Connecting every corner of a new housing development with accessible transport infrastructure

Rodney Street - Transport and Highways Planning

Owned and run by Manchester City Council (MCC), This City, a new kind of housing company, aims to boost the number of new homes across Manchester. Building sustainable, low carbon homes is a key priority for This City. New homes will be built in sustainable locations where there are a range of local amenities and great public transport links so that living without a car is a genuine option.

The first site on Rodney Street sits beside the established neighbourhood of Miles Platting and a new development on Jersey Street, as well as the nearby Ancoats Green and Ancoats Mobility Hub. This City reached out to our transport planners and highways specialists to facilitate access to amenities, public transport, and more for future residents on Rodney Street.

We provided support from the feasibility studies taken at RIBA Stage 1 and guided the planning application, including advising and finalising a critical stopping up order. Early in the design process, we suggested that a large area of redundant highway, currently used for commuter fly parking, could be stopped up and increase in the developable area.

We knew time was of the essence to keep the Rodney Street project moving. A key part of this involved fast-tracking negotiations for the stopping up order—a crucial document that leads to the closure of unused sections of streets—making room for the development of the new Rodney Street vision.

Additionally, our highways team is crafting solutions for each critical intersection point. These include carving out a seamless access route to the new car park, keeping Rodney Street's substation humming along undisturbed, and improving Wadeford Close with accessible dropped crossings for disabled parking bays and more.

When complete, Rodney Street will welcome 129 new high-quality homes, ranging from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom townhouses, that meet the needs of a wide range of people and offer access to amenities and transport options. Of these homes, 30 percent will be designated for Manchester Living Rent, which is capped at the Local Housing Allowance rate.