As Manchester gets no affordable housing from developers, Shelter urges end to planning evasion

Guest article from the Salford Star: Research by housing charity Shelter has shown that where ‘viability assessment’ has been used by developers in planning, 79% of affordable homes have been lost. Shelter looked at planning applications for eleven councils, including Manchester where no affordable houses were provided as developers used the get-out. Separate research by […]

Salford apartments branded ‘Downtown Manchester’ flogged to Knightsbridge investors

Guest article from the irrepressible Salford Star: Luxury flats in Ordsall, already branded ‘Downtown Manchester’ by developer, Villafont, are being flogged to the rich in Knightsbridge as investment properties, promising a yield of 7%, with an average price of around £270,000. When planning permission was granted by Salford City Council two years ago, the developers […]

Christopher Eccleston reads Riot Act at Peterloo Memorial

Guest article from the irrepressible Salford Star: Hundreds of people gathered in Albert Square, Manchester, for the annual commemoration of the Peterloo Massacre. Christopher Eccleston was loudly booed as he read the Riot Act from a window in Manchester Town Hall, while Maxine Peake relayed a message from Salford director Mike Leigh, who is currently […]

Not the fake news : real stories of refuge and asylum

We have all seen the frequently published articles of the right wing press monstering refugees and asylum seekers. Using them as a scapegoat for all of society’s ill’s and diverting attention away from the inadequate government policy that causes them. Refugee’s are blamed for the shortage of housing, long NHS waiting times, lack of school […]