More than 700 homes, new school and park planned on land last used in 1990s

More than 700 homes, a secondary school, a park and a community hub are planned in East Manchester on land left empty and unused since the 1990s. The former Jackson's Brickworks site in Newton Heath is set to accommodate hundreds of houses and apartments of which around half would be affordable. The plans would also see parts of the Rochdale Canal opened up to the public.

A planning application submitted last week sets out the details of the scheme which is many years in the making and has been welcomed by local councillors. Richard Jones, who is the director of growth at Your Housing Group – the housing association which acquired the 47-acre site off Ten Acres Lane in 2020 - said input from residents has been 'really important' in the process.

He said: "Through this planning application we are seeking to bring forward the development of this site, that had previously been used for landfill, for new housing and a secondary school. We have been working closely with Manchester City Council and local councillors to design a scheme that will deliver quality homes with a broad range of house types and tenures, to create a place where people can thrive.

READ MORE: Six weeks until new Clean Air Zone plan - what happens next and what it means for you

"Input from local residents has been really important, and we have engaged with them throughout this process, carrying out two separate rounds of consultation to inform residents of our proposals and gather their feedback as we move forward. The development is planned in two phases – one which features 378 homes and another for 338 homes, including one to four bedroom houses and flats.

Around half of the homes would be affordable, subject to grant funding. The first phase features