Councillor Gareth Staples-Jones, Deputy Cabinet Member for Strategic Growth, joined Great Places Housing Group to inspect progress on its £17 million affordable housing development at Green Street in Radcliffe.
Part of the broader masterplan for Radcliffe Town Centre, Great Places, in collaboration with Salford-based builder Watson Homes, is constructing 97 affordable homes at the site, comprising of one and two-bedroom apartments. Additionally, Watson Homes are constructing 35 homes for private rent and 13,000 sq. ft of mixed-use commercial space.
A total of 132 new homes will be constructed on this crucial gateway site, designed to meet the high demand from smaller households in the area. The new homes will offer a mix of tenures including social rent, rent to buy, and market rent.
Cllr Staples-Jones, alongside Great Places’ Director of Development, Nick Gornall, and Simon Harrison, Contracts Manager from Watson Homes, visited the site to observe progress.
In a statement following the visit, Nick Gornall, Director of Development at Great Places, said:
“We’re thrilled to have shown Cllr Staples-Jones around the site. We’re pleased that this development will provide much-needed affordable homes to Radcliffe, whilst also delivering high-quality design which will enhance this key gateway site leading into the town centre. With the investment from Watson Homes on the site and the support from Bury Council to revitalise the wider town centre area, we are confident that the completed development will offer a vibrant and sustainable community for our residents.
“We are dedicated to constructing affordable homes in all the areas we operate in, and we believe that Green Street will help address the shortage of affordable housing in the area and contribute to the regeneration of Radcliffe Town Centre.
Cllr Staples-Jones added:
“This will be an excellent development that will complement the significant ongoing regeneration of Radcliffe Town Centre.
“This development will provide people with much-needed new homes and create new job opportunities – all on a brownfield site too.”
“This is a crucial development for the town of Radcliffe as it prioritises sustainability and energy efficiency throughout. These homes will be equipped with cutting-edge technologies such as air-source heat pumps and solar PV panels, ensuring they are environmentally friendly and helping residents save on energy costs. We all have a responsibility to do our part in addressing the shortage of affordable housing.”
Green Street was identified as a key placemaking site in the Radcliffe Strategic Regeneration Framework, suitable for large-scale mixed-use development.
The broader site plans include 13,000 sq. ft for a mixed-use commercial building, including office and retail space, as well as food and beverage units and a separate private rented block. Designed by TADW Architects, the buildings will be finished to a high specification recognising the sites gateway location and will incorporate low carbon technologies such as air-source heat pumps and solar PV panels.
Aligned with Bury Council’s vision to develop this area as a key gateway into Radcliffe, it is expected that the new homes will contribute to the long-term development of a resilient and vibrant community, benefiting from all the local facilities of Radcliffe while enhancing the overall sustainability of the town centre.
The site is scheduled for completion in autumn 2025.
Issued: 13 March 2024.
About Great Places
Social purpose is at the core of Great Places Housing Group. A not-for-profit organisation, Great Places owns over 25,000 affordable homes in more than 30 local authority areas across the North West and South Yorkshire. In 2022/23, Great Places delivered 649 new affordable homes, had an additional 1,600 homes on-site, and sold 192 homes for shared ownership. It invested £110M into building new homes as well as running various projects and initiatives to assist our customers and their communities (www.greatplaces.org.uk).
