Manchester council will sell land in Wythenshawe at a discount as part of a deal set to deliver new environmentally-friendly social housing on the site. Wythenshawe Community Housing Group has been offered the unused site once home to a pub off Greenwood Road and Gladeside Road for £310,000.
This is almost 30 pc less than the land is worth, according to a council report. But in return, the housing association will be expected to build 40 new low-cost, low-carbon homes fitted with solar panels and air source heat pumps.
It comes as the council refreshes its housing strategy for the next 10 years. Under the new plan, the council commits to selling land on the cheap to help housing associations build more affordable and social homes across the city.
READ MORE: The Greater Manchester emergency numbers to call as councils prepare for 'extreme heat'
The council also plans to build at least 2,000 affordable homes itself over the next decade, many of which would be rented at the local housing benefit level. In total, Manchester will need 36,000 new homes over the next 10 years - of which 10,000 are affordable - to keep up with demand, the new strategy says.
And at least a third of the 70,000 homes in the current social housing stock should be retrofitted by 2032 to cut carbon emissions and bring energy bills down, according to the document set to be formally adopted later this week. Senior councillors are also expected to approve the sale of the ex-Greenwood pub site in Woodhouse Park ward at the executive meeting on Friday (July 22).
Labour councillor Gavin White, who is the executive member for housing and development said these plans put the council's housing ambitions into action. He said: "The city’s population is expected to keep growing over the next decade which is why it is vital that we invest now in affordable homes.
"It is a positive step that the council is able to take unused brownfield land such as this, and put it to effective use."
Wythenshawe Community Housing Group executive director of development Andrea Lowman added: "We’re delighted to be working with Manchester City Council in bringing much needed social rented homes to the city. With demand for this type of housing far outpacing supply, partnership working really helps deliver local homes for those who need them most.
"The site, on Greenwood Road in Wythenshawe, has become something of an eyesore since the Greenwood pub was demolished, so we’re pleased that this plan will see land recycled and turned into a genuine asset for our community. Our plans for the apartments will see a range of carbon efficient technologies built into the design, which will contribute to the carbon zero aspirations of both Wythenshawe Community Housing Group and Manchester City Council."
Read more of today's top stories here.
READ NEXT:
