
New images of plans to transform Holt Town into a new ‘woodland town’ in the city of Manchester have been revealed. Holt Town is expected to undergo a major regeneration in order to develop the area into a new neighbourhood, which could be approved by Manchester City Council’s executive at a committee meeting next week (January 22).

The Holt Town regeneration plans feature thousands of new homes of different types and tenures, green spaces surrounding a 1km play street spine, new local services, cultural opportunities, and affordable workspace. Situated along the Medlock Valley between the bustling areas of Ancoats and New Islington and the dynamic zones of Sportcity and the Etihad Campus, Manchester City Council says the investment in Holt Town will “unlock a missing link”.

Holt Town regeneration plans
Plans for Manchester’s new woodland town will include around 4,500 homes across a range of building types, with at least 20% affordable homes – including social, Council and genuinely affordable housing. Holt Town regeneration will feature a mixed-use area with 30,000 sq ft of commercial space, an urban layout that prioritises pedestrian and cycle movements, a 1km pedestrian play link that connects St Annes School with Park View Community School in Miles Platting.

Plus plans are also set to include the creation of 15 acres of green space including enhancements to the river and canal settings and improvements to a new river park – known as a “confluence park”. The regeneration of Holt Town will see the arrival of the Manchester’s first lido in decades, in addition to a cultural hub and Mobility Mill with centralised parking for the neighbourhood.

Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: “Holt Town has huge potential and this is feeding our ambition to create a brand new woodland town – the first of its kind in Manchester. We have an opportunity to deliver a transformative programme of investment and we expect this area to be Manchester’s next urban regeneration exemplar, creating a neighbourhood that meets the needs of our city and our people – with at least 4,500 new homes, including significant affordable housing options.
“This neighbourhood will represent a people first focus around active travel, green spaces, new play spaces for young people – and a digital first approach that will better connect the community with local services. Following consultation, we are beginning to move to the early delivery phase for Holt Town – a new town within the city of Manchester – that will finally bridge the gap between the city centre, Sportcity and the Etihad Campus in east Manchester.”

Work is already underway on a phasing plan for investment with a view to levering both public sector funding and private investment. A future paper to the Council’s executive will be submitted outlining the delivery approach.