REPORT OF THE CHIEF EXECUTIVE AND DIRECTORS OF HOUSING AND
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES
To CABINET on 26 June 2001
Subject:
LOWER BROUGHTON REGENERATION STRATEGY
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Consultants, Taylor Young Urban Design, were commissioned by the City Council and
Northwest Development Agency to review regeneration strategies for the Lower Broughton
area and to advise on the potential to assemble and market a significant site for private sector
development.
The consultants have submitted their final report. A copy of their summary report is attached
and a copy of the full document has been placed in the members’ library.
The consultants will be attending the meeting to present their conclusions and answer
questions.
In brief, their conclusion is that Lower Broughton is not currently attractive for private sector
investment. They have developed proposals to change the character and image of the area
that would create significant opportunities for new development. Their vision for the area
appears attractive but poses some difficult questions for the City Council.
This report provides a commentary on the key issues arising from the proposals and suggests
the next steps to be taken. Cabinet is requested to take an overview on the report, to support
or amend the vision, and comment on proposals that they see as viable or unacceptable.
RECOMMENDATIONS
That the report from Taylor Young be accepted and used as the basis for further consultation
and development of proposals.
FURTHER DETAILS CAN BE OBTAINED FROM:
Harry Seaton, Director of Housing Services, Turnpike House (0161 925 1201)
Barry Whitmarsh, Development Planning Section, Civic Centre, Swinton (0161 793 3645)
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PURPOSE OF REPORT
1.1
To comment on the proposals for the regeneration of Lower Broughton prepared by
consultants, Taylor Young Urban Design, to consider the most important issues raised
by their report and to agree the next steps in developing a strategy for the area.
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INTRODUCTION
2.1
The Council adopted a corporate Strategy for Action for Lower Broughton in 1994,
including the reduction of local authority housing stock, refurbishment of the
remainder, and disposal of land for private sector housing development. The
programme of clearance of unpopular stock and comprehensive refurbishment is well
underway, funded by SRB and HIP. However, the planned new private sector
housing has not proceeded, following the withdrawal of Miller Partnerships. Closure
of the Lowry High School site will add to the large amount of vacant land in the area.
Clearance of older derelict stock in the Lucy/Muriel Street area has also commenced,
releasing further land for development.
2.2
Given the failure of the previous attempt to attract private investment and the
opportunities presented by the release of the Lowry High site, it was decided to take a
fresh look at the area. Consultants were invited to tender for a study, jointly funded
by the Northwest Development Agency, to review regeneration strategies for the
Lower Broughton area and to advise on the potential to assemble and market a
significant site for private sector development. At the meeting of Cabinet on 26
September 2000, it was agreed to appoint the consultants team lead by Taylor Young
Urban Design to carry out the study.
2.3
The agreed study brief set out the following draft objectives for the regeneration of
the area:
 Secure sustainable development for a variety of uses
 Provide a catalyst for radical and long-term change
 Retain and support the existing community and population
 Provide opportunities for additional population and/or economic growth
 Repopulate the urban core
 Improve the environment and quality of accommodation
 Agree a medium term strategy with key partners such as the government and
 Work towards incremental achievement of UDP objectives.
2.4
Following consultation with a wide range of local stakeholders, prospective
developers and other interests, the consultants have submitted a report outlining their
assessment of the area and proposals for attracting development interest. A copy of
their summary report is attached and a copy of the full report has been placed in the
members’ library.
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SUMMARY
3.1
The consultants’ first conclusion is that Lower Broughton is not an attractive location
for private sector investment. The poor image and scale of deprivation of the area,
coupled with the dominance of social-rented housing, deter developers. The available
land at the Lowry High site and around Clarence Street is not thought to be a realistic
development opportunity, in isolation. The suggestion is that developer interest could
be created in the area, if development opportunities could be delivered which are of
sufficient scale to allow a developer to “paint a new canvas” for the area. This would
mean breaking up the public sector housing stock, introducing much larger elements
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of private sector investment and taking advantage of assets, such as proximity to the
regional centre and riverside frontage.
3.2
The key elements of the consultants’ vision for radical change are:
 Change of use of the riverside frontage of Cambridge Industrial Estate to
housing/mixed uses.
 Replacement of the University’s Meadow Road campus and local authority
housing on the riverside frontage at the south of Spike Island with private sector
housing.
 Closure of the Mocha Parade shopping centre and redevelopment for
housing/mixed use.
 Development of a replacement retail/service centre on the southern part of the
former Lowry High School site, accessed by a reopened Broughton Lane.
 Development of the northern part of the former Lowry High site for
recreation/open space.
3.3
The report contains other significant proposals for change, including clearance of
other local authority and private housing. However, the key elements listed above are
seen as the building blocks that will allow the character of the area to be changed.
The consultants’ advice is that all these key elements are essential and interlinked.
The new retail development could act as an early phase that would establish Lower
Broughton as a location for private sector development, but may not be commercially
viable without the additional spending power of the planned private housing. The
private sector housing would only be viable if large enough opportunities to enable
economies of scale are achieved. The reduction in the amount of public sector
housing is necessary to change the image and character of the area.
3.4
The consultants’ vision for the area appears attractive. However, it raises some
difficult choices for the Council. Change on the scale proposed would inevitability
have significant impact on existing residents and businesses in the area. Several
elements of the proposals could face difficulties when assessed against planning
policy. There is also a fair degree of risk in the market and cost assumptions. The
costs of relocation from and demolition of a substantial amount of currently let public
sector stock would be considerable and serious consideration would have to be given
to how this might be funded.
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IMPACT ON EXISTING BUSINESSES AND RESIDENTS
4.1
The imminent closure of Granyte Surface Coatings offers an unusual opportunity to
effect significant change on the riverside frontage of Cambridge Industrial Estate with
relatively little impact on existing businesses and jobs. The company occupies a
large site with a long river frontage that would be the key to land assembly in the
area. A number of smaller businesses in the area would have to be relocated or
extinguished.
4.2
The relocation of the local shopping centre from Mocha Parade to the Lowry High
site would clearly have an impact on existing traders. It may be practical and
appropriate to retain a smaller parade of local convenience shops at Mocha Parade,
but any remaining traders would suffer from the competition of the new centre and
reduced footfall. Some traders may be able to relocate to the new centre, although
commercial rents are likely to be higher than their present rent. In practice, some
businesses may be extinguished.
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4.3
The consultants are clear that the strength of the existing community is a major asset
and that any resident who wants to stay in the area should be relocated. However,
they consider that the proportion of local authority rented stock is too high to ensure a
balanced sustainable community for the future. Around 350 existing local authority
houses would be affected by the proposals. 123 of these are within the key site at the
southern end of the Spike Island estate, although redevelopment of this area is seen as
a longer-term project.
4.4
Spike Island is a popular estate, currently with very few vacancies. Over the last two
years, the Council has committed to firm proposals for the refurbishment of Spike
Island, following extensive consultation with residents. The option of partial
demolition has previously been considered and rejected. Implementation of the
consultants’ proposals would require a reversal of recent policy towards Spike Island
and go against the wishes of existing residents.
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PLANNING POLICY
5.1
Retail policy: The proposed development of new shopping facilities would have to
be tested against UDP Policy S2 and government advice contained in PPG6, which
resist the development of new shops outside existing centres, except to meet local
need. There is a risk that the proposals will fail this test. The consultants suggest that
the scale of retailing necessary to achieve commercial viability is greater than
necessary to meet local need. The new centre is therefore likely to draw trade away
from neighbouring centres.
5.2
A strong case for the new centre can be made on planning grounds, given the
anticipated regeneration benefits. However, the impact of these proposals on the retail
hierarchy of the inner city, and particularly neighbouring centres such as Salford
Precinct and Broughton Village, has yet to be fully assessed. There also needs to be
co-ordination with retail proposals emerging from the Chapel Street and New Deal
programmes.
5.3
Further investigation of the retail issues would be required before a commitment to
the proposed strategy could be made. If it is decided to pursue the proposals, it is
suggested that a retail strategy for the entire inner city be commissioned, as part of
the UDP review process, before the Lower Broughton plans are finalised. However,
it is important that a quick decision be taken so that redevelopment can commence
soon after the school is relocated.
5.4
Recreation Policy:
The majority of the Lowry High site is open space, originally
laid out as playing fields and pitches. UDP policy R1 protects recreation land and
facilities from development. Government policy also supports the protection of
recreation land and any planning application for the development of the former
pitches for the proposed local centre would automatically be called in if Sport
England lodges an objection.
5.5
Draft government guidance, currently subject to consultation, suggests that the
existing presumption against the development of open space may be strengthened and
that playing fields should not be lost to development unless there is an established
surplus of all forms of open space.
5.6
A case for the development of the southern part of the site can be made. The Lowry
site does not currently contribute to formal recreation provision and was not included
in the audit of existing provision within the recent Playing Pitch Demand Study. The
proposed development of part of the site for formal recreation would meet the
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shortfall in provision of mini soccer pitches identified by the Demand Study. There is
a large amount of open space in Lower Broughton, most of which is of limited value
to the community. The strategy proposes an overall reduction in the quantity of open
space, but a significant enhancement of its quality.
5.7
Consultation with Sport England will help clarify whether development of part of the
existing open space is viable. However, uncertainty over the detail of future
government policy places some risk over this element of the proposals.
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MARKET AND COST ASSUMPTIONS
6.1
A recent study of housing demand commissioned from the Northern Consortium of
Housing Authorities concluded that the net demand in the inner city east over the next
five years would be +51 houses. The consultants’ proposals envisage the
development of 900 new homes in Lower Broughton, probably over a longer
timescale.
6.2
Achieving this higher level of housing growth depends on there being a sea change in
perceptions of inner city Salford and attracting an entirely new market segment to the
area. New housing markets have successfully been established at Salford Quays and
Chapel Street and in areas such as Hulme in Manchester. Similar radical change is
certainly an appropriate aspiration for Lower Broughton. However, it must be
recognised no guarantee can be given of the success of such a strategy and it could
take several years to achieve success.
6.3
Although Lower Broughton clearly has attractions, the area would be in competition
with other inner city regeneration projects. Over 1500 new housing units are to be
built in the Chapel Street area and there are emerging plans for housing development
in the New Deal area and Ordsall. Outside Salford, extensive new housing
development is proposed in East Manchester. Serious consideration of the capacity
of the inner city to absorb significant growth of this nature will have to be given. It is
also vital that the necessary non-residential supporting infrastructure is in place to
sustain population growth of this volume
6.4
The consultants have identified potential developer interest in the comprehensive
redevelopment proposals. However, given the history of developer resistance to the
area, there is some risk that this may not be realised.
6.5
If it is the ultimate aim to support this radical approach, some form of fiscal incentive,
either from the City Council or the Government may be required to stimulate interest
from the private sector. It should be noted that schemes such as Hulme and East
Manchester have received considerable government subsidy.
6.6
The report contains only indicative costs for the implementation of typical projects.
These suggest that gap funding will be required at the start of the programme, but that
if the development is successful, the gap should reduce over time and potentially
produce positive returns. However, the true costs of taking forward the strategy
cannot be accurately assessed at this stage and may not become clear until detailed
plans are worked up with a development partner. If it is decided to pursue this
strategy, there is a risk that the eventual cost analysis may require significant changes
in strategy.
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OTHER ISSUES
7.1
Implementation of the strategy will require considerable public-sector pump priming,
through land assembly, remediation of contaminated land and gap funding of
development. NWDA, as joint sponsor of the study appear supportive of the
proposals, in principle, and may be willing to confirm financial support. However,
given the likely scale of funding required and the limited funding available to the
Agency, the relative priority of Lower Broughton against other regeneration projects
in the City may be an issue.
7.2
The current plans for Spike Island have significant confirmed funding from SRB and
HIP. If it is decided to reduce or delay the existing remodelling scheme (phases 4, 6
and 7 are affected), this funding may be put at risk. Any decision to change or alter
the planned programme will require significant remodelling of the three year Housing
Investment Programme.
7.3
The proposals have implications for the University’s emerging estate strategy. The
plans assume that the University will dispose of their Meadow Road campus. This
may be an attractive option for the University, but other options are still being
assessed in connection with the University’s desire to consolidate their presence
around the Crescent and Adelphi Campuses. If the Meadow Road site were not
available for development, the scope for new private housing would be reduced, but
would appear to remain viable.
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OBSERVATIONS
8.1
Overall, it is considered that the consultants’ report sets out a convincing vision of a
new image for Lower Broughton. To greater or lesser extent, it meets all the brief
objectives and it could certainly be a catalyst for radical and long-term change. The
consultants have successfully challenged some preconceptions and generated some
development options that had not previously been considered.
8.2
It is inevitable that a radical option will leave some questions unanswered at concept
stage and it is clear that no definitive decision on the proposals could be taken at this
stage. Although the majority of residents and businesses in Lower Broughton would
benefit from the successful long-term regeneration of the area, some would clearly
suffer in the short term. As the proposals depend on attracting private sector
investment and new households to an unpopular area, there is an element of risk.
8.3
The decision as to the future of Spike Island is particularly difficult. Residents of the
estate support the existing remodelling plans and are opposed to any further
clearance. If the current remodelling plans are put on hold pending development of
the consultants’ proposals, the existing funding will be put at risk and confidence in
the estate will be damaged. If it is decided to proceed with the existing remodelling
proposals, the consultants’ advice is that reduced scale of development opportunity
may be too small to attract development interest to the area.
8.4
The outcome of the retail impact assessment will have a significant bearing on the
final shape of the development. Although the proposed new local centre would be a
major asset in the regeneration of the area, care must be taken to co-ordinate retail
provision here with plans for surrounding areas.
8.5
On balance, it is recommended that the proposals be endorsed as the basis for further
development and public consultation.
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NEXT STEPS
9.1
Whether or not Cabinet accepts the consultants’ proposals, it is recommended that
Taylor Young make a presentation to a special meeting of Broughton and Blackfriars
Community Committee. This would mark the end of their contracted work.
9.2
If it is agreed that the report be used as the basis for further development and
consultation, the next steps would be:
 Individual consultation by officers and members with local residents’ and traders’
groups and other interested parties.
 Distribution of the summary report to all addresses in Lower Broughton.
 Consultation with Manchester City Council (as neighbouring authority), Sport
England, the Environment Agency, University and other relevant bodies.
 Commissioning of a retail strategy for the inner city.
9.3
Following a review of the outcome of these consultation exercises, a firm decision
could be taken on whether a comprehensive redevelopment is practical and desirable
and which areas of land are to be included. Subject to agreement with NWDA,
private sector partners could then be sought.
9.4
A detailed masterplan for the area would then be developed in partnership with the
selected developer.
JOHN WILLIS
Chief Executive
HARRY SEATON
Director of Housing
Services
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MALCOLM SYKES
Director of Development
Services