In December, Salford Council Planning Panel passed an application from Mulbury Homes to build twenty detached and semi detached houses near Simpson Grove in Boothstown, despite 23 objections from local residents and letters from local MP Barbara Keeley and Councillor Bob Clarke.
Objections to the controversial plan included the loss of a recreational field..."The only green area left in Boothstown will be the RHS site which will not be free"...and increased traffic. The Council dismissed all the objections as "the principle of residential development has already been accepted", via outline planning approval.
The developer merely had to make a contribution of £94,000 to local education provision and improving public spaces, and there was no affordable housing as the number of properties was below the threshold.
This week, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, or GMCA, is preparing to approve a public money cheap loan of £2.671million to Mulbury Homes to deliver the scheme to the company which had a turnover of over £38million during the last financial year.
The money is from the GM Housing Investment Loans Fund, which came under fire for supporting the building of luxury apartments and unaffordable properties. During his 2016 campaign to be elected Greater Manchester Mayor, Andy Burnham said that "I will renegotiate the aims of this fund so that we can fully focus it on the long-term goal of an affordable home for all..."
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Indeed a note in the report of Salford City Mayor Paul Dennett, Greater Manchester Portfolio Lead for Housing, Homelessness and Infrastructure and Steve Rumbelow, Portfolio Lead Chief Executive for Housing, Homelessness and Infrastructure, detailing the latest loans states: "As agreed at the December 2018 meeting of the GMCA, the majority of the surpluses generated from the Fund will be ring fenced to support provision of additional housing affordable to GM residents, supporting the Mayor's Town Centre Challenge and tackling issues such as rogue landlords, empty homes and improving standards within the Private Rented Sector."
Other Greater Manchester public money loans to be agreed this month are...
...£525,000 to Qumar Zamn for five mews houses on Hillside Avenue, Oldham. "There is no affordable housing provision or Section 106 contribution" states the report....
...£5.32million to a 'SPV subsidiary of Rise Homes Ltd' for the construction of 41 apartments for over 55s on a shared ownership basis on the site of the former Stagecoach depot in Moss Side, Manchester.
Already agreed by delegated decision are...
...£2.043million to Terah Ltd for the construction of 12 apartments on a site to the rear of the former Natwest Bank in Withington... "There is no affordable housing provision with the scheme, but the borrower will make a Section 106 contribution of £6k to local tree planting".
...£2.541million to Watch This Space (Constantine) Ltd for the construction of seven townhouses on the site off Richmond Street in Manchester city centre... "There is no affordable housing provision with the scheme or requirement for a Section 106 contribution".
... £1.621million to 'a newly created Special Purpose Vehicle subsidiary of AH2 Developments Limited' for the construction of six family houses at The Green, in Urmston..."There is no an affordable housing provision as the scale of the scheme is below the threshold established under local planning policy, or requirement for a Section 106 contribution".
Main graphic artwork by Andy Smith
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