Major brownfield acquisition positions MCR Property Group at the heart of one of the city’s most ambitious regeneration zones.
MCR Property Group has completed the acquisition of a major 15.86-acre site with potential to create up to 2000 homes in the emerging Holt Town district of Manchester.
The Holt Town regeneration project aims to create a new, sustainable, mixed-use ‘woodland town’ within the city, with a focus on innovation, green spaces, and community. Sitting amongst the new Co-Op Live Arena and Manchester City’s Etihad stadium, residential development is positioned at the heart of the scheme, alongside new commercial spaces, a community hub, lido, and improved public transport.
Located just 1.7 miles from Manchester city centre, the site spans three distinct plots, including a 9.67 acre former gasworks, now levelled and primed for use; a grassland parcel accessed via Manchester City Football Club’s car park; and the larger 5.21 acres L-shaped plot Together, these plots represent a rare large-scale opportunity right on the edge of one of the city’s fastest-emerging neighbourhoods.
This acquisition marks the second former gasworks site within MCR’s growing portfolio, following the successful planning approval for over 1,200 new homes at Gould Street. The purchase underlines MCR’s continued commitment to Manchester’s regeneration story, with the group now holding a potential pipeline of over 3,000 residential units across the city. Drawing on its proven expertise in complex brownfield redevelopment, MCR will bring forward plans for Holt Town that align with the area’s high-density residential ambitions, where towers of 18, 20, and 22 storeys are identified within the planning framework.
"This is a pivotal acquisition for MCR in one of Manchester’s most exciting growth zones. As our second former gasworks site in the city, we will be able to apply our proven expertise in unlocking brownfield land for transformational development and we are looking forward to contributing to the wider Holt Town regeneration,” said Nick Lake, of MCR Property Group.
MCR would like to thank its professional partners for their support on this acquisition, including funding partner Together Money and legal partner Deloitte Legal.
Marc Goldberg, chief executive of sales and distribution at Together Money, commented:
“We recently celebrated 30 years of working alongside MCR Property Group, and we’re proud to be supporting yet another exciting chapter in their journey. This landmark acquisition has the potential to play a pivotal role in Manchester’s ongoing regeneration story. Holt Town is a truly transformational opportunity, and we look forward to seeing MCR bring their vision for the site to life.”
MCR is now working closely with its architects and internal development and placemaking teams to bring forward a residential-led scheme that reflects the ambitions of the Holt Town Framework, helping to shape a vibrant new neighbourhood for Manchester.
