Chimney Pot Park, Langworthy
Background
The scheme to deliver 349 ‘upside down’ houses in Langworthy commenced on site on 2 September 2005. In this joint venture, English Partnerships and Salford City Council are working with chosen developer, Urban Splash.
The scheme, part of the regeneration of the Central Salford area, preserves the traditional street scene of the city’s famous terraced houses, and will also deliver eco-friendly homes built to high quality design standards.
The interiors of the houses are being remodelled, with light and spacious living/dining areas and gardens raised to first floor level, and bedrooms and bathrooms located at the lower level. The existing brickwork street frontages are being retained. A proportion of the homes, which are being regenerated to revitalise an area of vacancy and low demand, are being aimed exclusively at first time buyers to enable them to get on the property ladder.
Chimney Pot Park is part of a major redevelopment of Central Salford’s seven central wards, led by the Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company and forms part of the Housing Market Renewal Pathfinder Programme.
It is a joint public and private sector project to rebuild this neighbourhood and revitalise the housing market in partnership with local people. The public funding partners are English Partnerships, Salford City Council, the Manchester-Salford Housing Market Renewal Partnership and the Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA).
Current Status
The first residents have now moved into the ‘upside-down’ terraces; the first phase of 108 sold out within 2.5 hours of going on sale. The project, worth a total of over £40m, will lead to the wider regeneration of Langworthy, which has suffered high unemployment and a significant population decline.
Chimney Pot Park was designated as a First-Time Buyers initiative (FTBI) pilot project and was the first FTBI scheme in the North of England. It was also the first housing regeneration scheme for the FTBI programme and has specifically looked to address the affordability issues for first time buyers on low incomes.
Local residents and those with connections to the local area received first priority to buy.
Next steps
- Next 30 units to be completed – winter 2007/8
- Scheme completes – spring 2008