A Strategic Regeneration Framework for North Manchester A Strategic Regeneration Framework for North Manchester Prepared by: In association with Lambert Smith Hampton 1 Contents Foreword by Cllr. Richard Leese Leader, Manchester City Council PART I THE CONTEXT 1.Context 2.The Vision 3.Key Opportunities 4.Regeneration Principles PART II THE STRATEGY THE PEOPLE 5.Education 6.Health 7.Culture 8.Crime and Safety EMPLOYMENT 9.Employment and Economic Development THE PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT 10.Community Character 11.Housing 12.Transport 13.Parks and Open Spaces 14.Shopping CONCLUSION Front Cover: Cheetham Community Mural 3 4 FOREWORD The North Manchester Strategic Regeneration Framework is the culmination of 12 months of intensive work. It embodies the unity of purpose shown by the community, City Council, private and public sectors in developing a strategy for transforming North Manchester into a diverse, high quality residential area with a strong economy and first class public services. There is a common understanding that this transformation will require, not only excellence and imagination in the delivery of public services particularly, but also commitment, quality and ambition from the private sector, particularly in the area of housing provision. This partnership of community, public and private sector organisations is essential in creating the best results for North Manchester. Our plans for the future respond to the regeneration potential of the area, its strong community and the inherent opportunities of its proximity to the city centre. It builds on the opportunities being developed through the Manchester Knowledge Capital initiative such as the growing city centre economy and the creation of the Central Business Park on the Oldham Road. The strategy stresses the importance of ensuring that the people of North Manchester have access to the opportunities afforded by the city and the wider region. However the strategy is very realistic and frank about its starting point. The future of North Manchester can only be built on firm foundations. For this to happen, we have to be open about the challenges across a broad spectrum of physical, social and economic issues in North Manchester. We have to bring forward an integrated strategy that recognises that failure to tackle any of these issues risks undermining the future of North Manchester and its communities. Therefore this strategy makes no apologies for airing the complex challenges of North Manchester. Likewise, we are determined to demonstrate our aspirations for the future and propose how we will achieve the change that the people of North Manchester and the wider city deserve. Importantly, positive change is already occuring, creating momentum, through projects such as the investment in the North City and Cheetham Shopping Centres, the new MANCAT 6th Form on Rochdale Road, the new M8 Manchester Fort retail park along Queens Road and the Central Business Park. We thank all those involved in the study for their input, time, energy and patience. We look forward to working together in the future to realise our shared vision for North Manchester. Richard Leese Leader of the Council 5 From North Manchester to Manchester City Centre PART I THE CONTEXT 7 8 SECTION 1 • INTRODUCTION PART I EXPLAINS WHY A REGENERATION STRATEGY IS NEEDED IN NORTH MANCHESTER AND THEN ESTABLISHES THE VISION FOR THE FUTURE, THE KEY DRIVERS OF CHANGE, THE BASELINE CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS THE REGENERATION PRINCIPLES WHICH GOVERN THE STRATEGY. 9 10The Angel Boggart Hole Clough, Charlestown THE CONTEXT 1INTRODUCTION The evaluation and production of the North Manchester strategy has been a complex and rewarding process. Broad consultation and a clear articulation of needs and aspirations have established both a process towards and vision of where North Manchester will be in the coming years. 11 SECTION 1 - INTRODUCTION North Manchester extends from Today North Manchester still The worst decline has happened Manchester’s thriving city centre to contains pockets of impoverishment. primarily on the east side closer to the city’s northern boundary and is Economic decline has lead to acute the city centre, particularly in home to some 86,000 residents. It housing market failure in some Lightbowne and Harpurhey areas. includes six City Council wards: parts. Demand for adjacent Council Closer to the city centre in Blackley, Charlestown, Moston, and Registered Social Landlord Collyhurst, housing is almost Crumpsall, Cheetham, Harpurhey (RSL) stock has suffered a similar entirely council owned. Vacant land and the Collyhurst area of Central and damaging downward trend. in this area near to the Irk Valley is Ward. These neighbourhoods are Voids encourage further decline under pressure due to spill over today confronting an array of and many people are trapped by from the booming city centre challenging and inter-related negative equity. Associated with property market. economic, social and physical this, is an increase in crime, fear of issues. However, there are also crime, anti-social behaviour, On the west side of North many strengths and new poverty, ill health and poor Manchester, in Cheetham, a long opportunities within the area that educational attainment. However, standing history of immigration should be exploited to re-position recently, the scale of action has led to much greater ethnic North Manchester to take full together with an inability to relate diversity. These communities are advantage of economic change and housing demand to economic healthier because of this, but are in prosperity from the city and wider changes affecting the area, have many regards still deprived by most region. The production of this not kept pace with the rate of standards. Employment framework is now both needed decline. The scale of the problem opportunities are being generated and timely. has been often sudden and but are not fully accessed by local precipitous. The creation of the people. The housing market is Once the home to many of the Manchester/Salford Pathfinder as stronger here but the quality of area’s industrial workers, the area part of the Housing Market housing stock is poor in some enjoys grand parks and views out Renewal initiative will enable the parts. Public services need over the conurbation and there is development of a coherent, long investment and improved still a strong sense of community term, integrated strategy to tackle co-ordination in order to keep up and pride. The departure of major these issues in the context of this with demand from a growing employers in the 1970s and 1980s wider regeneration framework. population. Although previous in more traditional manufacturing regeneration initiatives have industries, in major part due to North Manchester is roughly brought improvements to the globalisation and technological divided into two halves by the environment and some new advance, has left a legacy of River Irk, which flows from the housing, there is still more to under employed residents and northern parts of Oldham towards be done. long-term unemployment. the city centre, and Rochdale Road which follows its course. 12 SECTION 1 • INTRODUCTION North Manchester Communities Key 13 SECTION 1 • INTRODUCTION The northern parts of the area, A variety of intensive measures modern, quality housing. Crumpsall, Blackley, Charlestown to improve their life chances, in The Framework sets out a and Moston, remain the most particular to improve holistic approach to creating desirable but its health is educational attainment, and sustainable urban threatened by pockets of instability employability, are required. This neighbourhoods and recognises where the market is weak in framework therefore sets a that whilst regeneration is relative terms. This part of North context for investment in the ongoing now, it will be Manchester enjoys incredible people of North Manchester and intensified and will stretch over natural assets such as Heaton Park the creation of sustainable more than 10 years to achieve and Boggart Hole Clough. This communities consistently across the transformation. The abundance of green space provides all parts of the area. Framework has four key a luxurious setting for residential mutually dependent aspects: areas which should be exploited. • Strengthening North Manchester’s role as a • The People NORTH MANCHESTER residential area. • The Economy STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK • The Physical Environment North Manchester’s role and • Implementation The document defines the strategic future within the city and wider context for the regeneration of region is seen in terms of it The Framework also establishes at North Manchester. It establishes being a primarily residential a strategic level the services key principles and objectives across area. Whilst a number of required to support those the range of inter-related social, employment areas provide communities - education, transport, economic and physical issues important job opportunities for shops, health care, leisure, parks, affecting the area. There are a local residents, the future employment training, and number of strategic objectives success of North Manchester community safety - and seeks to which underpin the regeneration of will be directly linked to the redefine the way in which these North Manchester, which are inter- establishment of sustainable services are delivered, targeted and related. urban neighbourhoods and funded. certainty in the housing market • The strengthening of across the area. The North Manchester Strategic existing communities.