Manchester council is holding a planning meeting! In public! Mtf

Shame though, as 6 Music is playing all of Sign o the Times

There seems to be a degree of grumpiness from the panel today. They're looking at an application for the next phase of Islington Wharf in Ancoats. No affordable housing. If the name rings bells, perhaps this is why https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/probe-launched-after-pane-glass-11785402

Or, perhaps, this https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/fire-danger-forces-flat-owners-10974039

A big 'un up now, first one in this round-up by @niallgriffiths https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/skyscrapers-thousands-new-homes-transform-18651190

Now a plan for new co-living space on Water Street, at the old Granada Studios site. One of the blocks = 32 storeys. Local ward councillors are objecting.

Notably the executive passed a strategy on co-living last month, which said the market is 'new and untested'. "Given that the product is untested in Manchester, it is not considered
appropriate to approve a significant level of co-living accommodation."

Fwiw, this scheme has 870 'bedspaces'. It supersedes previous permission for 350 apartments in a more traditional block. It complies with space standards, insists the planning officer and will be managed 'to a very high standard' and 'of the v highest quality'

City centre cllr Jon-Connor Lyons says the scale of this doesn't really represent a 'test' of the market; it would mean a significant increase in the ward population of about 10%. Neither is the extra council tax this would bring in a material planning consideration.

Cllr John Flanagan isn't happy either. He also references the strategy that went through exec earlier this month, which says co-living blocks should comply with MCC's space standards. 'I'm v disappointed' they're not going to 'even attempt that' with the studios in this block

The thing is - this is why you have planning meetings in public, so these debates can happen. Even if things usually end up being voted through anyway in Manchester