A planning application has been submitted for an “outstanding, dynamic and creative” workplace development in the New Islington neighbourhood of Manchester.
With nearly £8m of social value set to be generated for the local community over a five year period, developers say the project will “set a new standard for social impact in the city”.
Subject to approval from Manchester City Council, developer General Projects will create a five building campus that will ultimately bring 3,500 jobs to the area, alongside over 100 SMEs together with a mix of innovative blue-chip companies.
General Projects’ vision for Pollard Street – which is its first development in the city – is for “an inclusive, modern, innovative and sustainable commercial destination” with space available within the campus ranging from micro-units, to Grade-A creative innovation offices, meaning it will appeal to ambitious start-ups, fast growing SMEs and more established businesses.
All organisations located at the development will share a common commitment to supporting local people through “community give back” initiatives, such as mentoring, training, employment or supporting apprenticeships.
Located alongside the Ashton Canal and inspired by the city’s historic cotton and textile mills, the development – which is designed by architects Hawkins\Brown and landscape architects Planit.IE – will deliver over two acres of “new, exceptional public space” as the area benefits from a £5m investment into landscape and green space to create a better, healthier and safer environment.
The sustainable credentials of Pollard Street will be underpinned by its car free policy, low carbon transport links and an innovative low-carbon approach to construction and operation.
Over 50 new trees will be planted on site and 550 bike spaces will also be provided as the development delivers a 30% net gain in biodiversity.
General Projects
General Projects’ vision is further emphasised by its commitment to “setting a new standard for social investment through the built environment” and this includes forming a new Community Wealth Partnership with Manchester City Council, which will see the delivery of a range of targeted social initiatives, including:
Mentoring programmes for local young people and businesses.
Free workspace for local start-ups.
Apprenticeship and internship programmes to tackle local unemployment.
Commitments to generate over 5,000 hours of community voluntary work per year.
A programme of regular events including school open days to skills and training events.
General Projects has adopted a ‘Manchester-first’ procurement policy – with at least 25% of supply chain spend in Greater Manchester – and during construction, an estimated £200,000 in social value will be generated from apprenticeships, work experience days, site open days and other voluntary, community and social enterprise commitments.
It has already forged links with local schools, grassroots organisations and community charities to ensure that social value will directly benefit the immediate area as part of the company’s commitment to creating a lasting legacy in the city.
Jacob Loftus – Founder and CEO of General Projects – said: “We are thrilled and excited to be bringing our plans for Pollard Street forward. We have been eager to work in Manchester for a long time and while we know the pandemic will bring challenges for the local economy in the short term, it remains a city alive with an extraordinary buzz of enterprise, innovation and culture.
“At Pollard Street, we see the opportunity to do something unique and with a very significant social impact to really drive the recovery forward by creating new opportunities for start-ups, entrepreneurs and local people.
“We hope to set a new benchmark for delivering transformative social value through the built environment [and] we’re currently liaising with Manchester City Council and other local partners in order to ensure every aspect of the scheme helps support the local area, whether that’s through job creation or improving the local environment.
“We see our role as developer and building operator and also an enabler in terms of community engagement and social impact by removing many of the barriers that prevent a lot of businesses wanting to put something back into their local area from doing so.”
You can find more information about Pollard Street via the General Projects’ website here.
Property
Sneak peak inside swanky new homes ready to rent in an up-and-coming Greater Manchester town
Emily Sergeant
Dozens of swanky new homes are now available to rent in an up-and-coming Greater Manchester town.
A collection of exciting first look images have been released of the new homes.
The reboot of the former derelict market precinct in the suburban Bolton town of Farnworth is being spearheaded by Capital&Centric, and the social impact developers behind the project are now giving prospective renters a sneak peak into the developed.
Dubbed Farnworth Green, the new community consists of 97 rental homes, made up of a super energy-efficient range of townhouses and apartments.
The development will be comprised of a mix of one, two, and three-bedroom properties, with 85 stunning apartments and 12 family homes – all of which have been designed with the same high-quality features that are usually reserved for Capital&Centric‘s city centre spaces.
Designed for renters, the dozens of new homes come with even more living space, as well private gardens to be enjoyed when the sun makes an appearance, and potting sheds for all the green-fingered people out there.
Residents will also have access to the exclusive rooftop garden, gym, lounge, co-working spaces, and dog washing stations for their four-legged friends.
The two-bed apartments are packed with Scandi-designed HAY furniture and massive floor-to-ceiling windows to flood the rooms with light, while the the top-spec kitchens are kitted-out with all the mod-comms and latest appliances you would expect.
The new townhouses, on the other hand, will be the first to be delivered under the developer’s ‘Neighbourhood’ brand.
Pioneering new homes at Farnworth Green are now available to rent / Credit: Capital&Centric (Supplied)
This includes Bolton’s first-ever operationally net zero homes, aiming to ‘slash’ energy bills for residents.
A raft of independent bars, eateries, and shops will also be taking shape on the ground floor of the community hub, giving locals and residents a place to meet up and enjoy seasonal outdoor events that will be planned once the neighbourhood is up and running.
Residents will also be able to spend time in a brand-new public square at the heart of the community, which will play host to artisan markets, art shows, and foodie pop-ups.
A collection of exciting first look images have been released of the new homes / Credit: Capital&Centric (Supplied)
“We’re buzzing to see the new homes come to life at Farnworth Green,” commented Tom Wilmot, who is the joint Managing Director of Capital&Centric.
“Farnworth Green is all about creating new and exciting spaces for businesses and the community to spend time in, as well as delivering a pioneering new town centre living experience and giving disused retail areas a new lease of life.”
Capital&Centric is encouraging people to sign-up fast to secure a viewing for the remaining apartment here, or walk-ins will be welcomed too.
Featured Image – Capital&Centric (Supplied)
Property
Manchester to get ANOTHER new city centre park as plans get green light
Emily Sergeant
You wait 100 years for a new city centre park, and then two come along one after the other.
That’s right, merely a few years after Mayfield Park finally opened to the Manchester public after more than a century without one, it’s now been revealed that another park is planned for the city centre, as the Government has given the green light to a major new ‘digital campus’ bringing 7,000 civil service jobs to the region.
The new state-of-the-art hub, which will be known as Manchester Digital Campus, will be constructed on the site of the former Central Retail Park in Ancoats, alongside the new park.
As mentioned, the campus will bring together a number of Civil Service departments, all with a focus around digital skills, and the Government claims it will create ‘significant employment opportunities’ and ‘economic benefits’ in the region.
Ultimately, Government ministers say these ambitious plans are set to boost Manchester’s digital and tech sector.
Our proposed plans for the Manchester Digital Campus have received the green light!
The state-of-the-art campus in Ancoats will bring together a number of Civil Service departments with a focus around digital skills.
— Government Property Agency (the GPA) (@UKGovPropAgency) February 20, 2025
Alongside the new campus, however, is the perhaps even-more-exciting addition of a new urban park, which is aiming to improve access to quality green space for city centre residents and visitors, while also creating a connection to the existing Cotton Field Park behind and through to Ancoats and New Islington.
The park space has been designed in collaboration with landscape architects Planit-IE following public consultation.
According to Manchester City Council, a central lawn and plaza will create a ‘green buffer’ to Great Ancoats Street, with various tiered gardens navigating the different level changes across the site, alongside play areas, paths, and tranquil areas to escape the noise of the city.
The park has also been designed to make sure that it’s fully accessible for all.
A new digital campus by @UKGovPropAgency bringing 7,000 quality jobs to Manchester has been approved.
The campus will transform a derelict former retail site alongside a new city centre park in Ancoats.
The site will accommodate new walking and cycling routes, helping to link to other city centre active travel investment in Ancoats, Northern Quarter, and out towards the Etihad Campus.
“The new park is a welcome addition to our city centre green spaces,” commented Cllr Bev Craig, who is the leader of Manchester City Council.
“It’s a reimagining of the former retail site that has for many years acted only as a barrier to the community behind – and an eyesore in one of the most exciting parts of our city.”
Emily Sergeant -
7th October 2020 
