New council houses, huge tower blocks and the further redevelopment of a former bus depot are among the latest plans to be ruled on by Manchester’s top civil servant.
Council chief executive Joanne Roney has been given the final say on new developments while planning committee meetings are suspended during the coronavirus outbreak.
If approved next week it would see more than 400 new homes built at separate sites in Moss Side, Newton Heath, Deansgate, Ancoats, and New Islington.
The emergency powers, which are also shared by planning committee chair and vice chair Coun Basil Curley and Coun Nasrin Ali, allowed two controversial schemes to be approved last month - despite being rejected previously.
While the move has drawn accusations that decisions are behind made ‘behind closed doors’, the council says all applications and accompanying reports are publicly available.
Decisions on each of the following schemes will be made on Wednesday May 27.
A new council-run estate where every home is affordable
The first planning application to be considered by Ms Roney, Coun Curley and Coun Ali proposes 139 council houses and flats in Newton Heath.
A mixture of houses are proposed with 41 one-bed apartments, 59 two-bed flats, 14 two-bed homes and 25 three-bed homes.
All of the properties will be offered as affordable housing, with 39 available for affordable rent and the remaining 100 as social rent.
One Manchester says the plans will provide ‘much-needed’ housing by regenerating a vacant area.
Planned health hub at former depot to be replaced by flats for over-55s
Work on building 258 homes at Stagecoach’s old home off Princess Road is already well underway, but a significant change to the original plans has been proposed.
When the redevelopment was given outline planning permission in 2016 it contained designs for a ‘health hub’ - but this is not being carried forward by developers Rowlinson.
Instead, 40 ‘extra care’ flats will be built for people aged over 55 who are looking to downsize from their family homes.
Known as Elmswood Park, the facility will be run by housing Mosscare St Vincent’s and referrals will be made by the council.
The loss of the health hub has been the main focus of objections to the scheme from residents and ward councillors.
But while describing it as ‘regrettable’, a planning report says: “The local planning authority must determine whether or not the scheme submitted meets local and national policies in its own right.”
Massive residential tower for city centre
Developer Forshaw has submitted proposals for a 25-storey tower block and a new public square on Great Ancoats Street.
The development, which will bring a mixture of one, two and three-bedroom flats, forms part of the wider Portugal Street East regeneration scheme.
But none of the apartments will be available for affordable or social rent.
More than 3,000 sq ft of the ground floor will be given up for retail, gym, a resident's lounge and a co-working space.
A warehouse and office currently occupied by the Safe Deposit Centre will be demolished to make way for the tower.
‘High quality’ high rise housing in high-end area
The 11-storey Bowler's Yard will be Scarborough Group's third residential development in the area - and the tallest- after the already-built and occupied Milliners Wharf and Hat Box.
Bowler’s Yard would be built on vacant land at the corner of Pollard Street and Munday Street, across from the Hat Box and within 400ft from the New Islington Metrolink stop
While the number of apartments has reduced from 64 to 62, the developer still insists that it would be financially unviable to provide affordable housing.
The lack of affordable housing is a common theme informing 44 objections to the development, along with overdevelopment concerns and loss of privacy for Hat Box residents.
Rooftop extension for luxury city centre apartments
The final application that will be considered seeks permission to build two extra floors on the roof of the Hill Quays apartment complex in Deansgate.
Hill Quays is a part eight and nine-storey building consisting of two blocks connected by open air bridges at each floor.
One of the blocks would be extended to provide an extra 11 flats and additional floorspace for one penthouse apartment.
But the council has received 14 objections from residents already living in the building, with one saying: "It will have a detrimental effect on anyone sleeping during the day including nurses, which in turn will affect abilities to care for patients in a safe and alert manner."
Another said: "The use of scaffolding will affect my privacy and dignity, which is entirely unacceptable. How will this be overcome to ensure that anxiety is not caused?"
