Holt Town

Plans were formalised in the autumn of 2004 for a partnership between New East Manchester and Cibitas to regenerate the area known as Holt Town Waterfront, between Sportcity and New Islington. The area is one of predominantly industrial and commercial uses which utilise the old mill buildings adjacent to the canal and other lower, purpose built manufacturing buildings, some long since past their prime.

Cibitas Investments Ltd is specialist regeneration company established in November 2003 whose remit is to regenerate brown field sites in partnership with the local authority.

A Scoping Study was commissioned first which indicated that the proposal to regenerate Holt Town Waterfront would be financially viable. This was followed by a masterplan which has been executed in much more detail. It shows that the site will be redeveloped with high quality and high density family dwellings, much in the same format as the London squares. The masterplan has been currently submitted as an outline planning application with the decision expected from Manchester City Council by October.

Once the planning approval has been received, Cibitas will package sites together and will invite developers to tender based on development briefs together with a design guide. They will also commence the works to prepare the open areas and the public realm to enhance the setting for all future developments.

It is anticipated that the first development proposals will be going out to tender in 2008 and the first development commencing later that year. The completion of the whole scheme could take 10 – 15 years.