You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Hong Kong-based developer Far East Consortium (FEC) has selected three housing associations to help deliver 800 new affordable homes as part of its new 15,000-home Northern Gateway project in Manchester.
The Guinness Partnership, Great Places Housing Group and Trafford Housing Trust, which is now owned by L&Q, have all been confirmed as preferred partners on the framework to deliver homes on the site over the next 10 years.
The Northern Gateway scheme is a joint venture between FEC and Manchester City Council and aims to deliver 15,000 new homes across the North of the city in the next two decades.
The development is divided into phases and neighbourhoods, with the Red Bank neighbourhood first to be progressed. The three associations will assist with the delivery of homes at Red Bank.
Red Bank, which is adjacent to Manchester’s Victoria Station, will see roughly 5,500 homes delivered, alongside infrastructure supported by the government’s Housing Infrastructure Fund (HIF).
This part of the project will require the partners to deliver 634 affordable homes, with 32 for shared ownership. Red Bank is described by the joint venture as the “biggest affordable housing project outside of London”.
The decision to pick the three panel members comes after FEC called on housing associations to bid to become one of their partners in September last year.
FEC said it had a strong response to this procurement and after a thorough selection process, chose the three associations because they showed a particular alignment with developer’s values and aspirations for Red Bank. Subject to an agreement, the panel will run for a minimum three-year period, with an option to trigger a further three-year period for the completion of Red Bank.
FEC is an international developer and has offices in the UK, US, Australia and across South East Asia. It has developed a handful of major mixed-use schemes in the UK, including the £235m Meadowside scheme in central Manchester and the 435-home Consort Place development in Canary Wharf, London.
Hilary Brett-Parr, project director at FEC, said: “The quality of bids received were outstanding and we are grateful to all organisations that took part in the process.
“Our three panel members will each be able to bring something extra to the table from their experiences across the UK and their input will be invaluable in helping to shape our proposals for a new mixed community in Red Bank. We are keen to get started with our new partners on board and hope to be announcing further progress in Red Bank over the coming months.”
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters