EDAW, the master planners chosen to redesign the city centre after the 1996 IRA bomb, have been handed a new challenge of turning 84 acres in east Manchester into a waterside community.
New East Manchester, the regeneration company who chose EDAW, said their aim was to create a "missing link" in Manchester - a place that was in the city but had enough space and facilities for families to plant long-term roots.
The site, to be known as Holt Town Waterfront, is just a mile from the city centre and next to the Sportcity development. Plans are likely to include larger houses, shops and other facilities and a Metrolink stop - if the proposed Ashton line gets the go-ahead from government.
Council bosses have long been concerned about people moving to Manchester for work - only to move out again to bring up their families. EDAW claimed there was nothing in the city to compare with family-friendly communities like Jesmond in Newcastle or Clifton in Bristol.
Tom Russell, chief executive of NEM, said: "This is an exciting opportunity to, yet again, raise the bar in terms of urban living." Tweet
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Tom Russell keeps spinning this urban living thing?? We have been doing it for over a hundred years its nothing new .We moved from the countryside to live in towns and citys for the cotton industry.So i wish people would stop bigging themselves up like they have invented something new??? "Hello is there anybody out there" Its been done mate.
Great idea to spruce up that area. The Metro link is vital though it will be any success. Also, I have worked in Newcastle and lived in the Jesmond area, it is a leafy, established area with imposing Victorian houses. Very up market and not one chav lives there. Herein lies the problem? Building great new houses and great new facilities will only end in failure if they are placed next to the unappreciative louts and chavs, which unfortunately East Manchester is littered with. Same goes for Clifton apparently, its suppose to be one of the most sought after areas to live in the country, but again it is an established up market district with no unsightly council estates close by. Also, what about the people who live in these areas already? Poor quality housing and a lot of social issues are prevalent in East Manchester and they want to build expensive and futuristic houses there. This just might alienate the locals who have lived there for years watching the affluent move in and shove them out. Just a thought and I know the area needs investment, but not sure if this is the answer.
THis looks amazing, here's hoping that they are going to get the politically will behind them and it happens.
What are they going to do with all the scrots that currently live there, it would be a shame to waste this on them. Can we ship them all off to Liverpool or something??