Manchester's Northern Gateway housing receives £50 million

Manchester has successfully bid for £51.6 million from the Government's Housing Infrastructure Fund to unlock land for more than 5,500 new homes over the next ten years.

Manchester City Council led the bid process supported by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (CMCA) which focused on 20 hectares of brownfield land that will support the initial phases of the Northern Gateway project - and the joint venture between the City Council and the Far East Consortium (FEC).

The funding will help address a series of core infrastructure constraints and lead to the delivery of new homes, including affordable housing, along with investment in walking and cycling routes, and new road access to improve connectivity across the Gateway area.

This investment will also help develop an initial phase of the planned City River Park incorporating St Catherine's Wood as part of a network of public open space, including improvements along the River Irk and works to improve flood resilience, unlocking the potential of the Irk Valley that will characterise the wider Northern Gateway project.

At 155 hectares, the Northern Gateway has the potential to deliver 15,000 new homes in the next 15 to 20 years and will include at least 3,000 affordable homes.

The project will connect seven new and emerging neighbourhoods through high quality green spaces and public squares, bringing life to the currently underused Irk River Valley.

Councillor Suzanne Richards, Manchester City Council's executive member for housing and regeneration said:

'Confirmation that we have been successful in our bid for Housing Infrastructure Funding is incredibly welcome. This will mean that we can overcome a number of major infrastructure hurdles that currently limit the development opportunities in the Northern Gateway area, and will unlock land for new housing, including a significant number of homes'.