90% of locals in survey thought the area did not need any more luxury offices, as campaign group Trees Not Cars brand Manchester city council’s public consultation on future of site of former Central Retail Park “tick box activity”
‘We’re a community of ghosts’ – older renters in Hulme speak out
The number of people over the age of 55 living in rented accommodation is increasing. The Meteor visits Hopton Court, a social housing block in Hulme, and speaks with older renters about the challenges and uncertainty they face.
Over 80% of Manchester’s private sector high rises with Grenfell-type cladding not yet removed
More than 80% of private sector accommodation with Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding in Manchester has not had it removed, as Manchester city council’s Executive approve a new Private Rented Sector Strategy and extend licensing scheme for private landlords across the city
Social housing companies extracting huge shareholder payouts from housing benefits paid to vulnerable tenants
Thirteen registered providers of social housing are using this financialised lease-based model in Greater Manchester. Five have regulatory judgements against them. Wigan is the borough with the highest amount of this type of housing which is fueling substantial dividend payments to shareholders, all derived from public money paid to house people with disabilities. Social housing […]
Social housing is key to alleviating the housing crisis, so why are we not building it?
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 […]
Manchester housing campaigners join forces to fight predicted Covid-19 evictions ‘tsunami’
Tens of thousands of tenants across Greater Manchester at risk of losing their homes during the Covid-19 crisis, once the ban on evictions is raised on 23 August. Tenants Union UK, ACORN Manchester and the Greater Manchester Law Centre are joining forces to offer training and information to help renters resist eviction. Full details below. […]
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 climate crisis demands we scale up retrofitting homes in Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester must retrofit 60,000 residential and commercial buildings a year to be zero carbon by 2038. Cooperatives and small businesses have led the way to make homes fit for the future, but not on the scale needed due to financial restrictions, skills shortages and inappropriate supply chains. Local authorities will need to work with […]