locals may not be benefitted by outside investment.

She said: “Collyhurst people are settled and they are wonderful people to work with. They find it hard to get on in their lives and I would be worried about these people coming in.”

Despite being ranked by The Economist as the UK’s most liveable city, almost 75% of Manchester’s areas are in the country’s top third most deprived, so disruption could be considerable.

The strategy takes aim at unscrupulous landlords, addressing the rental market in the city with plans to marginalise poor quality landlords so they either improve or leave the market.

The housing strategy is part of a wider “Our Manchester” strategy running to 2025.