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The Ancoats Urban Village and the
Royal Mills project
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Alun McKeever looks at the regeneration of East Manchester
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While the industrial revolution gave birth to the world we know today, Manchester was its leading city.
The area of Ancoats, in east Manchester, was arguably the world’s first industrial estate, providing both industry and a community for its workers.
This once vibrant area was a nucleus in itself of the modern urban environment.
The area of Ancoats borders the east of the city centre, and since 1989 it has been re-branded as the Ancoats Conservation Area.
This was an effort to halt the decline of this area, and hold the area, which was now recognised as where the industrial revolution commenced on a grand scale, from falling into an irreparable state.
The specific area of Ancoats designated as a Conservation Area by Manchester City Council in June 1989, is bounded by Great Ancoats Street, Oldham Road, Kemp Street, Wadeford Close, Jersey Street and the Rochdale Canal.
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The listed buildings within the Ancoats Conservation Area include:
» Church of St. Peter, Blossom Street. Designed by Isaac Holden & Son, 1859-60. Grade C.
» Daily Express buildings, Great Ancoats Street. Designed by Sir Owen Williams, 1939. Grade II.
» Royal Mill, Henry Street. Built c1912 Grade II.
» Paragon Mill, Jersey Street. Built in 1804 Grade II.
» Beehive Mill, Jersey Street. Built c1820 and 1824 Grade II.
» Murray’s Mill, Murray Street. Built c1800 Grade II.
» Crown and Kettle public house, Oldham Road. Built late 19th century. Grade II.
» Victoria Square, Oldham Road. Designed by Spalding & Cross, 1889 1894 Grade II.
» Sedgwick Mill, Redhill Street. Probably designed by Sir William Fairbairn, 1818 Grade II.
» Sedgwick New Mill, Redhill Street. Built c1858 Grade II.
» Mill to north-west corner of the junction Redhill Street/Bengal Street. Built early 19th century and 1842. Grade II.
» Murray’s Mill (main block), Redhill Street. Built 1798 Grade II.
The buildings, in the main, are extremely large cotton spinning mills, located adjacent to the Rochdale Canal.
Today these are still hugely impressive and slightly chilling in their vacuous bearing on the area. While walking through the area itself, there still lingers an impression of what was once a vibrant community. Now that the projects have gained a self perpetuating momentum of development and the area’s future looks to be assured, the area has been designated again as The Ancoats Urban Village.
This re-branding is significant, relating that the area has moved from a state of danger to a state of promise once again.The ‘vision’ for the village is to bring back the rich community atmosphere the area once had as a hub of industry. In doing this the council hopes to create a sustainable residential community of at least 3,000 people, underpinned with a range of thriving businesses intrinsic to the culture of the area.
The Ancoats Urban Village is also spearheading development beyond its borders, linking into the wider area of Manchester, including the Northern Quarter, Miles Platting and will take in much of the Ashton Canal corridor.An example of this wider work is the Ashton Canal Corridor.
The canal runs from Piccadilly Station, Manchester’s main transport hub, on to The City of Manchester Stadium, while running through the Ancoats area and alongside the village. Along its way the corridor will be regenerated with 17 development sites already specified on its route and some 20 environmental improvement projects intersecting it. The development of the canal will act as an artery for the Ancoats village, adding to the health of the area from the thriving city centre, out to greater Manchester.
While Castlefield sets the tone, stating explicitly to the rest of Manchester what could be achieved, Ancoats is now following, but in an even more ambitious scale.
The first project in Ancoats village was Urban Splash’s Whaulk Mill; taken from a state of dereliction, the mill is now a set of modern office suites. What has allowed any of this development to occur, has been the preliminary work carried out by the Ancoats Buildings Preservation Trust.
The main work under-carried by the trust has been the vital repair and strengthening of the core structures of the mills.
Initial work has included new slate roofs, new windows, cleaning and the repairing of brickwork.
Also one of the first projects undertaken in the area was the development of area’s original church, which is located literally at its heart. St Peter’s church was created in a Romanesque style, with a basilica plan and seated up to a 1,000 people.
Built in 1859 it is a striking building, which when finished, will bring more to the community than its obvious aesthetic beauty. After extensive work to the church it is now ready for completion into its final incarnation, and this church seems to express a certain vision of the area and will act as an anchor for the myriad of developments in the area.
So much so, that the elegant tower of the church has become known as the ‘beacon of hope’ for the area, and stands as a catalyst to the activity surrounding it.
The Royal Mills project
The central thrust in this redevelopment scheme is the £80M Royal Mills preservation project. Officially launched on the 22nd of July, 2004, this project is set to turn a series of disused mills into a thriving, canal side community for the new century.
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The Royal Mills Project will effectively swing the balance of change in the area.It is an ambitious project in capable hands.
The awarding winning, international property giant, ING Real Estate, has brought together one of the globe’s most experienced team of urban regeneration experts to fulfil the vision of the three year project.
Backed by the NWDA, (Northwest Regional Development Agency), New East Manchester and Manchester City Council, ING Real Estates are certainly taking the lead in the redevelopment of the Ancoats area.
A central aim of ING Real Estates is to bring each building closer to the cities dream of achieving World Heritage Site status for the area as a whole. To further these ends, ING have benefited from a £8.8M grant from the NWDA, alongside further assistance from the EU.
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Steven Broomhead, Chief Executive of the NWDA, states: “Ancoats was in the vanguard of Britain’s industrial revolution, but was in decline for most of the 20th Century.
“Royal Mills is a prime example of how public and private partnerships can work together with great results. “This was a collection of run-down, derelict old mill factories, which are now set to become a beacon not only for this part of Manchester, but also the wider Northwest Region.”
The flagship building in this project will be the Royal Mill itself. The seven-storey mill will consist of a mix of 312 apartments, delivered in the cutting edge style of television design guru Oliver Heath.
In order to fulfil their dream of a sustainable and self sufficient community, 80,000sq ft of commercial space has been developed, spanning from offices, business units, retails shops, restaurants and bars.
Alongside leisure facilities, roof gardens, underground parking, open arcades and tree lined streets, the Royal Mills will deeply enrich the area, setting the scene for a community to form in.
Essentially ING Real Estates work on the Royal Mills project will be in two distinct phases. Phase I includes:
» New Sedgewick Mill - This will be a residential building, with 54 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, duplexes and penthouses. The net area is 4440 sq m.
» Old Sedgewick Mill - Adjacent to New Sedgewick Mill and overlooking Ashton Canal, this building will include 71 apartments over an area of 6083 sq m.
» McConnel Building - Across the street from the previous two mills, it will consist of 51 apartments, set over 3963 sq m.
» Fairbairn Building - Situate on the Westside of the development, it will consist of 22 apartments, over 1819 sq m.
While Phase II, due to be completed in the next three years, includes:
» Paragon Mill
» Kennedy Building
» Royal Mill
The Royal Mills project goes beyond the mere development of real estate.
There is an implicit desire with ING Real Estates, and all the many other parties involved, to engage in work that impacts upon the identity of a city and eventually the consciousness of its residents.
The ground swell of regenerative work in urban centres, starting in the 1990s, seems to express a change of perspective on the part of the British people towards their own environment and history.
There is a realisation, in opposition to the modernist trends of the 1960s, that these goliaths are to be embraced, and that they are a vital link to the industry that created the modern landscape of the Britain we know and enjoy today.
The Royal Mills project and the Ancoats Urban Village as a whole, is set to become iconic development for the city of Manchester. Iconic as they serve as an image of the city's birth and the future of its development, amalgamated and preserved together.
While it is certainly possible that the area will achieve World Heritage Site Status, it is safe to say, and more important to acknowledge, that the beginnings of a new exciting community is assured.
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