A group of Hulme residents are taking the council to court at the end of this month over a “misleading” planning decision.
Following a four year battle against overdevelopment, Hulme Tenants Union are taking the council to court on March 24th – as they believe the Manchester City Council planning committee was misled by the chair in their decision to approve plans for the Gamecock pub in January 2024.
They allege the chair told the committee they couldn’t refuse the application at the 5th round of planning hearings in January 2024, appealing on the basis planning committees should always have the power to refuse.
On this basis, residents believe that the project is unlawful.
The proposed Purpose Built Student Accommodation (PBSA) has gone through years of planning committees, first drawn up at 13 storeys high and losing height with every subsequent appeal from multinational developer Curlew.
Roger Howard, 73, who is bringing the legal challenge, said: “We have been fighting to stop profit-hungry developers from encroaching on our community for many years.”
Now, the proposed building sits at nine storeys, which residents and campaigners say is “out of keeping with the character of the area” and accuse it of bringing no value to the existing community, while shutting off light to surrounding social housing and increasing house prices.
Of the rooms in the development 23% of units will be £130 a week, with the remainder costing up to £230 a week.
In planning meetings, Curlew have maintained that the development was an important step in ensuring that there is enough student accomodation for Manchester’s 100,000+ student body.
As an alternative to the Gamecock development, the community have built their own plan for a five storey building – mostly affordable social and wheelchair accessible housing with a ground floor community hub, meeting rooms and a roof garden.
Hulme resident Sally Casey, 82 said: “We’re fighting for our existence, we’re fighting for a decent life.”
She has lived in Hulme for decades and insisted their fight isn’t against students, but is for the sustainability of their community, keeping their housing affordable and their area suitable for the variety of residents that call the area home.
Student Jason Lee, 22 said: “There is an artificial pitting of students and residents.
“They want students in they just want the right balance, and they want a say in how this happens. If they’d actually got the council engaging with them, maybe they’d be happier.”
Manchester City Council and Curlew have been approached for comment.
Main image © Copyright Stephen Richards licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence.
