National statistics show that across GM as social housing has fallen, housing waiting lists and temporary accommodation has risen. Mayor of Salford Paul Dennett and author of “Safe as Houses” Stuart Hodkinson give their views on the state of social housing and what needs to be done to improve it. It was the crises of […]
Government overhaul of planning system ‘absolute sham’ says Manchester councillor
Councillors, researchers and campaigners are united in their criticism of new government plans that will see planning powers taken away from local authorities. The government’s plans to overhaul the planning system in England has been met with fierce criticism from politicians, researchers, and campaigners in Manchester. While Boris Johnson says the changes will make it […]
No affordable housing in four high rise developments, with 4,755 bed spaces, being decided on by reinstated Planning Committee
Manchester City Council’s full Planning Committee returns and four huge developments are on the table. Co-living towers, some of which breach national guidelines on livable space and two 51 storey skyscrapers with no affordable housing, are to be decided on. Manchester City Council’s Planning Committee sits again on 30 July tasked with signing off on […]
Proposed changes to controversial ‘Shudehill Shard’ pushed through under emergency powers
The controversial 17-storey ‘Shudehill Shard’ development has had a planning application amendment approved by Manchester City Council today under emergency powers. The published decision was also accompanied by a statement saying full scrutiny of planning proposals would recommence in July with the reinstatement of the planning committee.
The Meteor view: planning decisions in Manchester must be subject to full scrutiny
For the past few months The Meteor has been covering Manchester City Council’s suspension of its planning committee. We explain why we’re committed to continuing to cover this issue, which has seen controversial proposals previously rejected, approved under delegated powers. In March, Manchester City Council suspended its planning committee in response to the Covid-19 crisis. […]
More controversial developments to be decided on by Chief Executive as Planning Committee remains suspended
Despite cross-party calls for the Planning Committee to be reinstated, another spread of developments will be decided this week by the council’s Chief Executive. The Meteor looks under the hood of a fiercely opposed apartment block in Ancoats and a build-to-rent skyscraper, along with three other developments. Over 400 units of housing are set to […]
Could hundreds of Rochdale’s social rent homes be saved by a regeneration rethink?
Rochdale councillors have risen-up against a regeneration scheme by Rochdale Borough Housing which threatened to demolish over 700 social rented homes, with no promise as to the number of social rent homes to replace them. The councillors and residents of the College Bank and Lower Fallinge estates are calling for the demolitions to be halted. […]
2020 Housing Vision: an opportunity to act against the housing crisis
There is widespread concern that our new Conservative government will do little to alleviate the housing crisis, that has become more severe over the last ten years while the Tories have been in power. This event hosted by organisations fighting for housing rights, aims to guide the hand of national and local governments to do […]
Mayor Andy Burnham announces plans to make Greater Manchester a ‘Co-operative Zone’
Making progress on his previous promise to make Greater Manchester “the most co-operative region in the UK” Andy Burnham releases the report to turn that plan into a reality. Mayor Andy Burnham announced plans to turn Greater Manchester (GM) into a designated ‘Co-operative Zone’, with dedicated resources to offer business advice and support for new […]
Review of Sin City: The Morality Of Urban Growth
Panel discussion event called Sin City covered the morality issues around property development Manchester city centre. A city which is going through a high rise, primarily rental, property development boom while many are simultaneously experiencing the sharp end of a housing and homelessness crisis. In Manchester for some years now there has been a series […]