Manchester City Council’s planning committee has indicated it is minded to refuse a proposed 17-storey, 153-flat scheme off Rochdale Road. The main concerns were the absence of affordable housing, potential harm to the nearby grade II-listed Marble Arch public house, and the lack of parking.
First Choice Homes Oldham has replaced Robwood Construction with John Southworth Builders on a £3.7m affordable housing scheme in Royton after significant delays and Robwood’s compulsory liquidation. The new contractor has identified defects in the existing works that will need correction, with completion now targeted for July 2027.
Glenbrook has secured Gateway 2 approval for its 44-storey, 364-home residential tower on Whitworth Street West in Manchester, alongside planning permission and funding arrangements. The scheme, designed by Sheppard Robson and due to be built by Domis, is now positioned to move toward a start on site in 2027.
Warrington Council has reapproved Habiko’s plans for a 240-home affordable housing scheme on the former DW Sports site off Academy Way, removing a planning barrier to a £38m Homes England grant. The council’s earlier Section 106 requirement was dropped after Homes England said the grant could not be allocated if the affordable provision was secured through that legal agreement.
Nicholson Group has submitted plans to convert the vacant Grade II-listed former Pilkington canteen in St Helens into 45 flats. The adaptive reuse proposal follows an earlier, unimplemented 2008 approval for a smaller residential scheme and aims to balance heritage preservation with new housing use.
Manchester City Council is due to consider two major purpose-built student accommodation schemes on Charles Street, together delivering around 3,500 beds across seven buildings. Both proposals are recommended for approval and would involve substantial tall-building development adjacent to the Sister innovation district, with objections focused on scale, daylight and impacts on nearby public realm.
The Prosper UK Housing Commission, chaired by Gavin Barwell, has called for a three-year pause on new regulation affecting developers, alongside a commitment to rule out rent controls. Its report argues that housing delivery is being constrained by both buyer affordability and developer viability, and proposes measures spanning planning, demand support, and build-to-rent investment.
The redevelopment of the former Greater Manchester Police headquarters in Old Trafford has been revised upward to 1,400 homes, with a planning application expected this month and completion now forecast before the end of 2034. The scheme includes a 25% affordable housing commitment, but the report highlights viability pressure and suggests public sector funding support may be needed.
Preston City Council has approved a permanent car park use for the former Odeon Cinema site on Church Street, while also supporting future redevelopment hopes for the wider Stoneygate area. The committee also approved a 60-home scheme east of Tabley Lane, subject to a Section 106 agreement, and a storage unit conversion at School Lane.
