Great Places Housing Group hosted Manchester City Council leaders to celebrate the start on site of its £21m affordable housing development at Grey Mare Lane in Beswick, Manchester.
The event was attended by Cllr Bev Craig, Leader of Manchester City Council, and Cllr Gavin White, Executive Member for Housing and Development, alongside Alison Dean, Chief Executive of Great Places Housing Group, Helen Spencer, Executive Director of Growth, representatives from Homes England, and delivery partners Caddick Construction.
The development, Coalbrook Court will deliver 82 high-quality apartments for social rent, a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments, featuring private patio areas for selected ground-floor homes, communal landscaped areas, and balconies for most upper-floor apartments. A new pedestrian link will also improve connectivity between Grey Mare Lane and Ashton New Road.
Coalbrook Court will be funded by Great Places, complimented by grant funding from Homes England and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) Brownfield Housing Fund. Alongside Caddick Construction Limited, the wider project team includes Bowker Sadler (Architect), Sutcliffe (Civil and Structural Engineers), Arcus Consulting (Employers Agent) and Davies Partnership (Mechanical and electrical engineers).
The scheme has been developed working in close partnership with Manchester City Council, One Manchester, and This City and is the first development to be delivered as part of the wider masterplan for the regeneration of the Grey Mare Lane neighbourhood. The masterplan, approved in September 2025, will deliver 1,000 new homes, including a significant number of affordable homes, and new green spaces.
Coalbrook Court is the first of two proposed developments in the area to be delivered by Great Places, with details for a second affordable homes development on a site on Sunny Lowry Road expected to be submitted later this year.
Commenting on the event Alison Dean, Chief Executive at Great Places, said:
“We’re delighted to start work on Coalbrook Court, which will provide much-needed affordable homes and play a key role in the regeneration of Grey Mare Lane. This project reflects our commitment to working in partnership to deliver quality, sustainable housing that meets the needs of local communities.
“We’re proud to be working with Manchester City Council, Homes England, and GMCA to bring forward this first phase of development, which will set the tone for future investment in the area.”
Cllr Bev Craig OBE, Leader of Manchester City Council, added:
“The regeneration of the Grey Mare Lane estate will be a transformational programme of investment for this community. And it’s great news that we can celebrate the first project starting on site that will see 82 more social rent homes for local people.
“Major investment over the last two decades has put east Manchester on a global stage and now is the time that Grey Mare Lane is given the focus it deserves to meet its massive potential.
“We have big plans for this neighbourhood, and this is just the first of a strong pipeline of projects that will come online across the estate that will see more than 1,000 new homes built in the coming months and years – with a keen focus on social housing and genuinely affordable housing.”
A spokesperson from Caddick Construction, said:
“We’re proud to be working with Great Places and Manchester City Council on this important regeneration project. Coalbrook Court represents more than just new homes. It’s about creating a vibrant, sustainable community that will benefit local residents for years to come. Our team is committed to delivering high-quality construction that meets the highest standards and supports the vision for Grey Mare Lane.”
