Manchester City Council and Mosscare St Vincent’s (MSV) are calling on the local community to have their say on plans for 350 brand-new homes to be built in Moss Side.
The home of the Maine Road ground that was built there back in 1923, and of Manchester Carnival, Moss Side is an area that’s always held its community close to its heart – so who better to contribute local knowledge to the council’s new housing plans?
The valuable community insight of Moss Side and its cultural identity will form the base of the new proposals. Focused on derelict land at the former site of the Reno, Moss Side’s revolutionary underground club that was active until the late 80s, as well as neighbouring sites at Barnhill Street and land at Westwood Street and Raby Street, the plans outline a mix of multigenerational family homes and apartments.
There are plans to turn Greenheys Adult Learning Centre, a large-scale Victorian complex, into a variety of homes – with the services it currently delivers being transferred to one of the four sites in development. The proposals also outline a community space dedicated to the heritage of Moss Side and options for potential commercial spaces, too.
A steering group representing individuals from across Moss Side has already been set up and MSV will engage with the local community over the coming months to discuss the plans and ideas, making sure Moss Side’s legacy and diversity is reflected in the finalised project. Once the plans for the sites have been developed, a formal consultation period on the designs will begin later in the spring, ahead of proposals being submitted to the Council in the Summer.
Councillor Gavin White, Executive Member for Housing and Development said: “It’s important that we continue to invest in the future of our city by increasing the amount of affordable housing available across our neighbourhoods. MSV have a track record of delivering homes which are not only high quality but highly sustainable, and I am pleased we’re able to move forward together in this partnership.”
The population of Moss Side has grown by 20% across the last decade, so the area is in desperate need of affordable homes with more people on the list for social housing than any other area of Manchester.
The area in and around the district has already seen significant investment in recent years, including 175 new homes for shared ownership or rent to buy. MSV is also investing millions of pounds to carry out major improvements to the energy efficiency of current homes in the area.
As well as this, the housing association is also in talks with Great Places about a potential merger. This could be key to unlocking more money to invest in local communities. Consultation with customers is ongoing through March and April.
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