Press Releases

February 02 2009

First residents move into major new housing development

The first residents have moved into new homes built as part of a major new housing development to replace old terrace houses in the Toxteth Street area of Openshaw in east Manchester.

The new homes on the Fairfields development are the first of more than 400 planned as part of a large-scale regeneration project for Openshaw which is creating modern, energy-efficient housing for rent and for sale, designed to meet the needs of the local community and attract new people to the area.

The first properties completed by housing regeneration specialist Lovell include homes for for owner-occupiers and tenants of Adactus Housing Association from the existing neighbourhood who are choosing to move to the new development.

The first residents chose their plots even before the homes were built and have watched them taking shape over recent months. Some residents who were next door neighbours in their old homes have moved in side by side in the new ones.

The new homes are being built as part of the transformation of Openshaw overseen by the urban regeneration company New East Manchester and using funding from the Manchester-Salford Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder.

The Housing Market Renewal initiative aims to transform areas of low demand for housing into neighbourhoods where people will choose to live and stay.

Brenda Nyimbili, who was amongst the first residents to move into the new properties with her husband, Elijah, said: “At the end of 2003 we were given the option to relocate or wait until the new houses were completed. It was worth the wait as we were able to stay in the local area, and benefit from being able to move into a brand new home. We are both over the moon with our new home and are excited by the plans for the development of the local area over the next few years.”

Eddie Smith, Chief Executive of New East Manchester, said: “The first residents moving into the new homes at Fairfields marks the start of a transformation in living conditions for hundreds of local people.

“These homes have been built to a high standard to meet today’s needs and as well as providing new homes for many residents of outdated terrace houses in the Toxteth Street area, they will also help attract new residents into the area.  The total development represents an investment of £65 million.

“Other developments that make Openshaw an up and coming place to live include the new £40 million District Centre to be started in the summer that will provide a new Morrisons supermarket, shops and a health and fitness centre.

“The new homes are close to the Sporting Edge community sports facility and there’s also a new health centre nearby.”

Councillor Paul Andrews, Manchester City Council’s Executive member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “This area of Openshaw is becoming increasingly attractive with all the new developmentand improving local services, especially with its good links to the city centre less than three miles away.”

Tony McMahon, Operations Director for Adactus Housing Association, said: “We’re especially pleased that through this new development residents who have been neighbours in the past can continue to live together in their new homes.

“It helps maintain the community spirit of the area, which will continue to grow as more and more residents move into the new homes.”

Bruce Lister, Regeneration Manager for Lovell, said: “It is fantastic that the residents who have worked patiently with us over many months are now able to move into their homes.

“The Fairfields homes are built to modern energy-efficiency standards with properties also meeting the latest access and mobility standards.

“Most of the homes in the first phase are being built for Adactus Housing Association and for existing owner-occupiers and are now spoken for. We also have a number of homes for sale, including two-bedroom apartments, and three- and four-bedroom houses.”

The compulsory purchase of 551 properties in Toxteth Street to enable the transformation of the area was confirmed earlier this month by Hazel Blears, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, following a public local inquiry last year.

For more information on new homes at Fairfields, call the marketing suite on 0161 371 9263 or visit www.lovell.co.uk