"The ingredients for a world-class new town are there": How no man's land at edge of the city could change forever

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A huge ‘no man’s land’ between Ancoats and the Etihad will become a ‘vibrant city centre neighbourhood’, the council hopes. Bosses at the authority have today (October 27) launched a search to find the team to create a Neighbourhood Development Framework (NDF) for Holt Town.

The NDF will effectively act as a blueprint for how the 30-hectare site will be transformed. Currently, Holt Town is home to wasteland, and some light industry.

However, it does have a Metrolink stop, and is within walking distance of the Etihad Stadium, SportCity, Co-op Live, New Islington Marina, and other local amenities like the East Manchester Leisure Centre. READ MORE: Section of Greater Manchester market suddenly shuts as 49 traders forced to move out READ MORE: Today's top Manchester Evening News stories It’s also only 20 minutes on foot to Piccadilly railway station, and is served by buses, which means the council believes ‘the ingredients for a world-class new town in the city are in place’.

It wants a team to develop a ‘vision that allows the neighbourhood to meet its significant potential’. “Holt Town represents one of the biggest and most exciting opportunities to implement our vision for communities that deliver sustainable economic growth, new jobs, new affordable housing and inclusive digital technologies,” said council leader Bev Craig. “We have a large area of brownfield land brimming with potential and sat between two of our city’s key areas of economic growth.