The report of the Strategic Director (Development) is enclosed

The Great Ducie Street Strategic Regeneration Framework (SRF) area is positioned to the north of the city centre, extending northwards from Manchester’s Inner Ring Road adjacent to the Manchester Arena. It encompasses but does not include the former Boddington’s Brewery Site, which itself has a regeneration framework that was endorsed in June 2015. The site lies in close proximity to a number of key city centre strategic regeneration initiatives, including NOMA, Northern Gateway, New Victoria and the Medieval Quarter. The area is a commercially led district, and has traditionally been a focal point for textiles businesses, wholesalers and distributors. The legitimate textile and wholesale businesses are concentrated within the Warehousing District to the north. Currently some of the properties are in decline.

In February 2018 we had endorsed in principle an updated regeneration framework for the Great Ducie Street SRF area and requested that there be public consultation on the draft regeneration framework (Minute Exe/18/024).

The Strategic Director (Development) now submitted a report on the outcome of the consultation, describing the issues that consultees had raised and the Council’s proposed response to those. Consultation letters had been sent out to 1,946 local residents, businesses, and stakeholders, informing them about the public consultation, how to engage in it. The SRF had also been made available on the Council’s website, where comments were invited. The consultation was open for six weeks and closed on 17 September 2018.

In total 12 responses were received: 2 from Cheetham Ward Councillors; 1 from a business owner; 6 from landowners; and 3 from statutory agencies.

The report examined the issues that had been raised by the consultees under the headings of: general support, flood risk and water management, public realm, development uses and mix, development height and density, phasing and delivery, infrastructure, the draft SRF Document itself, and area context. The Council’s analysis and response on each of these was explained and a number of revisions to the draft SRF document were proposed in the report to respond to the matters that had been raised.

A further late representation was reported orally at the meeting, submitted by the owner of the Downtex Mill site. The owner hoped that the SRF would increase indicative building heights for the Mill site to between 11 and 20 stories. They also challenged the proposal for the retention of the Mill as a creative centre within the framework area and as a site providing townscape value. They proposed that the SRF should not require the retention of the building but make provision for its demolition or comprehensive redevelopment, avoiding conflicts between the regeneration objectives for the site and achieving a new riverside frontage. They put forward that the retention of the building would be contrary to national policy.

Having noted the views expressed by the consultee it was nevertheless agreed that the building was able to make an important contribution as a creative centre within the area, and that the proposals for it in the revised SRF document should not be further amended.

Having considered the views expressed by the consultees, including the late representation submitted at the meeting, it was agreed that the revised SRF document be adopted.

Decisions

1.         To note the comments received on the Strategic Regeneration Framework and the response to these comments.

2.         To agree the proposed amendments to the Strategic Regeneration Framework arising from the comments received.

3.         To approve the Great Ducie Street Strategic Regeneration Framework, with the intention that it will become a material consideration in the Council’s decision making as the Local Planning Authority.