Grey Mare Lane could be turned into a ‘high street’ with shops, bars and restaurants under the town hall’s latest plans to regenerate the area around the Etihad.
The council’s revised vision for Eastlands includes previously-mooted plans for a 20,000-seat indoor arena, as well as a new multiplex cinema and a wave of new cultural and digital firms.
But the plans also cover housebuilding, including moves to regenerate the Beswick estate off Grey Mare Lane.
As part of that, the council believes there could be potential for new shops, bars and restaurants to pop up on the main road next door.
“There is...an opportunity to develop Grey Mare Lane as a ‘high street’ with new homes, community facilities and shops, bars, cafes and restaurants (with licensing hours suitable for a residential neighbourhood),” says the latest draft development framework, which has now gone out to consultation with local residents.
The move would sit alongside existing plans, led by the social landlord One Manchester, to regenerate the Grey Mare Lane estate south of the Etihad.
Residents were first consulted on those plans last year and the document says masterplanners are now working up detailed proposals for 'a predominantly residential-led scheme focusing on affordable homes', including the ‘decant’ of tenants and homeowners, plus the ‘demolition’ of the existing estate.
“This would increase the range of residential development, including opportunities for local people to stay through provision of sufficient social rented accommodation as well as other forms of affordable housing for sale and rent, whilst also significant enhancing residential amenity and the quality of place within this area,” it says.
The result will be a 'a mix of dwelling types including well planned apartments, town houses and family homes, with the design of the residential community planned around clear and safe pedestrian and cycle routes with parking carefully managed'.
Further south on Grey Mare Lane, the old police station - which was originally mooted for new office space - has now been identified as a possible community sports centre.
The document stresses measures will be taken to ensure residents’ parking is protected as part of the planned boom in the surrounding area, which the council sees as the latest phase in a massive regeneration vision begun in 2002.
It also suggests the Abu Dhabi United group, already partners in the council’s Manchester Life housebuilding vehicle, could get an even greater stake in the area.
“Partnerships between Manchester city council and the Abu Dhabi United group must be extended to cover the fullest range of housing and commercial investors and developers including registered providers of social housing and Homes England, who have a significant role in helping to deliver our vision for the area through their investment in affordable housing,” it says, although it does not identify what form those partnerships would take.
While still emphasising a focus on attracting major sports organisations - particularly those with a tech focus - the latest draft also talks more than previously about the potential for Eastlands to become a hub for creative and digital companies, particularly those wanting flexible working space.
The new framework can be read here .
