The report of the Strategic Director (Growth and Development) is now attached.

Ancoats and New Islington are two distinctive neighbourhoods that are within the city centre and adjacent to the neighbourhood of Miles Platting. In April 2014 we endorsed a draft Ancoats and New Islington Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF) as a basis for consultation with local stakeholders and landowners (Minute Exe/14/041). In October 2014 we considered and approved a final version of the Framework (Minute Exe/14/109). Then, in July 2016 we had endorsed a draft of a refreshed Ancoats and New Islington Neighbourhood Development Framework so that it could be subject to further consultation with local stakeholders and landowners (Minute Exe/16/099). In December 2016 a final version of that Framework had been approved (Minute Exe/16/153).

A report now submitted by the Strategic Director (Growth & Development) explained that it was now felt to be necessary to set the objectives for those elements of the NDF that related to the Back of Ancoats Poland Street area; and to set objectives for the redevelopment of the Council-owned former Central Retail Park site that on Great Ancoats Street.

To ensure that new affordable housing could be developed in the NDF area it was proposed that three sites in Council ownership should now be set aside for this purpose. Those sites were land adjacent to Butler Street; land adjacent to Downley Drive; and the former Ancoats Dispensary. These three sites were shown on a map included in the report. Together the three sites should provide for up to 145 new homes.

For the Back of Ancoats Poland Street area the report the report explained that the purpose of the refresh of the 2016 NDF was to ensure that it incorporated current thinking in terms of the redevelopment of the area and was properly aligned to the current market context relating to a number of key issues including zero carbon and affordable housing. The report described this areas as having an interrupted street grid pattern that was dominated by two industrial estates at Poland Street; vacant and underutilised sites that detract from the visual amenity; as being part of the Conservation Area but gaining little benefit from the that; as having some open space at Kemp Street that attracted a high level of anti-social behaviour; with a lack of pedestrian footfall and visible daytime activity; and with low value buildings that do not front onto the Rochdale Canal and therefore do not exploit the advantage of a waterside location.

The specific objectives that were now being proposed for this area in the refresh of the NDF were:

·         the reinstatement of the grid pattern street layout to improve connectivity and movement through the area as well as creating legible routes that draw pedestrians into the area and through to the surrounding areas;

·         the creation of a mixed living and working neighbourhood, delivering flexible commercial floorplates for office and modern light industrial uses that can co-exist with a residential development that offers a range of typologies and tenures including the provision of affordable housing; and

·         the creation of high quality amenity and green spaces integrated with surrounding uses and would draw people into and through the area.

A copy of the draft NDF for the “Character Area 3 – Poland Street Zone” was appended to the report. The intention was for a period of public consultation on that draft. That was supported.

The Council’s acquisition of the former Central Retail Park site had been agreed in September 2017 (Minute Exe/17/122). At that time the agreed objectives for the site had been:

1.    to secure full control over the future redevelopment of this site in a manner that would accord with the extant and any future iteration of the wider Ancoats and New Islington Neighbourhood Development Framework;

2.    to shape the development strategy to ensure that the site made a significant contribution to the future growth of the city in line with the Council’s Residential Growth and wider economic growth ambitions; and

3.    to promote the redevelopment of the site in a timely manner and appropriately sequenced ensuring that the Council’s interest in its wider land portfolio across Ancoats and New Islington was protected and potentially enhanced.

Since then OBI Property (OBI), a Manchester based commercial property agency, had been commissioned to evaluate whether a commercial-led proposal for Central Retail Park could deliver a significant commercial workspace / office scheme. The outcome of that evaluation was positive and described in the report. It was believed that there would be demand for commercial development on the site.

Therefore, it was felt that a revised framework for the site would help to deliver an exemplary net zero carbon commercial district with the ability to attract new businesses and talent to Manchester. The development would bring together activities and people to create a vibrant mixed use neighbourhood, complementing and uniting the surrounding districts. In doing so, the proposal also represented a key opportunity to help unlock the potential of East Manchester.

A copy of the draft of the revised “Central Retail Park Development Framework” was appended to the report. The intention was for that draft to be subject to public consultation with the outcome reported to a future meeting.

To enable to redevelopment of the site to progress it was explained that the Council should now undertake a market engagement exercise to appoint a Development / Investment Funding Partner(s) to deliver on the proposals in the draft Framework. Once that had been done a commercial plan for the site could be prepared.

Decisions

1.         In respect of the draft revisions to the Poland Street Character Area of the NDF, to:

            a) note that the City Council will use its remaining land assets within the NDF area to deliver and influence the delivery of new net zero carbon development;

            b) approve that these sites in the City Council’s land ownership, land adjacent to Butler Street, land adjacent to Downley Drive, and the former Ancoats Dispensary, as identified on Map 1 of this report be used to promote affordable housing; and

            c) endorse the draft revisions to the Back of Ancoats Poland Street Character Area 3, as set out in the draft that was appended to the report, as a basis for public consultation, and that a final version be brought back to a future meeting.

2.         In respect of the former Central Retail Park site, to:

            a) approve the commercial led mixed use development strategy for the Central Retail Park site as set out in the report;

            b) note the intention to commence an exercise to engage the market to identify a Development / Investment Funding Partner(s) with the objective to deliver a net zero carbon commercial led mixed use development on the Central Retail Park site;

            c) delegate authority to the Chief Executive or the Deputy Chief Executive and City Treasurer, the City Solicitor, the Strategic Director (Growth and Development), the Head of Development, in consultation with the Leader of the Council, the Executive Member for Finance and Human Resources, and the Deputy Leader with the Corporate Property portfolio, to finalise the detail of that market exercise;

            d) note that a Commercial Plan for the Central Retail Park site was to be brought to a future meeting for approval following the appointment of the Development / Investment Funding Partner(s); and

            e) endorse the draft revisions to the Great Ancoats Street Frontage (the former Central Retail Park site) Character Area of the NDF, as set out in the draft Development Framework that was appended to the report, as a basis for public consultation, and that a final version be presented to a future meeting.

3.         To authorise the City Solicitor to enter into and complete all documents and agreements necessary to give effect to these decisions.