Great Places Housing Group has officially broken ground on its landmark £37 million LGBTQ+ majority Extra Care housing scheme in Whalley Range, marking the start of construction during Pride Month.

The scheme, hailed as the UK's first purpose-built Extra Care development of its kind, is being delivered in partnership with the Russell Road Community Steering Group, Manchester City Council, and LGBT Foundation. The development is located on the site of the former Spire Hospital on Russell Road.

Once complete, the project will provide 80 one- and two-bedroom apartments for social rent for people aged 55 and over, alongside 40 affordable shared ownership homes. Designed with inclusivity, sustainability, and community at its heart, the scheme will offer a safe and welcoming environment tailored to the needs of older LGBTQ+ residents.

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Helen Spencer, Executive Director of Growth at Great Places, welcomed partners to a site tour marking the milestone, alongside Cllr Gavin White, Executive Member for Housing and Development; Paul Martin, Chief Executive of LGBT Foundation; and Ruth Ryan, Assistant Director of Affordable Housing Delivery at Homes England.

Constructed by Rowlinson, the development features low-carbon design and includes shared lounges, treatment rooms, landscaped gardens, and a net gain of trees. It has been funded by Great Places through its Homes England Strategic Partnership, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority's Brownfield Housing Fund, and grant support from Manchester City Council.

The scheme supports Manchester City Council’s ambition to build 36,000 new homes by 2032, including 10,000 for social rent or genuinely affordable housing. It also adds to the city’s growing stock of Extra Care housing, with more than 800 homes delivered in recent years and 1,000 more in the pipeline.

The Russell Road development is due for completion in summer 2027.