Urban Regeneration in New Islington

• Overview of New Islington.

  New Islington is a part of the northern side of the city centre. A regeneration project started following the 2002 Commonwealth Games, which began to regenerate this area and Hulme and Moss Side—mainly managed by Urban Splash. However, Manchester City has contributed over £10 million since 2005 to aid the area’s regeneration.
• New Islington area

  • Large areas were in decline
  • End of Industrial Revolution left huge factories vacant
  • Social housing built to house factory workers was of poor quality
• Cardroom Estate

  • 50% of the houses were unoccupied or home to squatters by the mid-1990s
• Problems in the area

  • Unemployment
  • Drug problems
  • Vandalism
  • Burglary
• Problems in the area

  Led to people moving out, increasing the problems further
• Regeneration of local areas

  • Along the canal and into the city centre
  • Led to a demand for new housing in the Bradford/Clayton area for young professionals wanting to rent privately
• Regeneration

  1. Developers bought old mills and factories

  2. Converted them into flats
• Regenerated buildings

  • 'Old Mill' on Merril Street
  • Created vast numbers of flats with an industrial feel
  • High quality with balconies and exposed pipes/wires
• The regenerated flats are not affordable, so this has not helped create local housing for people
• WHAT WERE THE MAIN FEATURES OF THE PROJECT?

  1,700 new houses were constructed in the area, some of the existing social housing has been improved, and local facilities have been rebuilt to help encourage people to stay. Social facilities such as a health centre, primary school, village hall, cafes and restaurants were added, and public transport improvements, including a new bus route and a New Islington Tram stop.

  
• Other features of the plan

  As well as the old mills being converted into new residential accommodation, services such as bars, shops and restaurants have also been added to persuade residents to stay in the area.There has also been some green improvement, such as adding an orchard, a new football pitch and an eco-park, which have increased the area’s attractiveness. There have been huge improvements along the city’s waterways to encourage people to use paths and cycle lanes rather than drive into the city centre.

  New flats have also been constructed.
• Regeneration

  The process of improving a run-down or neglected area in order to make it more attractive and successful
• Regeneration of New Islington

  • Dramatic improvement in housing, decreasing derelict properties
  • House prices incredibly high, very few kept for social housing
  • Government and local council implemented regulations to ensure future redevelopment has more social housing
  • New waterway paths and cycle lanes incredibly successful, improved aesthetics
  • Well-used green space in New Islington Basin
  • Vandalism and antisocial behaviour present in some areas
• Demand for housing in the area

  House prices incredibly high
• Regulations to ensure more social housing in future redevelopment

  Less desirable to developers as they can't sell flats for as much money, may discourage investment
• The regeneration of New Islington is still not finished, making it harder to assess fully