Great Places Housing Group recently welcomed senior leaders from Manchester City Council to tour the final phase of its flagship £19.4 million Wiremill Court development in New Islington.

Council Leader Cllr Bev Craig and Cllr Gavin White, Executive Member for Housing and Development, visited the site alongside Great Places Chief Executive Alison Dean and members of the project team to view progress on the final 75-home phase at Downley Drive.

Delivered in partnership with Rowlinson and part-funded by Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's (GMCA) Brownfield Housing Fund, the second phase of Wiremill Court will provide 52 one- and two-bedroom apartments for social rent. Designed with sustainability in mind, the homes will include enhanced insulation, solar panels, air source heat pumps and mechanical ventilation heat recovery systems.

The development marks another milestone in the long-standing collaboration between Great Places and Manchester City Council to increase the supply of affordable, city-centre housing options for local residents.


Speaking during the visit, Cllr Bev Craig said: "Manchester is at its best when we work in collaboration – and it’s the partnerships we have with the city’s housing providers that are helping us build the genuinely affordable homes that our residents need, right across the city.

"Great Places have a clear track record of delivering quality affordable homes in our city centre – not least at the recent Ancoats Dispensary transformation nearby. And so it’s great to see the latest progress at the Wiremill Court development that will bring a further 52 social rent homes to New Islington – and another project that takes us closer to meeting the ambitious target to build at least 10,000 social rent, Council and affordable homes that we set out in our housing strategy three years ago.

"The wider Wiremill Court development offers a mix of social rent and shared ownership properties, which means lots of the homes are as affordable as possible to Manchester people – while the rest offer a real route on to the housing ladder. I look forward to meeting some of the new residents when they move in later this year."

Alison Dean, Chief Executive of Great Places, added: "We're delighted to have had the opportunity to show Councillors Craig and White around the final phase of our Downley Drive development in New Islington.

"Wiremill Court exemplifies our commitment to delivering high-quality, affordable homes that incorporate the latest in low-carbon technology.

"Our ongoing partnership with Manchester City Council and Rowlinson Constructions has been instrumental in bringing this vision to life, and we’re proud to be contributing to the ongoing regeneration of this vibrant area. We look forward to welcoming residents to their new homes and continuing our work to create sustainable communities across Greater Manchester."

Matthew Holloway, Chief Financial Officer at Rowlinson, said: "It's great to be sharing progress together on site as we move forward with the construction.

"Once completed later this year, these sustainable homes will undoubtedly be a welcome addition to the affordable housing offer in this popular canal-side location."