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Joanne Roney OBEWhile keeping a strong eye on Manchester’s public health, we understand the importance of driving the recovery
Greater Manchester is currently under increased coronavirus restrictions as the number of confirmed cases creeps up. But we are also looking to drive the economic recovery, with housing playing a key role, writes Joanne Roney
For those working in the public sector, responding to the global pandemic has without doubt been one of the most challenging things we have lived and worked through.
Of course, the pandemic isn’t yet over. At the time of writing, Greater Manchester is under increased COVID-19 restrictions as the number of confirmed cases creeps up and we must remind ourselves to remain vigilant and keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.
This will be a time we look back on for generations to come, but I hope that we may also be able to look back at this period in time as a lever of positive change.
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At times of great adversity, perhaps our greatest strength is to look forward and consider how we might do things differently – not just recover but actively improve the lives of our residents.
We know how resilient Manchester is. In times of struggle we have always adapted quickly and we are already looking at ways to continue to develop the city in a safe, inclusive way.
While keeping a trained eye on Manchester’s public health, we understand the importance of driving recovery. We are determined to show that Manchester remains a city of confidence, a city open for investment (it’s encouraging that already 75% of residential and 80% of commercial construction are back on site following lockdown), and a city that will continue to be successful and grow inclusively, taking our residents along with us.
We have celebrated two transformational funding successes recently, which are very welcome as we look to the future of the city and a period of major economic uncertainty.
First, £51.6m Housing Infrastructure Funding for the Northern Gateway project – a £1bn scheme across 383 acres that will see around 15,000 homes built in the next two decades. This funding will help unlock the first phase of development – 5,500 homes – north of our city centre in the coming years.
The funding will also bring major improvements to the Irk River Valley and the initial development of a new City River Park which will be the green and blue artery that will connect the emerging neighbourhoods of the Northern Gateway project, along with new walking and cycling routes.
The first planning applications for Collyhurst Village – one of the initial phases of the Northern Gateway project – are imminent where 300 new affordable homes will be built for local people, including 130 social homes.
Second, £23m from the government coronavirus recovery fund will help deliver a new 6.5-acre city centre park at Mayfield – the first in a century – which will open up the River Medlock and create 6km of walking and cycling routes, along with 1,500 homes, 155,000 sqm of office space and a hotel – all creating 3,200 jobs.
Public green space is the defining feature of both of these developments and is indicative of the ambitions we have as a city about how we use our urban landscape post COVID-19.
As important as the building themselves is the space between. How our residents can interact with their neighbourhood as the city’s living rooms and how people can lead healthy, low-carbon lifestyles should be a measure of success in future development.
We need to understand that we could be living with coronavirus for some time and so it’s crucial to find out what our communities need from their neighbourhoods in the coming years if we are to stand behind our commitment to drive innovative, progressive and inclusive growth. It’s our job to listen.
Manchester Council is currently working through a period of unprecedented consultation with local residents across a range of issues including strategic regeneration sites, such as Central Retail Park, the city’s first low-carbon business site; walking and cycling routes through the city centre; cycling routes using the city’s existing canal infrastructure; and city centre pedestrianisation schemes to name but a few.
Again, the thematic link is thinking differently about how we live in the city as we recover from coronavirus. While at the same time delivering new housing at scale to meet increasing demand.
“We need to understand that we could be living with coronavirus for some time and so it’s crucial to find out what our communities need from their neighbourhoods in the coming years if we are to stand behind our commitment to drive innovative, progressive and inclusive growth”
We have also just begun a reset of our landmark 10-year Our Manchester Strategy – the overarching plan for the entire city – to find out how the city’s success is working for everyone who lives here.
We know already that parts of Manchester face great challenges around deprivation, so clearly there is work still to be done for everyone in our city to benefit from the city’s economic growth. And this will become a greater challenge when the true impact of coronavirus unemployment becomes clear across the UK.
However, as we continue to battle COVID-19, we have an opportunity. New homes in world-class neighbourhoods, with enviable green space that help people live healthier lifestyles shouldn’t just be an ambition but a benchmark for investment in the city.
The coronavirus pandemic has been heartbreaking, but it has also put into sharp relief what is important to us.
We are determined to grab this chance and we know there are developers out there that share our ambitions and our passion to develop differently. Watch this space.
Joanne Roney, chief executive, Manchester City Council
