FEC submits Red Bank planning applications for 4,800 new homes
Far East Consortium (FEC), the developer behind Manchester’s Victoria North joint venture partnership with Manchester City Council, has submitted two planning applications to progress its vision for the city’s emerging Red Bank neighbourhood.
The planning applications, one in outline and one detailed, set out FEC’s ambitions to transform over 30 acres of largely brownfield site into a vibrant neighbourhood of 4,800 new homes alongside commercial and social facilities to support the local community. The masterplan for the neighbourhood is centred on FEC’s Wild Urbanism concept, which prioritises green space, biodiversity, active travel and public realm alongside city centre living.
The outline planning application will be seeking consent for up to 3,250 of the 4,800 of the new homes planned for the Red Bank neighbourhood, alongside more than 160,000 sq ft of non-residential floor space including commercial uses, a health centre, primary school, residential amenities and community spaces. The outline proposals also include the creation of new public realm with extensive areas of landscaping, greenspace and wetlands.
Alongside the outline planning application, a full planning application is also being submitted for three plots on Dantzic Street, adjacent to FEC’s 634- home Victoria Riverside scheme, which will form the developer’s next phase of delivery. The proposed development of 1,550 homes will see the construction of seven buildings varying in height between 6 and 34 storeys, providing a diverse mix of type and tenure of homes, including build-to-rent, affordable and open market sale.
Hilary Brett, project director at FEC, said: “Red Bank is a unique area of the city, with the existing natural assets of the River Irk and St Catherine’s Wood, as well as being home to some fantastic businesses in the railway arches. There is huge opportunity to enhance what already exists and to create a vibrant neighbourhood. We want to integrate and re-connect Red Bank with the city centre to transform the area into a desirable place to live and visit. Our proposals are the outcome of over 18 months of design development and community engagement, and we hope the plans are positively received.”
Cllr Gavin White, Manchester City Council’s executive member for housing and development, said: "Red Bank represents an incredibly exciting phase of the long-term investment into the Victoria North area – bringing brownfield land back into use for new housing, cleaning up the River Irk and investing in new parks and green spaces in the lower River Irk valley.
“This area at the edge of the city centre is a challenging prospect, but these planning applications are part of an ambitious vision for this new neighbourhood and community, bringing thousands of new homes, investment and life to a part of Manchester that has been underused for many years."
Both planning applications can be viewed on Manchester City Council’s planning portal – reference: 136812/OO/2023 and 136814/FO/2023