The ‘derelict and empty’ corner of Manchester that's set to be transformed as bold vision approved

Holt Town, a 30 hectare area sandwiched between Ancoats, New Islington, the Etihad Campus, and Beswick, is set to undergo a massive redevelopment after council bosses approved a blueprint for its regeneration on Wednesday. 

The ambition is to have 4,500 homes in the neighbourhood, including apartments and family housing - along with 30,000 sqm for 1,500 full-time jobs, a new ‘cultural hub’ which would provide a home for the existing Hope Mill theatre, a range of public services, and 15 acres of green space.  Previously, the council said it wanted the revamp to ‘celebrate the area’s existing waterways which create a true sense of place’.

Currently, the area is home to a smattering of terraced housing, light industry, and a Metrolink stop — which is one of the key reasons the council wants to breathe new life into the area, a report for the council’s executive said.

“Holt Town is a bit of the city that you pass through,” council leader Bev Craig told the meeting. “It’s got a tram stop that you get off at for the pretty good caff not too far. But it’s probably not known for much else. We would like to change that.

“We have great sparks in there of businesses doing well, and [things] like Hope Mill Theatre. But we want to have a coherent plan on how we can tackle a bit of the city… that has sat derelict and empty for a long time.”

Becca Heron, the council’s development director, added: “A key objective is how we knit together that area back into the city.”

Now the blueprint principles for the development have been approved, draft plans for the area are expected to be published for a public consultation with existing residents and businesses.