Ryebank
Transforming Ryebank into a safe, sustainable community by delivering much-needed affordable homes while restoring and protecting the site for future generations.
The story so far
Planning application submitted
Step Places, Southway Housing Trust and Manchester Metropolitan University submitted the planning application for Ryebank to Manchester City Council. The application details can be found on the planning portal under the reference:142223/FO/2025.
February 2025
Initial public consultation held
Early 2023
Site investigations works completed
The invasive stage of the site investigations works were completed between Monday 1 July and Friday 25 July 2024. A record of what the site investigations showed can be found here
July 2024
Updated planning information submitted
Updates were made to the scheme in response to statutory consultee feedback. This includes realignment of the road and an amended drainage strategy. A complete breakdown of the updates can be read on the planning portal under the reference:142223/FO/2025.
May 2026
The Masterplan
The proposed scheme will deliver 120 high-quality, energy-efficient homes, and will create an inclusive, multi-generational community. One third of the entire site will remain as green space, with the preservation of the majority of the Aspen Grove and the established woodland adjacent to Longford Park.
The application represents a new standard for residential development in Manchester, ensuring a thoughtful and sustainable scheme that balances local and affordable housing needs with environmental considerations.
The proposals include:
A diverse mix of homes, including affordable housing, co-housing, and private sale properties.
35% of homes designated as affordable, age-friendly housing to support independent living for over-55s.
Eight one-bedroom apartments specifically designed for independent living for young adults with autistic needs.
A partnership with Manchester Intergenerational Co-housing (MICO) to create a dedicated co-housing community.
Significant retention and enhancement of green spaces, including community gardens, village greens, orchards and courtyards, as well as planting, play and learning spaces.
Improved pedestrian and cycle connections, promoting sustainable transport options and creating a safe and accessible connection between Firswood and Chorlton-cum-Hardy without cars
▲ Masterplan and red line boundary of the site
Site investigation works have shown that much of the land is currently unsafe for public access and affected by contamination. Remediation is therefore required to retain the existing natural parkland and ecological habitats, and these works come at a significant cost to the developer. Step Places and their subcontractors have extensive experience in remediating sites while minimising disruption to the local community. You can find out more about the site investigation works here.
Artist impressions of the scheme
▶ Click on each image to expand and view full screen
FAQs
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The area of land known as Ryebank is located between Ryebank Road in Chorlton, and Rye Bank Road in Firswood, Trafford. It sits adjacent to Longford Park.
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Manchester Metropolitan University was established in 1970 as a Polytechnic and was owned and controlled by Manchester City Council. Ryebank was one of the sites used by the Polytechnic.
After the passing of the Education Reform Act 1988, Manchester Polytechnic became an independent statutory corporation and exempt charity known as Manchester Metropolitan University. It ceased to be owned and controlled by Manchester City Council. It then followed that on 1 April 1989, all Manchester City Council assets which had been used by Manchester Polytechnic, including Ryebank, were legally transferred from the Council to the University. It became the responsibility of the Trustees of Manchester Metropolitan University to manage all those assets, including Ryebank.
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The majority of the application site lies within Manchester, however a small area along the northern edge falls within the boundary of Trafford and as such, the application has been submitted to Trafford Metropolitan Borough Council as well as Manchester City Council.
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In 2019, the University decided to sell the land to a suitable developer as part of its strategy to consolidate onto a single, sustainable, city campus. The University chose a partnership between Step Places and Southway Housing Trust to develop the site and deliver much needed new homes in Chorlton.
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The current design has a mixture of apartments and houses with various occupancy levels. The proposed split of homes is:
42 age-friendly affordable apartments for over 55s, which will predominantly be one bedroom
8 one-bedroom apartments for young adults with autism
18 homes for the cohousing group including 6 houses and 12 apartments with communal facilities
52 private sale homes in a mixture of 3- and 4-bed properties.
Following conversations with officers and local stakeholders, as well as considering the feedback received, we feel this mix is better representative of the diverse and inclusive community we want to deliver, welcoming residents of all ages, abilities and incomes.
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Yes, we will be delivering 35% of the homes at Ryebank as affordable, age friendly over 55s apartments.
Rents would be set at the Social Rent levels.
The plans for Ryebank help support Southway’s commitment to ‘right-sizing’ which helps free up larger homes for families.
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Our ambition is to include a number of measures to combat against this, with new wetland habitats, rain gardens, and rainwater harvesting. Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS) will be included across the site, to help manage surface water more effectively and limit risk of flooding in the area. A Flood Risk Assessment has been submitted with the planning application which outlines the risk and the measures to mitigate this.
We are also working with Trafford Council to align our plans with the ongoing drainage work in Longford Park.
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We have made a commitment to design a sustainable development, and have included space for community gardens and greens, allotments, and growing spaces, to ensure that it can be used to the benefit of those that live there and the local area.
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The scheme has two car access points, one from the south via Ryebank Road/Longford Road, and one from the north via Rye Bank Road.
There continues to be no connection between the two access roads to minimise the volume of vehicles accessing the development from each side, and to prevent through-traffic and rat-running. This design is in line with the development framework, which was signed off by executive members at Manchester City Council in 2019.
The road layout for the site has changed slightly to minimise the number of trips generated on each side of the development.
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Concern has been raised previously about the levels of traffic that will be generated as a result of the development.
As such, traffic and parking surveys have been undertaken to the north and south to better understand and manage the impact of the development. They show that the roads can take the capacity of the additional homes, even at peak hours.
The outcome of these surveys, and the expected impact the development would have, have been summarised in a Transport Assessment which has been submitted with the planning application.